Friends and Family Night

Here's what happens: When you work at Oakcrest, you move up there the first week of June and basically spend the week like you are campers so you learn what to do when you are a counselor. It is hecka fun and crazy crazy. Here are some pics from pre-camp week '08 when I was there.

Gonz and Check. Some of my Oakcrest Besties.

Pancakes over the fire = tastiest thing EVER.

And yes, I am eating them with my hands.

Counselors

So Friday after everything is done, they do what they call "Friends and Family Night" where you get to show off what you're gonna do all summer, and it's also a chance for past staff members to go back up to camp. Last Friday was said night. Checko and I drove up together and met up with Bee and Froot and spent most of the night with them. All of us were roommates at one point except Froot so we went back to visit our cabin for a few minutes. There was a counselor in there who is just starting her summer and she acted like she was all that and we just looked at her and thought "Oh sweetheart, you have NO CLUE what you are getting yourself into." We talked to her for a minute and told her how it is the most exhausting thing emotionally, spritually, physically, and mentally, but that it will be the best experience of her life to date. In my opinion, being a mom is the only thing that could top this experience, because that's essentially what you are for the summer. She just shrugged it off like it wasn't gonna be that hard so Bee just looked at her and said "Just don't get used to getting any sleep." At which point she had a look of terror on her face. She then timidly told us about how she got a little sick the last few days...and we all just rolled our eyes. Suck it up sister, we love you, we encourage, we understand you, but you won't get sympathy from us. Checko wound up with pnemonia, we had several people that got upper respiratory infections, and at least half of us had bronchitis. However, up at camp, you can't take time to get better, so yes, I lived with bronchitis for 13 weeks, and I am not exaggerating. The doctors were floored when I finally went in to be taken care of. So no, we don't feel bad that you got a little sore throat or a cough pre-camp week, sorry friend.

We were able to go on the zipline, we watched the program, sang camp songs, went to every nostalgic place in camp, including our special room in the bathroom. It was so great. I love every chance I get to go up to camp, except it is always so hard to leave that place. It is so beautiful and I have so many great memories that all come back while I am there and I just don't want to leave them behind. It really is one of my favorite places on earth, I don't care what people say or much they underplay it, nobody even has the slightest idea of what we went through there unless they have worked there themselves. It is so great and I'm grateful I was able to go up last week. Enjoy the pics.

Me by the Oakcrest Sign

Check drinking well water. I kid you not, it is the

BEST water you will ever taste.

Me on the ropes course

Oakcrest besties

Bee and I outside our cabin

Bee, Me, Check, Stitches and Froot in the

Dogwood Counselor room.