The Liveliness of Being Lively

I feel so alive today! The weather is gorgeous, I feel well-rested, and I am simply enjoying life. I've been re-reading the Lord of the RIngs, so I feel as if any moment I could slip into an elven world of enchantment. Last night I was wishing that I could go walking barefoot in Lothlorien under a full moon. Oh what a grand thing life is! To breathe, to feel, to smell, to see! To smile at everyone and everything. I just want to dance! Unfortunately, I'm at work and in class all day. But in my head I'm dancing! Far away over mountains tall, I skim the surface of the seas. I flit in and out of light and shadows surround by majestic trees. I wish I were a bird to fly among the clouds and look down on this lovely land. To laugh, to dance, to fly, no, to soar! To climb, to win, to hear, to taste! Oh isn't it great to be alive!

A Trip Down Memory Lane- LWBC 2010

I've been so busy this summer, that it's been difficult to keep everyone up on the adventures I've had, so I thought I'd share a list of memories from the summer.
Learning kumcha and ninja the very first night of staff development week
The staff boat trips
The superhero themed parties during junior high weeks
An impromptu carnival to beat the rain
Coloring disney princess pictures with the girls in my cabin the very first night
Squishing all the staff members into one booth at Culvers (though we did add a small table)
Taking breaks in the office with other counselors during Voyager week 3
Girl time every Thursday
Sleeping in the air conditioned apartment every once in a while
The ME Bible study during staff development week
Dressing up in crazy costumes for the Mallards baseball game
Our day trip to Devil's Lake
Hang-outs at Leya's house
The night of Jesse and Jo's engagement
Worship nights
Watching movies with staff
Three tornado warnings and the ensuing preparations
The lice scare
Sitting at the top of the waterslide having milk and cookies while watching a lightning storm
Nuke-em
Setting off fireworks
Picnics in the park
Staff meetings
Going down the waterslide with a camper who was more relaxed then I was
Late-night conversations with the girls on staff
Walking down State Street
Going out to eat with the staff
Learning how to better do TAG and get closer to God

These are just a few of the precious moments of camp this summer.

Garden Fantasies

This afternoon I went to a botanical gardens with several friends, but spent much of the time exploring by myself. The enchanting cobblestone paths drew me into delightful corners of discovery. Giant pink flowers beckoned to me, but before reaching them I was sidetracked by a small grass path between two bushes. Following the path, I entered into a small clearing, which I named "the glen". I stumbled upon two rabbits who quickly skittered out of my way, and I gazed at the crystal wings of two dragonflies dancing on the wind. The clearing was bordered by luxurious firs and a variety of greenery. Lifting my face to the sky I spun in circles and danced with the Father. I met up with my friends for a while, and then was off again to secret enjoyments. Crossing a bridge, I saw an enchanting Thai pavilion across the river. I ran along the paths which led to it, passing several stone elephants on the way. I finally reached the red and gold pavilion and danced through it, lightly touching the intricately carved pillars. There were several pools of clear, crystal water, and I floated along on the edge of one, dancing again to my own tune. Another was so still I could clearly see my reflection in it. I found a path through the grass formed by several oblong stones, and I lightly skipped from one stone to the next until I completed the path. I continued exploring, sometimes alone sometimes with friends, and was continuously drawn down wooded paths and hidden escapes. My exploration only came to an end because of the late hour, but I think I can safely say that it was the most whimsically fun time I've ever had at a garden.