Building Relationships

I got an instant message last night.
"Will you blog about girls camp?"
"lol"
"ha ha"
"please?"
It was one of my Young Women. She reads my blog and I think I am ok with it. Only one other Young Woman reads my blog but she is freakin' happenin' and she just graduated. (She is comfortable with me saying freakin' cause she knows that's my style. Her style is to say "It's been real" whenever she wants to leave.)
I wasn't going to blog about girls camp but what the freakin' heck? (I learned how to say freakin' on my mish by-the-way, it's missionary style.)
Girls Camp Highlights:
*After dinner one night I distributed cookies made by a mother in the ward. They were rather heavy cookies and a pinkie sized portion would satisfy any cookie craving from here until Armageddon's mother. I was telling a story to the girls as we tried to eat these freakin' puppies. When I came to a particular funny part in the narrative, we all laughed, and LaToya handed me her half-eaten cookie and loudly added to my story.
"And then...I gave you my cookie."
I quietly discarded hers along with what remained of mine. "And then I gave my cookie" became our secret code for "I can't eat this miserable culinary disaster, please help me destroy it fast."
* After the blumpteen girl complained to me she was sick I pronounced to our cozy camp of drama infested little women that no one could declare their state of unhealth matter how bad it was, "If you are dead we'll find you in the morning, load you up on Brother Low's truck and send your remains home, but please do not tell me your stomach hurts."
Under her breath, Brosia sarcastically whispers "sorry." and we all get back to sweeping the dust off our camping chairs.
* On the second day the bathrooms run out of water, there will be no flushing unless absolutely necessary (you know what that means...) and in that case you will need to carry your own bucket to the toilet. If you have diarrhea this is devastating news.
* A leader gets a note from her secret sister that has a picture of a person scribbled out on lined paper. It reads "Jesus Loves U." LaToya gets baby wipes wrapped in old newspaper.
* I sneak over to the South campsite where my home stake is staying. I find my gorgeous niece Lindsay and my brother Matt (taking a nap on his cabin deck) for a mini-family reunion. I am so happy to see them! I almost start crying. Linds shows me her cute craft, Matt tells me that he had chicken salad sandwiches on a flaky croissant. I know the church is true.
* I almost pee my pants practicing our skit.
* During the skit Lacy nearly tumbles down the mountain side. I almost pee my pants again.
* We sing patriotic songs at all flag raising and retiring ceremonies. I think that The Dixie Chicks wouldn't like to be here. But maybe they would. I am confused.
* A couple of us decide to hike up to the top of a ominous mountain covered in wild flowers. When we get to the top, I can see eternity and I want to cry but the tears don't come. Instead I twirl around like Maria (soon to be Von Trapp) with my arms out and head back.
* I get a visit from a special friend who came all the way from civilization. I scream and hug her. She is very pregnant so my shorty arms only reach her elbows. It's the thought that counts.
* On the last day waiting for the bus to pick us up, we sat in the intense sun on dusty picnic benches. We decide to play American Idol. When it's my turn I sing "Natural Women" the girls belt the chorus with me.
"You make me feel,
you make me feel,
you make me feel
like a natural woman."













That statement was never so freakin' true.