the good, the bad, and the ugly

I'm done with camp!  HOORAY!!!!



-26 cute, sweet, WHINY six year old girls


-Temps in the 90s with VERY high humidity for four of the days


-3 hours of thunderstorms the other day.


-Only one picnic shelter which is grounded (so lots and lots of girls crammed in a very small space, singing lots and lots and LOTS of songs for hours)


-Pit toilets


-Whiny six year olds forced to use said (smelly) pit toilets


-One leader who sat and did nothing all week


-Another leader who helped clean and carry things, but wouldn't take charge or make decisions


-This very soft spoken, indecisive leader who was forced to make all decisions and be in charge every day, ordering others around...definitely not in my comfort zone


Put all of that together and what do you get? 

The longest. week. ever.

The first day was complete chaos.  We had a rough idea of what we were going to do that day, but no real idea of what to expect, or how long everything would take.  We underestimated how much time it would take to accomplish the organizational aspect of everything, which resulted in lots of time for the girls to sit and get in trouble while I tried to get things organized and the other two leaders looked at me to take charge.  I came home exhausted and in tears that night because I felt like the girls were bored to tears, I didn't know how to get everything done, and I didn't want to be the one in charge.  But I finally realized that I didn't really have a choice.  I had to take charge and do the best I could, or it would just keep being chaos.  That night I came up with a better plan for the next day.

It got a tiny bit better after that.  Once I knew that I HAD to be in charge, and approximately how long things would take, I could plan for it.  I didn't like it, but at least we got some things accomplished and the girls started enjoying it.  Each night I came up with a plan for the next day, and while things didn't always go according to plan, we were mostly able to stick to it. 

The kids whined A LOT.  About the toilets.  About the hiking.  About the heat.  About whatever we were doing at the time....  But all of the feedback I got from parents and directors was positive--the girls were having fun, despite the whining, and they said I was doing a good job with SO many girls (26 was larger than any other unit--they usually cap it at 20, and last year there were only 6 Daisies!).  So that made it a little bit better, knowing everyone (but I) was happy.

But it was hot.  And sticky.  And so, so exhausting.  I came home each night and collapsed, so grateful for air conditioning!  And for my mom....who listened to my own whining and moaning every night and took good care of Rebecca every day.  I couldn't have made it through the week without her.  She washed my dishes and took us out to dinner so I didn't have to cook, and made my coffee every morning.  She even cleaned my refrigerator, a job I NEVER have time for!  I love you, Mom!

Last night I collapsed a much happier woman, knowing I didn't have to get up this morning and do it again!  I didn't get out of my PJs until 9:30 this morning, which was wonderful.  I did what I wanted (well, as much as you can do what you want while taking care of two little girls!).  I enjoyed my two sweet girls, rather than 26 whiny ones (even though mine was often part of the whiny contingent throughout the week!!!)  I didn't even make dinner--I had enough points from Papa Johns for a free pizza and we had that for dinner. 

BUT....even though it was hard and I never want to do it again, there were some good things about it.  Rachel, after initially complaining about it, enjoyed camp.  It was fun to hear her singing the songs, talking about the things we did, and be excited to go each morning.  She's already asked to go creeking again.  After the lesson on rocks, she now wants to grow her own crystal.  When an older Girl Scout came to teach the girls some old time Girl Scout songs, Rachel was thrilled to hear a few of the songs her Grandma and I have taught her through her childhood. 

I also enjoyed getting to know the girls from our own troop a little better.  Our whole troop was there this week, and I usually only see them for an hour every other week, so to see them all day, every day, I had a chance to get to know them all a bit more. 

So I'll have some good memories to take away from the week. 

(I'm just glad I won't be making any more!)