Bluewater 2011

When I was growing up, camp was the highlight of my summers. I loved it so much that I started volunteering to work several weeks during the summers I was in high school, just so I could spend as much time there as possible. The summer after my senior year, I lost all semblance of normality during my stint as a dishwasher. Ten weeks of washing dishes for 150ish people is enough to knock all the sense out of a person.

That's my story, and "I'm stickin' to it."

I subsequently went back for six more summers; two as secretary and four as head cook. Some of the closest friendships I've had were formed at Camp Illiana in Washington, Indiana. I'm thankful for the experience. Not everyone will take such nuttiness in stride. Plus, my driving skills were honed to the point of manic by our games of golf-cart tag. After dark. Through the woods.

I'm passing myself off as a grown-up these days. I'm a mom now, and I'm so thankful that our family still does camp! Since moving north, we have adopted Bluewater Covenant Bible Camp as our camp of choice. At first, we fell in love with the setting. We have come to love the people as well. That's really what camp is about after all.

I love not having to cook. Mr. Dad likes not having to do dishes. The girls spend every available moment in the lake, and we all enjoy playing games and roasting s'mores. Lots of things (good and bad) have happened to our family during the years we've been in Minnesota, and I have come to see our time at Bluewater as an opportunity to regroup. It's also a time for me to check up on myself and see if I am living up to all that I aspire to be. And when all that thinking gets to be too much, I just go jump in the lake.