Girls' camp

Yesterday, Terri and I went to girls' camp.  Girls' camp without staying overnight?  Chef's kiss!  It was an almost two hour drive to the camp and I enjoyed it.  Terri is one of the funniest people I know, with the quickest wit and laugh, but she is also deeply wise and empathetic and a great listener.  Sometimes the ride was like a therapy session for me and sometimes it felt like a comedy routine.

We were at the camp to deliver bags to each girl from Relief Society sisters.  Twenty three bags for twenty three girls.  It was pretty amazing.  Weeks ago, they passed around a sign up sheet for people to fill one of the bags for one of the girls.  By the time the sign up got to me, the slots were filled.  There were about twice as many women who wanted to participate than could.

On Sunday, Jalynn, who is the camp leader, was collecting bags and filling gaps and it turned out Terri and I both were able to do a bag.  I prepared a gift for Amelia.  I don't know her, except by sight, but they had given us a copy of the secret sister form that the girls had filled out.  Armed with the list, I'd gone shopping for her favorite treats, but I'd also put in some random things like a crazy straw and scented gel pens.  Who doesn't like that kind of stuff?  No one.  

They had Terri and me each give a little talk and then we passed out the bags.  It was Christmas morning level excitement.  The girls exclaimed over the things they received and showed each other and I felt like it was such an honor to be there to see it.  I hope those girls felt the arc of sisterhood that was intended for them.  The YW president just stood there and cried as she watched the girls she loves receive love.  All the YW leaders thanked us.  I said to Terri, "We can't take credit for this."

She said, "Oh, we're totally taking credit for this," because she's Terri and always has a quick retort.  Earlier, when we'd been eating dinner, Jalynn regaled us with stories of when she was in YW and Terri was the camp leader.  Terri was the queen of pranks (not surprising) and had put brownie mix on the toilet seat and 12-year-old Jalynn had been the hapless victim and had been traumatized.  Also, Terri told the girls there was a serial killer on the loose and they needed to be careful.  She said, "He has a sign he leaves:  body parts."

This was all build up to her leaving the deer leg in camp that she'd found.  (Terri!)  She put the deer leg where they'd see it and one of the girls threw up because she was so scared.

I told Terri she was awful and I was glad I didn't go to camp with her.  (I love Terri. Still glad I didn't go to camp with her.)

The bishop was there and he was walking around and having the girls show what they'd received in their bags.  They kept saying things like, "How did they know I love this?"  A lot of them had letters and cards to read.  A few of them said, "I can't read cursive!" and I thought they need to come to Mrs. Davis's 3rd grade.

Amelia showed the bishop her card and she said, "Who is this?"  He pointed to me.  She held up the gold spiral straw I gave her and said, "How did you know these straws are my favorite thing?"

I said, "That was just a guess, but who doesn't love those?"  She smiled a big smile.  

It was a happy job to deliver the bags that had been so lovingly created.  Sisterhood is pretty great.