Camp is coming!

It's that time of year... spring is in the air, the days are getting warmer, the heat is turned off, the AC isn't on yet, we can leave the windows and doors open for the fresh air, the daffodils are blooming... and yes, the highlight of it all, we are getting ready for Camp Wooten. :)

Some of you may think I am crazy. I actually look forward to this week long "camping" trip with ninety 10 and 11 year olds. I normally don't like this age group, but I've learned a bit of patience.

Two years ago my sister asked me if I wanted to come to camp to help be a teacher because they were short that year. I ended up making a great friend, the Jason Lee librarian, Shirley. I was her assistant teacher for the fire-building class. We had a great time. I've never seen myself as a pro fire builder - that's Doug's expertise - and frankly, I'm the cheater type that likes to pile the big logs on, douse it with lighter fluid, use one match and watch it burn! In any case, my second year at camp, they decided I was teaching my own class. Shirley moved on to her love... "owl pellets" and they made me in charge of the fire building class. All went well... I had a great time teaching the kids how to build fires (But don't do this at home kids!).

So this year will be my third year at camp. This year I am teaching fire building again, and the powers that be also asked me to come up with a curriculum for the survival class, which goes hand in hand with my fire building class. So I also found myself teaching survival to the kids on their "pre camp day" at the park last week. How did I become this involved so quickly? And why am I still excited about going?

Last weekend I went to Camp Wooten for the cleanup day. I enjoyed the sunny skies and the deer staring at me in the middle of the night when I was walking to the bathroom. It was nice quiet weekend away in the mountains even though we worked hard cleaning and getting the camp ready. It was a gorgeous weekend.

Can't wait to get back there in 5 days! Camp Wooten has become something that I look forward to now. It's wedged itself into my little heart (even in spite of all those 10 year olds that are there as well!)