Drumroll please! I ventured up to Hee-Haw Land on Tuesday to pick up our precious baby girl from Kanakuk, where she had been for the last 12 days. When she came marching in with her cabin, I hate to admit it, but I didn't recognize her at first glance (I think that would probably kick me out of the running for Mother of the Year I'm sure, seconded with my freakish skill of utilizing my extra large paint stick to spank the kids as I'm driving down the road!!!!). Anyways, I truly didn't realize it was her at first glance, I took a second glance and realized it was her and we both went running at each other! She just looked so old and mature, and her front teeth had come in so much, as she came walking into the K-Dome, I literally burst into tears as she jumped into my arms. I'm sure I looked the fool between my mascara running down my face and the sweat marks ALL OVER my dress!
The net-net of the entire Kanakuk Kamp experience was:
1. She absolutely loved it. I even had gotten a really nice room at Chateau on the Lake for the both of us, and she wanted to stay the last night at Kamp with her friends (mind you, this was my little girl who absolutely HATES to sweat and the cabins are not air-conditioned and it was about 110% humidity on Tuesday!)
2. She has matured both socially and spiritually. They had a new award at Kamp this year called the Invisible Hero, for those kampers that had a servant's heart and did little acts that they thought were unnoticed or without being asked. Ariana was one of the kampers that received this award. We were so proud of her!
3. She went not knowing a soul, and now has about 14 new best friends, that she sobbed for a good hour after we left, that she didn't want to leave and is missing terribly! And she was the youngest kamper in K-1 Term 2 13 day kamp by about a year, she's amazing, what can I say!
4. She learned how to go tubing behind a boat, canoeing, archery, how to shoot a bb gun at a target (this should come in handy shooting at the brothers one day!), jumped off a super high tower, played lots of tennis, went camping and slept in a tent, read her Bible everyday, and some much more I cannot even list it!
5. She grew and matured so much. I mean I was still giving her baths and washing her hair and brushing her hair and she did all of this herself at Kamp. Last night when we got home, she was so proud of herself that she got to take a shower by herself, wash her own hair and even did an amazing job brushing it! She had to do chores at Kamp too, I mean like clean the toilets and clean the showers and she didn't even mind it. Needless to say, she'll be learning to clean her bathroom this weekend!
After a late night on Tuesday, I went back to the hotel and showered (for the 3rd time that day!). The next morning were the final closing ceremonies and unfortunately, Ariana's tribe, the Kiowa's, didn't win the tribal war....She then hugged all her friends and counselors good bye, we hit the outlets real quick, grabbed some lunch and made the trek back home. Evan and Tye Hill had missed her so much. Every day Evan asked if we were picking Sissy up from camp and was disappointede every day for 13 days that we weren't. It was so cute when we walked in the door at Bebe's house, Evan just came running at her and threw his arms around her....that friendly love lasted until this morning! Though Evan is asking when is he old enough to go to camp, 3 long years buddy!
Rick and I are so thankful and blessed to be able to send her to Kanakuk. Insert shameless plug here! But really, it is such an amazing place for kids, no one could ask for a safer environment with amazing role models for your children. Wow, is all I can say, what a blessing! Ariana cannot wait for next summer to be with her friends and to be at kamp.....if you want to know more about it, just ask her...she'll tell you all about it and the I'm Third philosophy.....truly spectacular!
Trust me after you visit this place, it will make you want to be a kid again and spend your entire summers here....the views amazing, the kamp grounds are gorgeous, there is more to do than you can imagine....just unbelievable.
3 comments:
Wow! Sounds like an un-BE-lievable time! Maybe we can make the trek together next Summer! Glad she had a great time and glad she's home safely!
If you are thinking about it...sign up for new campers starts Sep 1 and there will be fewer spots at most kamps b/c they are switching K Klassic to a Kids Across America Kamp (for at risk inner city kids).....also I booked our rooms at Big Cedar almost 2 weeks ago for closing ceremonies next year, and the cottage I wanted was already booked...just some words of wisdom! I think Connor would absolutely love it@!
I can't believe she grew up so much over the two weeks. She has to keep up with cleaning the toilet for sure!
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