Four Months Later

It's been four months since I left WBC...has it really been four months?  At times I feel like it's been longer than those four months, and other times it feels like I was at camp just yesterday.  As I was thinking back to camp today, I came across the following quote:

It is not how much we do, but how much love we put in the doing. It is not how much we give, but how much love we put in the giving. --Mother Teresa --

I don't know what it was about this quote, but it reminded me of camp the first time I read it.  Maybe it was the fact that Mother Teresa was trying to say the the important part was putting love into what we do and give.  It was during this past summer at camp that I did a lot.  I also gave a lot of myself.  But that wasn't the important part.  The important part was that I found myself giving and doing things because I cared about my campers.

Looking back, I couldn't be happier with the experience of being a counselor at WBC.  It was one of those experiences that allowed me to spend time with people that had a huge impact on my life.  I now can look back at the pictures I took of my campers, at the pictures and cards campers made me, and the notes that several of them wrote me and smile.  Many times those things make me grin from ear to ear, and they regularly make me tear up.  Here are some of the notes and quotes that have stuck with me that I experienced at camp this past summer.

I will miss you all a lot you mean so much in my life every forever I love you so much love, camper name

Dear Erin
Hope you feel better we all miss you very much you mean everything you do a lot for us at camp we all love you  Camper name

"The meaning of life is to live life to the fullest" camper

"The meaning of life is living." camper

Erin
I am going to miss you  I hope you have a good summer fall and winter up at camp and at home with you mom and dad.
love,
camper name

To Erin
my special friend and the best counselor here at badger camp

Hope you are feeling like yourself very soon It's no fun being sick.  Camper name

I hope you get well Erin.  We are sorry that you got sick.  Get well soon.  We miss you.  Camper name

...I was happy to have you as a counselor the past 12 days...I'm enjoying myself here at WBC.  Thanks again and have a great rest of your summer...Camper name

I love reading these notes and looking at their accompanying pictures.  As I was looking at them just now, I saw the campers names, and couldn't help but smile, and remember the moments with each of those campers that made my time with them the most memorable.  Sometimes it was something as simple as sitting together, not saying a word, and just enjoying each other's company.  Sometimes the memorable moment with a camper was taking a picture together.  Sometimes it was a joke.  Sometimes it was watching one of my campers dancing their heart out.  Sometimes it was a hug.  Sometimes it was seeing one of my campers get excited about seeing a camp friend again.  Most of the time it was seeing a camper smiling from ear to ear and hearing them laugh at something that sticks out to me.

Looking back at the photos I took of myself with my campers, and of my campers that I wish I could share them all with everyone so people could see the personalities that I got to know and see on a daily/weekly basis.

That was the cool thing about working with people with developmental disabilities--getting to know them personally and getting to enjoy the simplest things with them made all of the hard work and long hours worth it.  It was those simple moments that made me smile, laugh, and enjoy life.  Camp forced me to truly appreciate being near "normal".

End of the summer

Well the summer is over.  My adventure of a second summer at Wisconsin Badger Camp is over.  I'm still in shock, even though it's been most of four days since I left camp.  So what have I been up to since the end of the summer at camp?

The last group of campers left on the 16th.  After they left, we began final work projects and got quite a bit done.  Having finished for the night, we all had time to change clothes before going to our staff banquet, watched the slideshow and gave our final gifts.  It was nice to have some time with the staff to relax, talk and enjoy simple things.

On the 17th, we finished our work projects, got our final pay checks, and said our goodbyes.  It was then that my Mom and I left camp together.  Throughout the drive home I told some of my favorite stories.

Having arrived at home, I couldn't believe that I was home after being gone for a little more than two months.  I was ready to adjust to "normal" life again.  My parents were glad to see me.  I had realized that I missed home when I got home.  I am now readjusted to real life, and enjoying being able to cook something every day.

Kids Week!

Kids week was a great experience!  I loved my group of three lovely ladies.  It was fun getting to cuddle with them each night before bed, and tell them bedtime stories.  The fact that they enjoyed the stories I told them each night meant success.

