SB2W 2008 Closing

As always the 12 days of camp end too soon but not soon enough. We miss the girls terribly while they are gone and they miss us, but they have such an awesome time that we all wish we could stand for it to be longer!

We got to camp early enough this year to see the girls and pack up the van before the campers went to brunch. While they ate I checked the cabins for abandoned property...and as usual found things that the girls had left behind! When the meal is finished the kids sing their camp songs - and the parents watch through the screened windows. Mostly the campers ignore the visitors but it's pretty obvious that they really don't like being watched! The boys tend to make monkey noises. The girls just ignore the parents. Not ours this year though! They all smiled and waved!

This year Katherine's birthday happened to be the last day of camp so for the first time we got to see her called up and sung to and presented with her camp birthday shirt. Only kids who celebrate their birthdays at camp get this special t-shirt - and it's different every year! Next year will be the first time since she started attending that she won't turn a year older at camp!

The pic looks out to the girls of 2008 as they wait to hear which team won the term. You can see Katherine and Caroline, but not Morgan. The news of course is already out that the Romans team won the term, breaking the 17-year winning streak held by the Galatians team.

After that announcement we all went to the individual cabin ceremonies. Tell me how we'd manage three kids with only two parents if we didn't have friends with kids in the same cabins! What will we do when Will starts coming to camp, I just don't know!

At the cabin awards the counselors talk about the term and about each camper. Morgan is usually described as being nurturing and helpful. Caroline thoughtful, and Katherine sweet. This year the best adjective for Katherine was "edible"! She also got her cabin's I'm Third award. "I'm Third" is the camp motto - God first, others second and I'm third.

Afterwards we went to the whole camp closing where the major camp awards were given. They give awards called Ss (mini, small, big & super!). The campers can earn these awards by attaining certain marks in the various camp activities. Morgan was trying for her mini S his year - and missed it by 1 inch on the high jump. She's got her sights set on knocking that out next year! They also give out awards for each of the 6 adventure trips. Morgan got the Honor Hiker Award which was a hiking stick!

Good-bye camp!