Much Awaited has Arrived

Sitting Here

So I am sitting here in the Staff Lounge enjoying some Cocoa Wheats with the last 50 minutes of my 24 hours off. Man, I really cant believe that today is Thursday and that come Saturday the youngins I've been hanging out with for the past 3 weeks are gonna return back home. It's also sorta hard to take that summer is pretty much half way over. It's Crazy!!

I am really excited about Crazy Dress Dinner tonight, I finally have an actual costume that I am going to wear rather than just throwing plaid and polka dots together and calling it crazy. It should be a good one.

My kids are shadowing resident counselors today and it's Luke's day off, so I am assuming I will just be doing support staff stuff, which is cool with me.

Alright I really have nothing constructive to say right now, so I am going to go finish my breakfast but remember...

My address is:
226 Camp Rockfish Road
Parkton, NC 28371

Just in case you guys forgot ::wink wink::

24 Hours Off

So I have finally arrived at the much needed 24 hours off that I am being granted as a reward for doing the three week camp thing. I need it. I'm tired and worn out and really just need a day to have some "me time" before I will be any good to my kids.

I hate when I get this kind of worn out tired sorta way because I lose a lot of my patience and then can just not be a very fun person to be around. My kids are tired too, so we all could really use some time off.

Anywho, so Sunday I woke up to the sweet serenade of the Cape Fear river. It was quite awesome, I must admit. We took a 9-mile canoe trip down the Cape Fear over Saturday and Sunday and then camped out, right on the river bank. It was soo cool. I had never done that before, I had been down the Cape Fear when I was a senior high camper, but it was just so freeing to just pick a spot and pitch a tent. Our kids were really awesome too, they didn't get on each others backs or down their throats, so it was good. Luke and I read "Why the Cross" to them and talked about surrender. We really wanted to hit them hard with what it means to really surrender to God. I think they are starting to get it.

AHH...we're going to the mountains this weekend. I am so excited, not only will it be like 20 degrees cooler BUT it will just be more relaxing. So yeah...

I'm off .

Hurray!!

So as of Saturday I am officially 19-years-old...whoot whoot for me. I must say, I want to give major major thanks to all of my super awesome friends who really made my birthday awesome...this includes everyone from my personal chefs Stephen and Jordan to the WU kids who came all the way to Rockfish to play with me...Seriously...thanks, it was awesome.

So pretty much this is the deal...for the next three weeks I am with the CITs (Counselors in Training) and man, that's a l-o-n-g assignment. It's exciting, on the one hand because we get to do a lot of trips and special activities and whatnot, but at the same time, it's a pretty demanding assignment as well, but it has all been prayerfully considered and approached and so I know that God has put Luke and I with these kids for a reason.

I canoed today for the first time since my first summer working and that made me very happy, seeing as how canoing is my favorite camp activity.

Well I am off for now...

P.S. This whole sending me mail deal hasnt quite panned out, I mean, I'm not mad, but guys...I put the address right up so you didn't have to work too hard...::wink:: just kidding, or maybe not

My Kids Totally Dominated

Well let me tell you, my kids are a whole mess of fun. We have five girls and three boys and we have been going non-stop since they got here yesterday and it has been so much fun.

Last night we had opening campfire and then played this game called Ultimate (which is pretty much like capture the flag and flashlight tag where you sneak all over camp at night) and whoo day, my kids totally dominated and by dominated I mean we were the only group to successfully capture a flag (which we totally swiped from the staff) and we almost got another one with a great joint effort between our boys and girls.

It has been raining ALL DAY LONG but luckily we have been making the best of it which includes lots of rainy day songs and puddle stomping. My kids are bouldering right now (climbing a rockwall in the lodge) and I'm on my hour off...even though they're good, its a nice break.

I'm gonna jet.

The Day Has Come

I'm so excited and I just can't hide it....

Camp starts today!I have a group, which is of no suprise because there are only four female senior staff, one of which is currently not here. I am really excited though. I have Pathfinders, which is 3rd-5th graders with Levi...so I feel we are going to be having a good week. One of the girls in my group this will be by third year in a row being her counselor. We are going to be going going going all week long and are gonna be super tired, but thats ok, we'll just see how things go without an H-Hour.

We had a day off yesterday which was nice...went to Wal Mart (twice) and then Jordan and I had a hot date with Steve Smith ::wink:: lucky us. I also finally got more than 7 hours of sleep which was much needed and good so I can be pumped and ready for the youngins today and the hot bowl of Cocoa-Wheats is definitely a good start to my morning.

A lot has been going on but I don't realy have time to catch up everything now, I need to get dressed and scoot to church.

Internet at Last

Most of you are well aware of my slight amount of internet addiction, well I would like to point out that I have successfully gone almost a week without ANY form of internet and I have been quite alright without it, but I figured I would take advantage of this internet access to do a little updating.

Oh man...they are running us ragged here this summer but in a good way...

The past few days we have been doing this "Great Amazing Race" deal which has had us running (Micah is the coolest guy) all over the place and doing all these crazy challenges. My team definitely came in last BOTH days but what we lack in athletic ability we make up for in encouragement and incredible good looks. We also have been going through Bible studies which are going to be more intense then past summers and we had (whoot whoot) awesome worship last night. Oh, and I have also been learning sign language from one of the guys here (I can sign all of "You are my Sunshine") and I got CPR certified...Go me...

