Rocky Mountain High

Last week was STAKE GIRLS CAMP!!!

It was SO GREAT! And phew we had to work for it! We faced almost comical obstacles just getting the stake to camp this year, like we were informed 2 weeks before camp that there was NO water at our campground, frantically searched for a solution for our group of nearly 300 and after finding one to squeeze into, got the disheartening news (1 week before camp) that it suddenly had contaminated water not to mention a tick infestation. Not happy news.

Ticks were enough of a concern that we made witty badges for what we fully expected to become a large club for those who had tick "encounters." We also had everyone play a dramatic yet educational game of "Tick: Fact or Fiction?" on the drive to camp so they could learn how to protect themselves from these nasty little grossies.

But I digress.

Happily, thankfully, our water was cleansed and drinkable 3 days before camp and the dry weather leading up to camp solved the tick problem for us! Cue singing choirs. (We only awarded 4 badges, 2 of which were for girls who found a wild tick named Rodney and captured him in a baggie. Huge relief considering the girls camp 2 weeks before us had many, many "encounters" and a confirmed disease as a result. Blessed we were.)

Even though our hurdles continued at camp (rain, sickness, sleeping in a tent with no floor--who chooses this??), it was a SUPER week. I wondered if I'd feel displaced not being there with my home ward, but I discovered that it was totally natural to roam around to all 9 wards all week and I found at least 7 new homes! Pretty good, right? So many good women & girls to associate with and refreshing and easy to be with them in a casual setting. We were silly, we were spiritual, and I loved being there. I didn't love sleeping in a tent without a floor, but I really loved being there.

Our theme was 'I'm a Believer!' and each ward was assigned a YW value and a fairytale as their theme within the theme...

Stake committee at the picturesque amphitheatre with guest speaker Mrs. Utah (who was EXCELLENT!) on evening #1.

That night we dressed up in grocery bag tutus and danced around with jingling wands--but we have no pictures of us twirling on stage!? If you're a twirler like me, you would love these tutus! (Use Target bags for ultimate fluff & quietness.)

Morning devotionals were at the equally picturesque pavilion.

Wow, lookin' good here, but MUST share my favorite camp gift, a green thumbs up (or down, as the case may be) pen. It expresses my happiness so effortlessly. In this case we were happy to have trenched our floorless tent in a downpour and rescued MOST of our stuff from getting soaked.

Evening #2 was skit night--we were tiny-stepping, fluttery, high-voiced value fairies in sort-of muddy D.I. prom dresses with our jeans on underneath.

I was the faith fairy. Pictures don't really capture our dainty fairy essences...so believable.

Speaking of fairies, here's the cuter, cowboy version back home.

Our fearless presidency--love these women!!

Incognito girls from my very favorite ward delivering the love bucket.

I'm confident enough to let you see what I looked like by morning #3. Not good, McGee. But a classic camping mugshot.

Dancing kings on night #3--we invited the visiting bishops and stake president to do our "I'm a Believer" macarena with us.

Guest singer/speaker Nancy Hansen from our stake setting the tone for individual ward testimony meetings later on. Outdoor music, always a good thing.

This metallic guy looks like a robot but he was, in fact, a REAL cricket. The size on your screen is probably smaller than his actual size. Some said it was a famous mormon cricket. If so, I have new respect for the miracle of the seagulls story because I can't. imagine. seeing more than one of these at once and having hoards of them attacking me & my food. He was ENORMOUS. Tangerine sized with armor. Holy cow.

Boondoggle. It's like riding a bike. And a good way to make new friends.

More women to love. Even the snoring one. I'm not pointing any fingers but WOW.

Sunrise devotional on the last morning. Doesn't it look so dramatic? I think so too. I missed the whole thing because after a two hideously restless nights (courtesy of our champion snorer & floorless tent,) I took half a sleeping pill, plugged in some donated earplugs, and zonked out for 5 blissful hours. My tentmates (who knew exactly where I was) didn't see me in my bed, assumed I was already up, but couldn't find me anywhere else in camp. Apparently I sleep really flat when I'm that tired. Intrigue.

Inside the infamous tent. Happy to be bidding it adieu.

Also inside our tent: more nature than was welcome. There are no words for the heebie jeebie factor.

The image I'm choosing to take with me. Love it, love it, LOVED IT!!!

HOORAY for girls camp! Hooray for my own indoor bed and being done with camp overload! Hooray for my YW calling! It's humbling and busy and exhilarating and I really enjoy it.