We Are Family

We had an awesome day of activities as cabin groups today. After five days together, cabins seem to be in the routine of camp and everything is starting to click. Campers have found comfort with their cabinmates, and today I noticed more joy, more smiles and more fun at camp than we’ve had all session. The newness is starting to wear off, and it feels like everyone is settling in to life with their Highlander family.

As I served dinner tonight at cookout, I watched as a group of campers played a casual game of frisbee, while another group of campers took turns at tetherball. Groups of girls and boys sat in circles in their crazy creeks talking and laughing without a care in the world. While some girls were making friendship bracelets, other campers were kicking around a soccer ball. There were campers chanting and singing, as they waited in line for their burger, and even a few campers who got lost in a book, in spite of the chaos that surrounded them. Seriously, it was one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen.

I was reminded how much I missed our simple Thursday night dinners last summer, and I felt a knot in my throat. I cannot express what a gift this summer is, and I am so thankful for my Highlander family. Just like any family, we have our good days and bad, our hard lessons and the simple joys, some not-so-perfect choices and the absolutely beautiful moments. I am so grateful we could come home to Highlander…that we have one another to love as family…the summer of 2021 is simply a blessing!

Favorite Details of the Day

• Reflect: At reflect this morning, Beth talked about the conversations we have with ourselves. We are often told to speak kindly towards others, but we must also remember to speak kindly to ourselves.
• Meals: For breakfast we enjoyed bagels and cream cheese, bacon, scrambled eggs, and fresh fruit. We had a camp favorite for lunch, chicken tenders! And of course, what’s chicken fingers without french fries? We had warm fries and veggies and hummus to go without tenders. Yum! Our dinner for tonight was on of my favorite traditions…cookout! The entire camp came on down to the land sports field and enjoyed Bryan’s famous hamburgers and hotdogs served hot off of the charcoal grill. We had pasta salad, potato chips and cold, sweet watermelon. The Dolly’s trolley drove onto camp about half-way through the cookout and was greeted by screaming, joyful campers. Dolly’s has the most delicious ice cream with the coolest flavors, and Highlander High Tide is definitely my favorite!
• Weather: We woke this morning to the beautiful sunshine and cool mountain breeze. The paid us a visit during 4th and 5th period again today, but it cleared up just in time for cookout on the field!
• EP: Tonight’s evening program was Olympics! Cabins divided up into teams, representing different countries, and competed in many different events around camp!