Probably my favorite part of the week was going camping with the girls.  Because we were at out camp-the farthest campsite from the main part of camp-and the act that there was a lot of open space, the girls and the rest of the campers enjoyed spending time running around and enjoying themselves.  One of my campers made a book out of the paper and crayons that I brought with me, which they read in the tent before bedtime.

I am now sitting in Eagle watching Alice in Wonderland with another member of this summer's staff.  I am trying to enjoy this last weekend here at camp while it lasts.  I know that it will not be long enough.  I also know that this next week is going to fly by.

Week 8

Week Seven in Review

Week seven was a good week, minus the two arguments between two of my campers.  On Thursday during noon rest I got a letter from a camper from the two week session, after having gotten two campers having an argument to calm down and apologize to each other.  That letter meant so much to me, and still does.  I have since written a letter and sent it to her.  I'm sure that this particular camper will enjoy having a letter in return from someone that she enjoyed hanging out with for two weeks.

On Friday morning I had one camper crying quite hard because she really didn't want to go home--she had had so much fun at camp.  That made me smile.  I had never had a camper crying so hard because didn't want to go home.  That really made me smile, and made me tear up.

One of my favorite parts of last week was the knock knock jokes, even though they seemed a bit annoying at the time.  So here are a few of my favorite jokes:

Knock knock.
Whose there?
Anita
Anita who?
Anita friend to help me find a chicken.

Knock knock
Whose there?
Anita?
Anita who?
Anita chicken

Knock knock
Whose there?
Anita?
Anita piano.
(That one I came up with)

Week Seven

Well, week seven is over and now I am prepping for week 8.  Are there only three more weeks left????  It's hard to believe how quickly this summer has gone.  There have been the days that have seemed to take forever.  There have been other days that have gone by ways to quickly.  In some ways I feel like I've been here for at least a year (if not more) instead of the seven weeks  I have been here.

So where do I go from here?

I've been applying for whatever jobs I can find.  No phone calls yet asking for an interview.  But I'm still trying.

More to come later when I have the chance to really process this week.

Post two week

I made it through the two week session of camp!  I may of gotten sick (minimal puking, lots of diarrhea), but I survived it!  I am on the mend (and feeling more and more like myself each day).  It was no fun being sick when I wanted to be hanging out with my campers and giving them the best two weeks of the year.  But I made it through without a problem.  I can't say how much I appreciate the staff here at camp for giving me nearly two hours to sleep off the worst of whatever it was and drink some warm seven up.  One of the coolest things about experiencing feeling so awful in front of quite a few campers and several staff was that several campers continually came up to me afterwards (and after my nap) for a day or so to make sure I was feeling better.  The hugs really did help.

Now that I have today and tomorrow off, I've done a ton of sleeping.  I've also been enjoying sitting around and reading in bed whee it is nice an cool (since it's so hot out here).  Tomorrow a bunch of us might go to a beach since it will a bit cooler and more bearable.

I enjoyed two week a lot.  It took me a while to adjust to not having my three awesome campers with me.  Now that I am past that, I am enjoying the down time to recharge and begin to feel more like myself.

I have no idea what I am going to do for the rest of the night.  All I know for sure is that I am going to enjoy the time that I have away from campers and when so much of the staff is in the Dells.  It's nice having the down time at camp where it is so quiet to just relax, sleep, and read.  It all helps to get me ready for the next session.

Entertainment at camp

There are always amusing moments at camp.  Here are some of the amusing quotes.

"I burned my eyeballs."

"You're a sexy b!$*%"

Mel took him to the barn to shovel some poop.

Me: "What's the meaning of life?"
Camper: "To live life to the fullest."

"Did you puke ten gallons?"

"Normally today we'd be off of work."

"Neither have I.  I just send KJ."

"I singed off half of an eye brow."

I will add more of the quotes and such later on.

Two Week (As of Sunday)

We are now over halfway through the summer, which means that the summer is just over halfway over.  On to the real news of camp.

This week I have three awesome women who are quite talkative.  All three regularly talk my ears off at the same time which can be tiring.  I've been dealing with a cold that has gotten better and better.  On Saturday morning I woke up with diarrhea, which is not fun at all.  By mid-afternoon I had puked and was not feeling good at all.  Thankfully the nurses had some medication that I could take to help me with both puking and diarrhea.  After a short nap (several other counselors helped to take care of my group), and some warm seven up, I felt more like myself, but not completely better.

