Totes Girls Camp

Three months ago I was called to be the Young Women's secretary.  A week later my Dr. diagnosed me with a thyroid condition, and I realized why I have been tired, sore, and generally feeling like the molasses swamp monster for the last 15 years.  I started taking a TSH hormone pill and the "brain fog" went away.  It's a good thing too because my new calling, I quickly realized, is not for the lethargic.

Then two days before I left for my first ever Girls Camp Leader experience, my Dr. increased my medicine and I felt even better!  Let's just say you have to dig deep at Girls Camp, so it's a really good thing I had that boost...I don't think I can overstate how amazing this pill has been for me or how much I LOVED every minute of camp in Heber Valley, but let me explain:

Every morning our camp director, Stacey Goodman, woke us up with a cheerful greeting.  After a long chatter filled night, one of her, "WHAT A BEAUTIFUL MORNING, GIRLS!" jolted me ten feet off my bed.  And I had ear plugs in.  I just got up and thought, "thank you, thank you, for TSH."  I would have added a, "well, YOLO (you only live once)," but Kylie hadn't taught me that yet.

Taylor Burningham on the rope swing

I paddled around a beautiful lake, swung from a massive rope swing, ate way too many carbs, and learned that you can give CPR to a squirrel with your pinkie finger.  I saw deer up close every day and listened to my new friends' stories of mayhem and love.  I felt the spirit testify over and over again that I was in the right place.

Brinn Jensen, Haddie Todd, and Syd Gooch

There was a camp nurse who kindly advised us the first day to lay off candy because it can induce altitude sickness from dehydration,which made me laugh and start saying silly things like, our girls can "hold their candy."  Not True.  Oh, yes.  There was plenty of puking going around by day three.  I'm feeling a little queasy myself, thinking about it.  The sicker everyone got, the more I had to laugh.  Not at the girls, but just at camp life and all it's foibles: there was homesickness, best friend drama, fear in the dark, and bad attitudes (I love you girls)...  I got a touch of altitude hysteria or something because everything was suddenly hilarious, and one time Syd and Kami made me laugh so hard at it all that I peed my pants.  Just sayin.  It was funny stuff.

Wing Butler, story teller extraordinaire 

I got in touch with my inner teenager- I was light hearted.  I started to realize how my kids must see me, running around yelling at everyone.  From their carefree perspective I must look like some demon troll who needs to get a grip. You know, "you're like totes crazy, Mom." Then again, it's not hard to feel free when you don't have to grab keys, phone, diapers, snack, money, blanket, shoes....for a five minute drive to pick up at the school.  Really, it's no wonder I'm insane.

Carolyn, Samantha, Libby, Karlee, Grace, and Kami Tripp

You see, there's no place like girls camp.  These girls touched my heart with their joys and their fears.  It was a priceless experience to hear them bear testimony on the last night.  One girl found the spirit again.  Another found she had friends.  One girl who likes to keep to herself gave every single crier a hug and a tissue while she bore her testimony.  It all made my heart sing.  I will never forget the spirit they brought to camp, and I am undeniably blessed.