Tuesday, June 7, 2011

i didn't even get my staff shirt!

i left for camp on Saturday morning.  it was surreal, in a way.  i got to sleep in, because i didn't have to be at camp until 4 PM.  i enjoyed taking my time getting ready, spending some last moments with my family, and eating some comfort food (frozen yogurt tubes from Kroger).  i got to camp, and i was a little nervous, but i was so excited!

i pulled in, unloaded all my stuff, and got on a bus where i met a girl named Courtney.  she's super duper sweet, and she's a senior counselor doing day camp like i was.  i met a few other people who were just awesome.  people that i wanted to become best friends with because they were so sweet, and i could see the love of Christ shining through them.

we did a lot of training that night, played random games where we could meet everyone, ate, and hung out a lot (i even met a fellow Auburn fan!).  on Sunday, we had a speaker come in.  she used to be a counselor at camp, and she had lots of wisdom that she shared with us.  the rest of the day was super fun and enjoyable.  we were split up into groups the night before, and we spent a lot of time with our groups on Sunday.  i loved my group, and i really enjoyed the time we got to spend together learning about different things at camp.

on Monday, we got up, and then all the senior counselors headed to hike the rappel trail.  i hate the rappel trail.  i've hiked it once before, and i was so not looking forward to doing this again.  it's steep. it's long.  it's a mountain for crying out loud.  then i found out we were climbing a DIFFERENT trail, one that is STEEPER than the old one.  oh, i was so dreading this hike (this is why i chose to do day camp, they don't do stuff like this!).  so, after taking some breaks and drinking almost all of my camelbak and panting a lot, i finally made it to the rappel site.  i felt gross and nasty, but i was there.  i got to chat with some people, including my "Georgia" buddy, Ellie (love her), lots.  it was super fun, but i was ready to get back down to camp so i could eat lunch.

the way down the trail is all downhill, but it's pretty steep and rocky and it's hard to get your footing.  i was maybe 100 yards from the rappel site, and i tripped on something.  who knows, i could've just tripped.  and all of a sudden, i heard my ankle pop.  it sounded nasty! hours later, after x-rays and tons of ice, the doctor comes into the exam room, and says, "well, you broke it." the worst words i've ever had to hear (okay, maybe not, but for right now they are).  i came back to camp, and i'm put in the comfort cabin, and Jen (one of the full-time staff) says to me, "Ashton, if you have to have a cast for six weeks, there's no way you can be a counselor."

i didn't cry.  at this point, i did want to be home with my ridiculously swollen ankle, but i didn't want to leave.  i was loving hanging out with the new friends i had made, and i was so ready to see where God was going to take me this summer at CCC.  but, obviously He had different plans, and i'm having to be okay with that.  i got to spend some time with Abby (another full-time staff) last night while she brought me food and anything else i needed since everyone else was on the camp out (not too sad about missing that one).  i really enjoyed that time getting to know Abby, but i wish it had been under different circumstances.

this morning, i woke up and managed to take a shower (thanks to the handicapped bathroom i got to use), and i got to watch the staff perform their skits (so fun).  then, my parents got there to pick me up.  i said my goodbyes, all the full-time staff told me to stay in touch and to visit if i can, and then i left to come back home.  i spent most of the time in the car talking to doctors in augusta and asheville and staff at camp trying to figure out worker's comp stuff (SO BEYOND FRUSTRATING).  hopefully, i'll be able to get my cast on tomorrow.

it hit me once i got home, and i cried for like three minutes.  but that was it.  right now, i'm trusting in this verse, "watch and be utterly amazed. for I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe even if you were told." - habakkuk 1:5

and yes, i'm really said i didn't even get my staff shirt!

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