Term 7, 2014, Excursion, Lilly, and Lice

Tonight I want to share more about Term 7. I seriously miss camp just sitting here while the camp staffers and CIA's are currently at family time. I LOVE family time. HOWEVER, God has me here, so I want to write about a few things that happened last week. *grin*

First thing I want to share about is Excursion. Once again, our cabin wasn't fired up about the whole idea of staying outdoors all afternoon, spending the night outside, and eating breakfast out at the camp site. I wasn't thrilled that we were chosen to do it, but honestly didn't dread it like I did during Term 5. I did pray the night before for rain just because so many girls didn't want to go, but I was pleasantly surprised at how well they did.

We went out after breakfast, and it was HUMID. I will admit, I wasn't feeling it, but I was determined not to be the downer to the day. *grin* I had forgotten how much I have to concentrate to walk out there because it is the terrain is REALLY uneven. We got to our camp site, and we each put on bug spray. *grin* In so many ways I feel like I'm truly their Mom out there! *grin* One of our staffers had to leave, so we went to the boys side of camp. I was SO PROUD of our girls. No one complained, and they jumped in and did what was needed even though they didn't want to be there. They put their camper's needs above their own. It was AMAZINGLY cool. After lunch, we headed back to the girl's side of camp, and then the wind picked up. Next thing I know, staff was there telling us to come in because it was about to storm. I was quietly thankful. As everyone started walking, I told them to go ahead because I was so slow. Next thing I knew, I was on the ground. (I fell less during Term 7 than any of the Terms I served at.) I got back up, and said a short prayer in my head, and started walking. Within seconds, I heard a golf cart, and was offered a ride. I debated, knowing everyone else was walking, but I took the ride as a gift from God. I got in just before it rained. *grin* I prayed that we wouldn't go back out, and He answered that prayer. When I caught up with my cabin later, they hadn't gone back out, and they had canceled it. I was silently happy! *grin* He is SO good, but I was still REALLY proud of our girls. I let them know that that night at family time. *grin*

Another story I want to share is about Lilly. Lilly has been a favorite of mine for years. She wasn't in my cabin this year, she was in G1. So, after dinner the first night, I followed Lilly into her cabin to make her smile and say Hi. Lilly wanted NOTHING to do with me. I didn't push, I just left. I shared that night at family time that that was the low point of the day. Lilly has become special to me.

The next day we were at the pool during O.A.T.S., and Lilly came over to me while I was sitting at the edge of the pool with my feet dipping in the water. I wasn't sure if she would talk to me, and I was pleasantly surprised that she did! Before I knew it, I was underwater at Lilly's request! We laughed tons and it was the highlight of my day that day! After that, she had her CIA went off to do other things, and that was fine. I was blessed and happy that Lilly came over to me! *grin*

Finally, the BIG news of the week.

A first for me.

LICE.

I was told during our first activity (pool) that one gal in our cabin had it, and they had checked everyone else in our cabin, but none had it. I was happy to hear that, and thought that was the end of it.

Well, after FOB, I thought my cabin was in a conference room. I went there and they were not there.
So I went outside and debated about where to go. I really had no idea where they were. I decided to walk to the Silver Lining, because I know we were only going to have a few kids swimming for O.A.T.S. On my way, a nurse came by on the gator and offered me a ride. We went to the Silver Lining, and their shoes weren't outside. (You must take off shoes to enter the Silver Lining.) She said that there was an entire cabin of girls in the Wellhouse getting their heads checked for lice. I stopped and said, "that's probably mine."

Truthfully, I wanted to be wrong. I really did.

But, I wasn't.

Sure enough, they were in the process of checking heads. Anna and Ronni were still waiting. As it turned out, they were both fine. Truthfully, when they first went to check Ronni, I heard her say, "Shanna" and she held out a hand. I held her hand as they checked her head, and she did great. She was fine, Anna was fine, and I was fine.

I waited around, wanting to hear how I could help, and it turned out 5 of our CIA's had it. That left two CIA'S, me, and one core team member to take care of all of our campers while the other girls received the treatment. It wasn't easy, but we made it.

We moved down to the dome and ate dinner before giving the campers showers (C.B.A., of course!). I really don't know how we would have done it without a core team helper. It was probably the hardest night of helping campers with showers (C.B.A.) that we've ever had. However, WE DID IT, and made it to Cross Carry!

We participated in Cross Carry and Say-So, which is an amazing night of camp. After Say-So, leadership announced that EVERYONE would be checked for lice. Long, long story short, there were four of us, and one camper, that had it when they came in around 11pm. Before I knew it, I was in the midst of treatment, blow drying hair, and combing out each other's hair. I was SO THANKFUL that I had a change of clothes in the cabin to change into (in a private area, of course) and bag up my old clothes. Around 2am I left the cabin for my bed in a room under the dining hall.

In 8 years of going out to camp, I have NEVER encountered the lice experience. *giggle*

I came home tired, sacked up laundry so that any lice-infested clothes could be secluded, and then started the laundry. It wasn't what I had planned for the afternoon and evening Friday, but it felt good to have it all done. *grin*

I've pondered it all since then, and while I'm not glad lice entered our cabin, I do appreciate the memory. I remember combing through Aubrey's hair and telling her stories. I remember the girls on the back porch having fun, and laughing. I remember having to blow-dry hair even though people were trying to sleep, but we had to do it due to the lice.

*grin*

While I do have a couple of other stories left to share, I think that's enough for tonight.

Excursion.
Lilly.
Lice.
AWESOME.

Life.
is.
Awesome!