Happy Five Year Anniversary :)

I'm not one for sentimental things, but Martin and I have been together for 5 years today. That's half a decade. All of college. Since I was 17. Since Martin was 16. Since Anna and Mae were 9. Since Karlie was in 8th grade. Since Drew was 1 and before Macy was born.

From awkwardly watching movies together, not holding hands, pep rallies and football games (and basketball games and baseball games), Sundays on jet skis at the cabin, tailgating and the Junction and the student section, road trips, CMA Music Fests, date parties and formals, Sigma Chi and Chi O, being apart for freshman year... and that summer.... and this summer (my bad), lots of birthdays and holidays, Anthony's trips, our Raymond Street family and our Greenwood family.

And the blessing of not being defined by each other, but being a better person because of each other.

Entertainment

I thought it might be fun to share some journal entries from the summer with you. Enjoy.

June 9

CPR Training. Miz. However, I can now successfully make a sling for a broken arm. Bet that will be useful.

June 11

Last year seniors. What the heck am I going to do with 10th graders? I wish this is where I had been the summer after my 10th grade year. Things would have been a whole lot different if this is where my priorities were. I am absolutely terrified and overwhelmed but I know that God has his hand in this.

Please God, be with me in the morning when those girls walk into my cabin.

June 14

They are really quiet. And of course I'm akward.

June 15

106 degrees. Cool. Not.

Whatever happens,
those who have learned
to love one another
have made their way
to the lasting world
and will not leave.
Whatever happens.

-Wendell Berry

June 21

Today was Circus Day! It was so much fun to just play all day long. And eat. And by eat I meant I had 3 corndogs.

June 26

I stayed up for a while last night just thinking about things, and I'm scared that I haven't been doing my job as well as I should. I just don't feel like I have gotten as deep with the girls as I should have after two weeks. I've had some great conversations but I still feel like I'm missing so many of the things that I want to know about them.

June 29

Dear TTS Schedule,
I'm glad we have gotten to spend so much time together lately, but I need a break. It's not you, it's me.

Love, Kelsie

July 4

Horseback overnight was last night, and it was my favorite thing I've done all summer. Laying in a field under the stars made me realize how small we really are. God doesn't need us. He chooses to love us. Seriously?

July 6

I just tucked them in for the last time. I hope they learned a lot, and I hope they feel successful. I really couldn't be more proud of them.

July 9

Lord, please bless these girls and their families. Prepare their hearts for this camp experience and give me the ability to know how to love each one of them well. Thank you God for this opportunity.

I lift my eyes up to the hills, where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth. Psalm 121:1-2

July 11

I really hope they like me. Why can't I get past that?

July 18

The Olympics have come to Camp DeSoto. It is incredible that butcher paper and twinkle lights can transform the gym into the Opening Ceremonies--and you feel like you really are there.

July 21

I'm to the point where it takes every single bit of energy I have to get out of bed in the morning. I also cannot understand how kids can eat this much honey. Honey on cereal, honey on every piece of bread that they eat. Honey on rice. Honey on chicken. Honey on fruit? I don't think so.

July 24

"You never know what's under a rock until you turn it over."

July 25

Wrangler horseback ride this morning. Yay for Sunday mornings off. We rode down to the river and then went to Sarah's house and made omelets. Perfect morning, for sure. We are leaving in 10 days, this whole summer has come down to the last 10 days.

July 26

Mary Jo showed up at Camp! Seriously the most perfect timing ever. Thank you for wonderful friends.

Thank you Lord for the rain. And for the the 2 1/2 hour rest hour that came with it. Whoop whoop.

July 29

CHRISTMAS IN JULY! Quite possibly better than actual Christmas. Scratch that--definitely better. Can we do this again in August?

July 31

Last day of July.
Last day of activities.
Last horseback class.
How did we do this?

August 2

Thank you God for everything you've given me. I never thought I would be in this place with this cabin of girls. I have loved them as well as I can all summer, and I hope that has been more than enough.

August 6

Exhausted.

Where is summer going?

The past few days have been some pretty big ones for me.

I've been lifting lots of girls onto horses, taking lots of girls off of horses, untacking lots of horses, and hanging out with lots of kids. It really has been a dream, and I looked up today and realized that this summer is way too close to being over.

Coming into the summer, I didn't have a ton of self confidence and wasn't really sure how or why God was using me here. Things have slowly changed without me even realizing it, and it's so funny to look back on what was just a few weeks ago and see the huge changes that God has made in my life.

I had the opportunity to give the sermon in church last Sunday, and it was definitely one of the biggest ways that God has ever stretched me. I had very very little time to prepare and didn't have a clue what I should talk about--but I committed to doing it and God pulled me through it. Spiritual gifts ended up being the "topic" that I covered and I think it was just as applicable to my own life as it was to the girls lives. It's nice to be reminded of the talents and abilities that we are given, and that just because we may have the gift of service or listening, it doesn't make us less important or lesser in our Christian lives. It was such a learning experience for me and I hope that it was for others as well.

Martin came to visit Saturday night and got the chance to come to church on Sunday---which happened to be the same Sunday that I was speaking---but it was so nice to have him there. We had a wonderful time and it was great to be able to share this big part of my life with him.

My cabin is doing well too. I guess I forgot how slowly things progressed with the girls last term, so it's a little frustrating sometimes that they aren't super close yet. I'm learning so much from all of their different personalities and backgrounds, and I think they are learning a lot from each other. Pray for them to all understand each other better and open up to me and the things that God wants them to take away from this summer. They have a lot of different things coming up this week that are going to stretch them and teach them and I really hope that they will be ready for it and excited about it.

We all went white water rafting on the Ocoee River yesterday and it was a blast. It was a great get-away from camp and the routine of activities, and it was so much fun to get to hang out with my girls and do something exciting and different. The weather was great and we had so so much fun. I wish I had some good pictures to share, but I've decided that I should probably keep my camera away from water as much as possible.

Thanks for the letters and prayers. Hope you all have a wonderful day :)

Being a Slacker

Haven't been on the internet in a super long time, but that's not always a bad thing.

First term ended last Wednesday, and I cried for a long long time when those "precious angels" left. They were such a blessing in my life and my heart has been changed because of them. I hope she won't mind, but this is part of a note that a camper left on my bed the morning that they left. "Sometimes God places surprises in our life. Like you were a surprise to me and I was one to you. Sometimes they're good and sometimes they're bad. Sometimes they're happy, sometimes they're sad. But none the less, surprises shape the person you will be. They change hearts, minds, and attitudes and God loves to watch his strong children endure through the sometimes tough surprises." That's just a glimpse of the things that I learned from 16 year olds every day.

And second term is turning out to be one of those surprises. Completely different personalities and relationships, but I am in the same cabin with the same age girls and they're incredible. They're full of energy and hilarious. I could definitely use some prayers though as we get to know each other and spend the next 3 weeks together. Pray for my energy and strength to physically give them the same experience that first term had, and prayers for each of them that they will open their hearts to what God wants them to hear this month.

Love y'all and miss you. Write me. :)