Man though, I have been having such a great time, this summer is going to be so awesome (I am still expecting mail)

Yes, this is not a very good post, perhaps I shall write something better later, when I am not as tired and worn, but that is a little insight into what I have been up to. Hopefully I will get some pictures up soon.

Aching

I want to note...my E-N-T-I-R-E body hurts at this very moment. Why you might ask? Well there is a very simple answer to that. Upon arriving at camp to camp to do what I thought was going to be working for Dads, Lads, and Gals I totally got told that I wanted to be a lifeguard and therefore must complete lifeguard training.

Yes, so for the past three days I have probably spent more time in the pool than I ever have in all my years here combined, I am sun burt all over, and I just ache from all the swimming and skills that I'm just not that good at.

I'm telling you now...Brooke isn't going to actually get certified, but for now I am enduring the training for it.

So moral of the story is...I hurt...and my lips are chapped...and I am hungry but everyone is playing Halo, therefore dinner has been postponed. That's it.

High School

Today, I had a marvelous sandwich in a sack lunch prepared by Natasha. Thought I would let you know.

I always knew high school was never really my thing. It wasn't something that I particularly was excited about after middle school and after my first day my freshman year I was pretty much ready to graduate and move on. But despite the fact I was far too cool for high school, even after moving to the Academy, I dealt with it, had a few good laughs, and despite the handful of caring and inspiring people I was priveledged to meet, I walked across that stage, without a tear, knowing I was never really going to wish I was back at high school.

Today only confirmed these feelings.

Today Tasha and I went back to the Academy and looking around at the kids there, how they interact, what they value, how they think...I don't miss any of it. Yes, the jokes and the little spats and behaviors are their own form of cute, endearing, and entertaining, I had no desire to spend more than a few hours there visiting some cool cats.

Then for some odd reason, I managed to get myself roped into spending an hour at Myrtle Beach High School for a chours, band, orchestra thing. Just being in that building makes my stomach hurt.

Sigh.

Not much good dwelling in that. Trust me kids, college is much better.

Oh yes, and by the way a Happy Birthday to Ben Moser...who turned older today ::wink::

All Letters, Gifts, Packages and Other Things Sent Through the Mail Are Accepted and Appreciated

Because I know you are all just DYING to know, I am posting my summer address, do with it what you will (although I will note you will be forever blessed for any and all parcels of mail sent my way ::wink::):

Brooke Currie

226 Camp Rockfish Road

Parkton, NC 28371

And while you are at it...check out this cool link to see where I will be:

http://www.rockfishoutdoorcenter.org

Your #1 Match: INFP

The Idealist You are creative with a great imagination, living in your own inner world. Open minded and accepting, you strive for harmony in your important relationships. It takes a long time for people to get to know you. You are hesitant to let people get close. But once you care for someone, you do everything you can to help them grow and develop. You would make an excellent writer, psychologist, or artist.

Your #2 Match: ISFP

The Artist You are a gifted artist or musician (though your talents may be dormant right now). You enjoy spending your free time in nature, and you are good with animals and children. Simply put, you enjoy bueaty in all its forms and live for the simple pleasures in life. Gentle, sensitive, and compassionate - you are good at recognizing people's unspoken needs. You would make a good veterinarian, pediatrician, or composer.

Your #3 Match: INFJ

The Protector You live your life with integrity, originality, vision, and creativity. Independent and stubborn, you rarely stray from your vision - no matter what it is. You are an excellent listener, with almost infinite patience. You have complex, deep feelings, and you take great care to express them. You would make a great photographer, alternative medicine guru, or teacher.

What's Your Personality Type?

How sweet

hand holding - you like to be in constant physical
contact with your special someone but you don't
want to take things too quickly.

Because who doesn't need to look at a cute lil' baby?

Church Happens

As my friend Rique would say "this is church" whenever a group of believers gather together...and tis true...sometimes church just happens.

Saturday Erica and I went to Chic-fil-A (suprise suprise) and as we filled our little bellies with chicken and sweet tea we really got to talking just about how amazing God is and how He can work through people and pull people through things and where He places us in our lives and that ministry isn't always just working for some church but its a matter of everyday living. Food and God just go together I guess.

Then this Sunday I finally got the opportunity to go to St. Mary's (the gospel Catholic Church) and the entire time I just sat there thinking "This is what church is supposed to be." I walked in and just felt the warmth and was taken aback by the diversity...black, white, young, old, rich, poor, everyone gathered into this one little building in the ghetto of Rock Hill, talking, hugging, smiling, kissing, and greeting each other. There was life in this church, that is how it should be. At one point, this older white man leaned over and gave a kiss on the cheek to this elderly black woman and I couldn't help but smile. Not to mention, people sang, clapped, and just had an energy about them. It was amazing. I left knowing I had been in the presence of God...it was good.

When Bordom Strikes...

...there is very little that you can do other than appease that gnawing sensation telling you to get up and do something.

Such was the case this morning around 12:30 when we realized after a night of sitting around doing nothing, there was really a need to go out gallavanting and have an adventure. The night continued as follows:

Ready for Action

Sneaky Sneaky

We're Dead!

Strike a Pose