I managed to get through night watch without a problem last night, and slept straight through until my alarm went off at seven this morning.  Thankfully I've been able to keep down some oatmeal, several pieces of plain bread, a tuna sandwich, a few chips, and some vegetables since then.

I can't thank the nurses enough for the seven up, and the other counselors for taking care of my group so that I could take a nap yesterday afternoon.

Another Photo of Megan's Wedding.

Photos from Week 4

 Here are the photos from week 4:

At Lookout while camping.  This is what I watched as my campers slept in the tent and I slowly fell asleep outside of the tent.

This is what  saw in the morning after camping at lookout.

More after camping at lookout.

On my hike this morning and this is one of the views.

 These are some of the flowers I saw along my hike.

Week 3's photos

June 29/Teen week

Teen week was tough at times.  The fact that I made it through teen week with only one major behavior issue from one of the campers that I was working with was great.  I was glad that I made it through teen week--I knew that if there was going to be a week that was going to be hard, it was going to be teen week.

Last weekend a group of us went bowling, which was quite relaxing.  This weekend was a trip to Madison.  I originally didn't know if I wanted to go, but by the end of the week I knew that I wanted to go.  I knew that I just wanted to get away from camp, which would help me recharge my batteries for the upcoming week.

While in Madison I got to see the Capital building and spend some time with grandparents.  The chance to sit with Mom's parents for a while, and tell them a little about camp was nice--they seemed to enjoy hearing about camp.  It was also fun to get to have lunch with them.  As for seeing Wisconsin's capitol building--it was SO BEAUTIFUL!  I really liked seeing it, especially now that I have taken a couple of criminal justice classes.  The part that blew me away was being able to see Wisconsin's constitution.

Tonight we are planning on doing a movie night.  I don't know what movie we are seeing.  All I know is that we are going to be watching a movie.

Hopefully it won't rain anymore after today...we've had a few showers, and I am officially tired of rain at the moment.

Running during noon rest

I didn't actually go for a run during noon rest.  But I ran part way across the lawn.

Let me put it this way.  There were three other people that the four or five of us in the music pavilion saw running towards the barn/kitchen/camping and fishing.  So several of us got up and started running thinking that something was wrong and that we needed to go help.  We then found out that some of the barn animals had escaped, and that they had enough people to deal with it.

It was once of those moments that I will probably never forget because of how everyone started running together to go solve whatever problem was happening.

I also thought that there was a spider that drank fire this afternoon.

Teen week at camp!

It's teen week!  And that means lots of energy.  It rained this evening and has been raining on and off since.  SO, the family (two counselors and a group of campers) I am with this week and I didn't get to go camping. I'm not to bummed about it in some ways, but in others ways I am a little bummed.  I love sleeping outside of a tent door and under the stars, so I miss that part.  I won't go into the rest...sometimes you just want life to be a little easier.

Meanwhile, I am finding myself doing things that make me wonder if I ever had a conversation with someone similar to the ones I have been having the past couple of weeks with campers.  Sometimes I feel like I am being the mother who is telling a child what to do and how to do it.  Other times I feel like I am hanging out with a few friends, not my campers.

I've been singing a lot of camp songs lately to campers.  It's always fun to sing them songs since it usually makes them smile, laugh, or helps them to relax.  Time to go to bed so I can get enough sleep for another full day of fun stuff!

Week 2 of camp

Week two went well.  There were times when I didn't know how I was going to make it with the small amount of sleep I was getting a night.  I kept getting woken up at five or six in the morning, and quite often one other time in the night.  Sometimes campers have a way of making you work on not enough sleep.  I am so glad that I got to hang out with the three campers that I did this past week.  I really loved how they would challenge me, but also how they reminded me to laugh and would make me laugh.

One of the campers and I were having a conversation one day.  We had a good laugh because we had been talking about sunburns and I thought she had said something about burned eyeballs.  There was another camper in my group this past week who had an easier time falling asleep if I sang You Are My Sunshine to her.  Some nights singing that song helped me remember that it is things like that these campers will remember for years to come.

