GIRLS CAMP!

Girls camp was interesting this year. Last summer the YW president started mentioning to me how much she would like to do ward camps instead of stake camps - well I don't like change so I didn't like the idea. The stake decided to make this year ward camps instead giving each ward the opportunity to do more of a high adventure type of camp for the girls like the boys. In November, Brother Embley came over and asked me to be ward camp director. I told him it wasn't a good idea because I had a bad attitude about camp because I didn't think it should be ward camp. He told me before I say no that I should know the ward is wanting to go to the beach and to Disneyland - ok I'm in! over the next 7 months there were lots of moments of stress. Stressing trying to get the camp site that had to be booked December 1st at 8am (Jared and I stayed home and got on the computers and we got 2 sites to pick from - we were so lucky!), cooking, camping, certifying, activities, devotionals, girls dropping out at the last minute, gathering all the paperwork from everyone, etc. We had an amazing crew of women who stepped and did everything asked and more. They did so much more for me than they will ever know. I was so blessed and grateful to them. I was even grateful to Jared who stood by my side when I was stressed and grumpy. We did not get Disneyland approved - I fought for it and had a private meeting with President Hansen trying to talk him into it. We were bitter about it for many valid reasons, but in the end - the girls never knew what they were missing out on and really - we didn't even need it. Camp was awesome!! We camped on the beach for 3 nights, 4 days, ate delicious food, did a service project at Camp Pendleton in the Memorial Garden, kayaked, surfed, did baptisms at the San Diego Temple, boogie boarded, hung out on the beach, had ooga booga night, great devotionals, made tye dyed shirts, played with tiny hands, sang out loud in the cars, etc. It was the best camp! I loved it. The girls loved it. Sadly, Emma had to fly home Tuesday night for a STEM workshop - we were both super bummed, but so glad she got to come and be apart of it still.