The Summer So Far!

In April, we moved from Caronport (the town that we love and miss SO much!) to Mesachie Lake, living and working at Camp Imadene. Shayna made the trip with us (what a LONG trip that was - we were going CRAZY by the end of it!!) and helped us get all settled in. Our new home is a little duplex right on site at camp. We spent the spring adjusting to a new job, and with Jon trying to teach me all the ropes to Imadene. It was so rainy this spring - lame! This hindered our ability to really go out and explore our new surroundings, but Jon was still able to go out on a few adventures, such as repelling down a 80 ft cliff, and exploring some old mining caves! Both things that make me SO nervous when he is out there doing them, but always really sweet to see the pictures afterwards!

A few more highlights of the spring in between running guest groups and gearing up for the high season was watching my beautiful mom graduate from college and going to wildplay high ropes course in nanaimo! I almost cried watching my mom walk across the stage, knowing how hard she had worked for this, and I was just so proud of her! I also almost cried when we were 85 ft in the air, hanging from small wires and swinging on crazy stirrups from platform to platform - SCARY! I also this spring got to see my incredible cousin Jenna walk across the stage at her high school graduation and watch her take the world on by storm!

Overall, the spring was good - a bit lonely sometimes, just getting used to being away from school and a town full of people that I loved, as well as being so far away from my family for the first time (some would say I am not even far away, but I am used to only living three and a half hours away at the most!).

I miss being able to visit my aunts, and play with my awesome cousins, hanging out with Courtney, chatting about nothing with my mom, and kicking Brandon's butt at Ticket to Ride. I miss walking down the streets of Caronport, knowing everyone I am walking past, and living with my best friends ten feet away, and all the fun parties we had in our small apartment. But Camp is slowly turing into a home, full of all sorts of new fun things (such as being able to walk into the home next door to ours and immediately feeling like I belong somewhere, and that there is still a family somewhere nearby that loves me! - Sharon Burdge has been the most incredible neighbour!).

This summer has been FULL of exciting times, thanks to the teenagers that now dominate our life. The LIT's (leaders in training that volunteer at camp) that we are in charge of are such an AMAZING group of kids that I love dearly! They have each captured my heart in very significant ways. They have made this summer more than I expected, and have given me more than I ever could have hoped for. They are each so unique and diverse, and bring such a smile to my face every day (even the days when they are being slackers and I feel like a nag all day long!). We recently took them to a place called Skutz Falls, which is about ten minutes from camp, and a REALLY cool place to swim and play in some sweet rapids and fast currents. It was all around a great day - a highlight of my summer!

Having Nate up here this summer helping out has been SO good! I have no idea how we would have managed without him! The three of us have great times together, and work together well.

This summer has been really good so far. We have learned A LOT, and have been stretched in ways that we did not foresee, but we are working hard at jobs that we truly love. Jon and I make a good team together, and we balance each other. Seeing him in positions that I have never seen him in before is really amazing, and it makes me appreciate him even more. He thrives out at camp, and he is a powerhouse that I love to watch! Vise versa, he often says that it is really sweet to watch me connect with the LIT's, and be able to see me do what I am good at - love the teenagers that I have been blessed to care for. Camp work sure is hard sometimes - but also extremely gratifying!

One of the best parts of the summer so far though, I must say, has been able to actually be an auntie to our adorable neice Makenna!!! Living so far away, we missed out on the first year of her life, and being able to be around now, and get to know her has been amazing. Auntie is definately a title that I enjoy! Who wouldn't, with how cute this girl is?! This is me letting her suck on a sour soother - oh boy.