Megan's Wedding

Preperation for the wedding:

The Reception:

My plate of food:

Allise's plate:

Post Dinner/pre cake cutting:

Dancing:

Th Cake:

More Dancing

Midland's Chippewa Nature Center

These were taken in May while I was still home at Midland's Chippewa Nature Center.

Week One

Sunday
I got to camp.  Check in was a little chaotic with it being the first week.  We knew what was supposed to be happening but didn't have it completely worked out just yet so that it goes smoothly.  We had our counselor meeting to schedule our activities and such.

Monday
It was our first full day with campers.  My three lovley campers enjoyed music, arts and crafts, and the pool. They also had fun doing evening activities.

Tuesday
More arts and crafts and music today.  My three campers and I also went camping.  The campers enjoyed it quite a bit.  Once campers were in bed both at the campsites, on main camp, and at primitive, the campsites got a radio call asking what type of ice cream we wanted.    The other two counselors and I all were so excited for chocolate ice cream before we went to bed.  All three of us had somewhat rough days with our campers, and so we were glad to have chocolate to eat.  After enjoying ice cream the three of us went to bed.  I didn't sleep all that well because I was sleeping outside and the bugs were bugging me.  I did eventually fall asleep right outside of the tent door so that none of my campers could get out and wander away, so an hour or so after going to bed I woke up to lightning.  We ended up being radiod to pack up our personal belongings, and be ready for the bus to come pick us up and bring us back to our dorm on main camp.  I was so gratefull to my three ladies being so good about this whole thing in the middle of the night.  The next day I was quite tired, after having slept about 4 hours.

Wensday
We did even more arts and crafts and music.  We went fishing in the afternoon, which was quite relaxing.  After dinner was badger olympics which my campers enjoyed.  We even got to watch Badger Bill (camps "mascot") accidently run into a door while we were waiting for snack.  One of my campers got a kick out Badger Bill doing so, and laughed.  The campers laugh made my night quite a bit easier.  During noon rest (after lunch and before afternoon activities), I tried to skype my Mom, but she had completley forgotten, so I had to wait until Thursday since I had to hang out with campers until 11pm.

Thursday
We did more arts and crafts, stopped by music for a while, did some recreation, and even made it to a nature activity.  After our activities, we headed off to get ready for the dance and our nice dinner.  All three of my campers enjoyed our meal of peas, mashed potatos, turkey, and stuffing.  We also enjoyed dancing during the dance.  I wish I could post my pictures of campers here, but I can't because of privacy.  During the dance one of my camping buddies (one of the campers from the other group of campers that camped with my campers), gave me a hug and I also got to dance with two of my three campers.  It all made my week all the better.  It also reminded me that the simple things can be thie things that you miss and enjoy the most.

Friday
We got up and got ready for the talent show.  My three awesome campers enjoyed breakfast, and also enjoyed the talent show.  After lunch all three were picked up, and I said my first goodbyes.  I didn't tear up or cry at goodbye this time.  Yet, it was bittersweet saying goodbye to all three.  They will stick with me for quite some time.

One of my three campers that came to camp last year remembered coming to music and spending time with me there since I was the music director here last year.  That made me smile and glad that there has been at least one camper that has enjoyed their time with me.

That's all folks.  I'm off to get more sleep and enjoy my day off.  I shall be back at some point to post a few pictures from around camp that I am sure you will enjoy seeing (NO CAMPER PICTURES! but pictures of the camp in general).

First day at camp

Today has been my first day at camp.  I have been enjoying every minute of it so far.  When I arrived yesterday afternoon two of my three lovely campers had arrived.  The moment I got here, I felt like I had come home.  I felt like I had come home to a bunch of friends (staff and campers) old and new, and to a place that I now know my way around without a problem.

I didn't know what to expect out of my first group of campers.  I can now say this: my first group of wonderful women are amazing.  They've made me smile, and reminded me of how much fun the simplest things like laughing at things that I don't and won't remember.

