Completed - Camping
40. Go camping (7/17/19)
I wasn't sure if I would be able to pass this one off, but then I got invited to go to Girl's Camp with my ward! Honestly, girl's camp was the main reason I ever went camping in the past, so it was fitting that this was how I completed this one. And I even had to borrow camping gear from my parents - the same stuff I used at girl's camp growing up! Even more ironic, we went to the camp my mom went to as a girl's camper: Mia Shalom. Cute, right?
I don't think I'm going to go into lots of details, besides one story, but I really enjoyed this camping trip! Something different for me was that we were in CABINS. It was weird to not have to set up a tent, but definitely very nice to stay warm and free from bugs! Because there were a LOT of bugs. We even had lots of tick warnings, so we didn't get to go on any hikes. (Which was fine with me because, health problems.) We jokingly called bug spray "Shalom No. 5" because we wore it like perfume. And then for me and my vitiligo, sunscreen was my body lotion. I did NOT want to get a sunburn. And thankfully, I didn't! Not many bug bites either, so I consider all of that a triumph. Unfortunately, my gut was not very kind. All of July I wasn't eating right and I paid the price over this week for sure.
On the first night, my gut started feeling gross. I ended up needing to go down to the camp bathroom in the middle of the night, and I took another leader's flashlight with me. I got to the bathroom (which had motion-sensored lights), sat down (lights turn off), and the flashlight fell on the floor, also turning off. I picked up the flashlight and...it didn't turn back on! So I'm in the bathroom feeling gross, it's super dark, and now I had no flashlight. I finished up, trying to think of what to do to get back to camp. When I got to the sinks the bathroom's lights turned back on. And there, next to a sink, is a small little flashlight that someone forgot!! Such a simple, little blessing that I so needed. I took it, promising out loud to bring it back haha :) I made it back to camp safely, but still felt gross. And then, (yeah..this story isn't done yet) MY CABIN DOOR WOULDN'T OPEN!! I tried like 3 or 4 times before I remembered that our doorknob was tricky and had to be turned a certain way. So I tried the right way and IT STILL WOULDN'T OPEN. I tried 5 more times before I knocked quietly and said "it's me, it's Sister Smith, can someone let me in?" Everyone was dead asleep! Before I left, someone was snoring so I figured they couldn't even hear me. I went over to our camp tables and just cried and felt gross. I just needed to go lay down! I didn't want to wake anyone up and I just didn't know what to do. I took some deep breaths and said a prayer, did a little bit of yoga, and went back to the door. I tried one more time....AND IT OPENED!! I was so relieved. I was then able to get back to bed. Another blessing - a young woman who was snoring SO LOUD had stopped snoring when I got back! I was able to get to sleep without anymore issues.
The rest of camp had some more tummy issues, but nothing as crazy or bad as that first night. The best part was getting to know the girls and leaders I was with. (especially the lovely Melissa, who talked about anime with me and who laughed with me about like a million things). I also had some really lovely spiritual experiences that I definitely needed at that point. Overall it was a great camping experience!
I wasn't sure if I would be able to pass this one off, but then I got invited to go to Girl's Camp with my ward! Honestly, girl's camp was the main reason I ever went camping in the past, so it was fitting that this was how I completed this one. And I even had to borrow camping gear from my parents - the same stuff I used at girl's camp growing up! Even more ironic, we went to the camp my mom went to as a girl's camper: Mia Shalom. Cute, right?
I don't think I'm going to go into lots of details, besides one story, but I really enjoyed this camping trip! Something different for me was that we were in CABINS. It was weird to not have to set up a tent, but definitely very nice to stay warm and free from bugs! Because there were a LOT of bugs. We even had lots of tick warnings, so we didn't get to go on any hikes. (Which was fine with me because, health problems.) We jokingly called bug spray "Shalom No. 5" because we wore it like perfume. And then for me and my vitiligo, sunscreen was my body lotion. I did NOT want to get a sunburn. And thankfully, I didn't! Not many bug bites either, so I consider all of that a triumph. Unfortunately, my gut was not very kind. All of July I wasn't eating right and I paid the price over this week for sure.
On the first night, my gut started feeling gross. I ended up needing to go down to the camp bathroom in the middle of the night, and I took another leader's flashlight with me. I got to the bathroom (which had motion-sensored lights), sat down (lights turn off), and the flashlight fell on the floor, also turning off. I picked up the flashlight and...it didn't turn back on! So I'm in the bathroom feeling gross, it's super dark, and now I had no flashlight. I finished up, trying to think of what to do to get back to camp. When I got to the sinks the bathroom's lights turned back on. And there, next to a sink, is a small little flashlight that someone forgot!! Such a simple, little blessing that I so needed. I took it, promising out loud to bring it back haha :) I made it back to camp safely, but still felt gross. And then, (yeah..this story isn't done yet) MY CABIN DOOR WOULDN'T OPEN!! I tried like 3 or 4 times before I remembered that our doorknob was tricky and had to be turned a certain way. So I tried the right way and IT STILL WOULDN'T OPEN. I tried 5 more times before I knocked quietly and said "it's me, it's Sister Smith, can someone let me in?" Everyone was dead asleep! Before I left, someone was snoring so I figured they couldn't even hear me. I went over to our camp tables and just cried and felt gross. I just needed to go lay down! I didn't want to wake anyone up and I just didn't know what to do. I took some deep breaths and said a prayer, did a little bit of yoga, and went back to the door. I tried one more time....AND IT OPENED!! I was so relieved. I was then able to get back to bed. Another blessing - a young woman who was snoring SO LOUD had stopped snoring when I got back! I was able to get to sleep without anymore issues.
The rest of camp had some more tummy issues, but nothing as crazy or bad as that first night. The best part was getting to know the girls and leaders I was with. (especially the lovely Melissa, who talked about anime with me and who laughed with me about like a million things). I also had some really lovely spiritual experiences that I definitely needed at that point. Overall it was a great camping experience!
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