| Winter Camp 2006 was a blast. We went to Trinity Pines, which is an awesome facility, if only for the fact that we had access to an almost in tune and rather playable piano.
The youth gathered at the Vineyard at about 4 on Friday afternoon. We were off by nearly 5, after roll call and other duties such as loading the trailer. This year, we were unable to bring vans, as the company we normally rent them from died. So instead, we loaded up onto a bus. Mr. James drove us.
It was a long drive to Cascade, though not as long as it would have been to McCall. Before James stopped the bus, he did a cookie around the almost icy parking place that was available, and then we piled out. We stood in the cold for a while, until the leaders figured out what was going on. The Trinity Pines facility is split into several buildings: The dining hall/chapel/main offices building, and several buildings called cottages, with five bedrooms, five beds each, and four bathrooms, each with their own showers. The leaders had grouped those who went to Creation West as much together as they could, so Kelsie, Gwendolyn, Aimee, and I were in Sharon's group, which was grouped with Kim's group in the Targhee cottage.
Each cottage has a little living room, if you will, and a kitchenette type thing. Gwen, Kelsie, Aimee and I were adamant on sharing a room, so the four of us claimed one of the upstairs rooms before anyone else could.
We had our first chapel service, where we were told the rules of the place, and were introduced to the speaker, Marty, and then were sent to our cottages. I had a bit of a feminine crisis, because a certain someone tried to call, but I didn't have service, and was not able to return that person's call, or listen to the messages this person left. So Aimee and I sat in our room and talked and things, while the rest of the girls in that cottage played games and had fun in the little living room.
In the morning, we woke up early-ish, but no earlier than I normally wake up, and I made sure Kelsie was woken up when she wanted to be woken up and all that. I guess I became that room's semi-leader type person.
Let me tell you, all the meals were absolutely wonderful. Trinity Pines cooks the meals, instead of the groups coming cooking them, and they took care of all the KP duties, which felt odd. Over breakfast, I noticed the dining hall rather promoted violence. Dead animals were all over the walls, along with two shotguns. I am at peace with this now, though.
After breakfast, it was downstairs to the chapel, after the counselor's meeting, and reserving seats and hanging out and such, until worship started. It was the "Dave Casey Band", and let me tell you, they did an excellent job.
The first day, we went to town, the whole lot of us, and we hung out. I bought things for my family, and then hung out with Miranda, Gwen and Aimee. I don't remember James spinning a cookie in the bus after we returned, but it is probable that he did. The second day, the skiers and snowboarders went to Tamarack, several to the hot springs, and several others back to town. Aimee and I stayed at Trinity Pines and hung out, writing, napping, talking, and much crimping of hair. May I say, Aimee rather resembles Eowyn when her hair is crimped? I turned her into a girl, it was awesome.
Meals, chapel sessions, late nights, early mornings, hanging out, talking, laughing, spoons, undesired marriages, hangers, drama queens, much dancing, skin torn off of the bottom of the toe, reassurances from God, new ability to forgive and trust others from God, cold, lots of snow, resting, sliding down stair banisters, making new friends. The camp was bittersweet, really. I've been attending camps since I was in 7th grade... And this was my very last one. Coming home was a huge transitional point in my life, even if it only felt that way to me. It was like... I left my childhood permanently behind me at Trinity Pines. Whether I did or not, that is what it felt like, and I was very, very quiet on the drive back home. (Oh, before we set out for home, it was great... Sharon was on the bus that time, and James span several cookies in a much more icy parking space than it was before, sliding several times towards the side of the bus that Sharon was sitting on. She just about killed him. It was awesome.)
Most important highlights?
1. The Spoon Game. 'Nough said, as Aimee and Jenner would agree. You have to love Stephanie, you just have to.
2. The Undesired Marriage. Kelsie saw it as highly entertaining to marry Aimee and myself. Most unfortunate. Nearly ruined a good friendship, it did, and probably would have, but Sharon pronounced us unmarried at the end of camp, thus saving Aimee's and my friendship. Kelsie was very upset that Sharon did this, insisting she did not have the power to do so.
3. The worship on Sunday night.
4. The freedom God gave me to forgive those who have hurt me so much in my life, and, consequently, the freedom to trust people and develop friendships.
5. Crimping Aimee's hair in about 40 minutes.
6. Cookies done in a school bus. You rock, Mr. James!
7. Giving Trevor the dancing hamster in sympathy of the terrible fate of our mascot Mr. T. Mr. T is still alive, mind you, but due to injuries has trouble with his neck. This was done completely with Trevor's not knowing about it until Jason handed the mic to me and I called him up to receive his gift. It was tight.
That about sums it up.
Luvz!
me. |