Early this morning, as I slept for the last few minutes I would get today, a camper in the travel program and their counselor came walking into Sunshine, where I am sleeping this week with my three campers.  As they opened the door to the dorm room, the didn't realize that we had the cans up.  These cans are two large metal cans connected together with some space between them by string.  There is a length of string that then is thrown over the top of the door at night before the last counselor into the dorm goes to bed, and the door is then closed.  When this happens and someone opens the door not realizing the the cans or there, or not knowing how to remove the cans silently, the cans crash to the floor creating a racket.  When the cans crashed this morning, I sat straight up, and looked towards the door.  As it turns out, it was a camper and counselor from the Travel program that were coming in to use the bathroom having forgotten about the cans. Thankfully those cans crashing to the floor this morning did not mean a camper that has gone running out of the dorm when they shouldn't have been.

I am now off to take a shower and bed.  I should have some time this weekend to get pictures up from Megan's Wedding, so keep your eyes open!

First week of June

The first week of June is almost over.  Tonight is the rehearsal dinner for my friend's (Megan) wedding.  I've been antsy all week out of excitement for leaving for camp (and for Megan's wedding).  I keep reminding myself to soak up as much of the fun related to the wedding as possible so that I don't forget it.  I also keep reminding myself that I will be at camp sooner than I realize, so there's no need to want it to come sooner than needed.

On Sunday morning, I spent my last Sunday morning in town at church with the contemporary praise team.  After the contemporary service was over, I was bombarded with hugs, which got me to tear up.  Last summer I missed making music with the contemporary praise team.  In my own way, I was trying to remember those last couple hours with the praise team before leaving for camp.

It's going to be another great summer for me.  I'm sure that I'll make it back to Midland with lots of stories about campers and many more memories.

Terms you may read

Here are some of the terms that you may read here and what they mean.  Now you'll understand what I'm talking about.

Nightwatch--This means that a member of the staff is hanging out in one of the dorms with the campers at night from 9pm until at least 11pm.

Noonwatch--This means that a member of the staff is hanging out in one of the dorms during noon rest.  This gives a little time for the rest of the staff to relax/rest.

Badger Ball--This means the weekly dance on Thursday night

Badger Olympics--This occurs on Wensday nights and is when campers get to participate in a short and long relay race, a throwing event, and an obstacle course.

One last look...

Before leaving camp, my Mom and I stopped to check this view out.  This was another one of my favorite views on camp.  Before long, we were on the road and on the way home.  It took me 48 hours to realize that I wasn't going back to camp.  It was then that I re-adjusted to "normal" life.

One last afternoon

"The Yarn Detanglers"

On our final afternoon together many of us detangled and organized the yarn that the arts and crafts program uses.  Someone mentioned that they felt like an old lady and that we should have been sitting around knitting.

Final day blues

Just before lunch, we all took a turn to mark our name at the city that we live in for one of the two Danish dietitians from the summer of 2012.

Delta College class of 2013

April 26, 2013

Delta College Commencement

What a great day!  Getting to graduate with people that I have had classes with and those who I have never met before was a great experience and one worth celebrating.  It was during graduation that I was walking across the stage that one of my instructors stood up, gave me a thumbs up and cheered.  As I was walking past the faculty that I walked past another instructor that had an impact on me.  In total four of the five instructors that had the biggest impact on me were there.

The two of us had never met before April 26, the night of graduation.  That night we met for the first time and this picture was taken.  I thought that it would be posted to Delta's website and with ta caption saying something to the extent of "best friends celebrating their graduation".  It didn't work out that way.  But it did get posted to Delta's facebook page.

Post graduation.  Note the chocolate in my dad's hand so that my mom could take the picture (I am almost certain that my family is a family of chocoholics).  Before taking this picture, I had had a great conversation with my intro to criminal justice instructor.  It was during that conversation that I told her that I had caught the criminal justice bug from her.  I also got to congratulate a friend in my Juvenile Offender class during the winter 2013 semester.

Megan's first bridal shower

Megan, pre-gift opening

Post gift opening (from left to right) Kerry (bridesmaid), Amita (maid of honor), Megan (bride), Erin (ME!, bridesmaid), Allise (MIA aka working, bridesmaid)

Around/during gift opening.  From left to right me, Amita, Megan