Character

I'm sorry but does anybody else find this in the least bit entertaining?

Seen before/during the friday night pageant:

~An angel, holding a soldier costume, flying around in a golf cart.
~A demon and an angel playing a heated game of ping pong
~ A roman soldier playing computer games
~ Adam putting on bronzer for a fake tan
~ An angel telling a roman soldier to be careful sitting in his skirt
~ God giving the roman soldier a sheet to help him sit in his skirt
~ Pilot listening to an Ipod

Staff Worship

Staff worship is probably either the best or the worst time of the day. Since Rick has been up since 5 am and we need to pack a lot into the day, it's usually at an ungodly time of the morning. I usually stumble in, just barely able to keep my eyes open even tho I've already had to be up for a half hour.

Song service is always the first thing on the agenda. Songs are usually on the upbeat side to try to wake us up. There's walka walka, in which Rick (who is wide awake) tries to kick chairs on purpose, while the rest of us are groggily trying to keep our toes from being smashed into the carpet. Then comes "every little cell," which is decidedly the most annoying song ever, mostly because I'm being forced to sing lies. One must dance around and fling their arms while singing "every little cell in my body is happy, every little cell in my body is well." Let me just state that this is NOT the case, but if one does not oblige, they may find themselves singled out to show how happy their cells are. That being said, I do enjoy watching rick's crazy man dance. And finally, the all time winner-- "making melodies." When this song is sung, ad staff all magically have something to do or a radio call to attend to. Rick even refuses to sing it. It's father abraham times 600: pinkie's out, thumbs up, elbows out, knees bent, head back, tongue out, spin around...shoot me in the face.

At this point staff are flying through the doors in an attempt to make it in before the song service is over and probation closes. If you don't make it in before the last note you are late and NOBODY wants to be late. If you're smart you'll time it so you miss most of wake up session song service but still get in on time.

Meanwhile the rest of us are glad that's over and we settle in for a short worship talk. Sunday morning we always pray for the requests that campers have given us on prayer cards during the weekend. It's always a really special time.

Finally come work assignments. Then, lead by josh and brent, we all start to slowly clap in unison, growing faster and faster until josh yells "what time is it!?" and we answer "it's go time!" which grows and grows in strength until we end in "goooooo NOSOCA!" alright now we're awake. Rick tells us to be careful out there and sends us on our way.

Ok, so it's the best time of the day.

small town mail

Every morning at 9:30 I get to drive down the road to pick up the mail. I've grown to love this part of my day. One I get off campus for a few minutes. Two, I get to drive a camp vehicle, which for the most part are just way too much fun to drive. Three, the post office is one of those small town places where you know everybody and everybody knows you.

It's a small white building sitting on the corner with no parking spaces. If there are two cars there, it's a real traffic jam. Mostly you just park right in front of the stairs. No use in walking an extra 5 feet. You open the door and Mary calls out "good morning!" Mary on first introduction appears to be rather grumpy but after she told me that I had the most beautiful eyes she'd seen, I decided she was definitely worth liking. We bring her cookies every once in awhile too, so she tends to like us back. In all honesty tho, she's really pretty great.

While I unload the PO boxes Mary grabs my packages but stops to talk to Pete who always feels the need to shout. "HALLLO! YOU GOT ME SOME PACKAGES!?" It's discussed that mary is going on vacation to the beach. Well good for her! We'll miss her and we want to hear all about it.

I round up my mail and give a slight bow back to Pete as he holds the door open for me. Mary yells "You have a good day now!" behind me. "you too" I answer, and head back to camp.

Photo Shoot

Tanya and I have made a tradition of going to the racquetball court and singing. If you haven't ever done it before, it's a ton of fun. It's kinda like singing in a cathedral times 10. Anyway, I was standing on the wall and Tanya decided it would be fun to take some pictures so....we did. Sorry they are all grainy. I've decided there's no point in taking anything almost, unless it's with an SLR.

Evolution

Yearbook signing....

I remember in grade school all it was was name signing. First of all, you were lucky if you could even read the signature, but if you got a heart of a star by the name, that really meant something. Freshmen year of high school it got a little bit more elaborate with the, "hey it was great getting to know you, have a nice summer." I find myself wanting to use those lines at times in addition to others because I really do mean them...but they've been ruined. One that made me giggle this year was, "Hi Dean Stephanie, How are you doing?" I need to go back and sign hers with an "I'm fine, thanks for asking."

As I grew older the notes got longer and longer. I even had certain key things I did in each one, like CLASS OF 2005 FOREVER! But they started to encompass memories and those are the ones that I cherish. I love to still go back and read those. Who needs to know how great I was? I want to remember the memories and inside jokes--the things that made the school year what it truly was.

Now as a staff member it's a new kind of yearbook signing. I find myself wanting to say so much to my girls. Tell them how wonderful they are and how I know they can do anything they put their minds to. That I know they have a rough life and I wish I could take it from them. And how does one tell them that the discipline you put them through was because you loved them and wanted the best for them? It breaks my heart to know that they will be leaving here to go and mess up their lives somewhere.

But on the reverse side their messages to me have been irreplaceable. They show me that everything I have tried to do has meant something, maybe just to them, but I'll take that one. Some of the the girls that I have fought with all year let me know that they truly appreciate me and love me! There was one that said I'd gotten them started reading a certain book of the bible. That is THE best compliment I could ever have.

It all just makes me want to cry, especially because it's almost over. Some of my girls are leaving me today. Last night was the last study hall I'll ever run. I've grown to love this job and everything about it, even tho I've been disciplining right up to the last moment. These girls mean so much to me, and I really hope they know it.

Snapshots

Pisgah is almost over and it's the most depressing thing I've ever heard.

Rosa, my housemate, and I at Friendship Commitment
The Josh and I...he was the other assistant dean this year.

My senior girls

Do you see why I love this job??

Sharon's dog Kelsey was always a willing recipient of any type of attention.

The Deans

These shorts are too short young lady!

Classic Shawntez

"Another dorm fight? I'll be right there." Even in the last few days I've been dealing with discipline. Funny how it doesn't bother me anymore.

This is where they hang out when they all should be in their rooms at lights out.

Esther and Na Young

Joy and Haruka

Carrina and Tiffany

My three stooges.

ELSEY!

Girls Club Store

Freshmen

Jackie and Maggie, home sweet home

The groupies

Studying in the closet when the power went out because for some reason that was the only part of their room that had light.

Anna RAing

Yessica and Antonella

Father Not Included

Asheville is known, among other things, for it's extremely high percentage of gay and lesbian residents. We may be as high on the list as second or third most populated in the country if I do remember correctly. For this reason most people are able to correctly assume that when one sees a couple of the same sex taking a stroll through the mall, they are probably...."together." I know, because I am guilty of it. However when the joke is on you, it becomes somewhat of problem.

Callie and I decided to get some fresh air off campus today and stopped by Cheddars for lunch. We were sitting in the lobby area, Abby in between us, waiting for a table, when a lady came by and began to coo and aww at Abby. Standing up she says as she walks away, "She's adorable! Good for you both!" Now in any other city one could assume that she was confused as to which one of us was the mother. But let me just dare to venture that this was not her problem. Need I continue?

Strolling through Sam's club a bit later it came to my attention that Callie and I had somehow both begun to push the shopping cart together. Not a big deal really until the realization struck. I looked at Callie and said, "Yeah this uhh looks a bit like we're a lesbian couple eh?" GAAAAH! Horror! Two sets of hands come flying off the handle. Abby slowly continues rolling down the isle in the cart while we stand staring at each other in disgust, not sure what just happened and completely at a loss as to what to do about it. Remembering that we have forgotten something we both surge for the cart. Like hands touching a hot stove they both come back off. Gah! Her hand goes on, mine goes off, mine goes back on, her's goes off. I hold up both hands in complete and total surrender, "she's all yours, eh heh heh." Tho slightly shaken, shopping continues.

This moment brought to you by the City of Asheville, and a big fat letter L.