I felt triumphant to put day one in the books. We came, we saw, we conquered. However, I didn't know if I would feel the same way after all of the troops arrived. Nonetheless, I put on my safari vest, and hat and welcomed the girls.
We had a little welcoming ceremony, and all of the wards passed out their ward pin. Then we had a certification review. Then the girls rotated through 4 stations. The big ball volleyball, Music and Fun, Certification Review, and a service project. After the 4 stations we had sweet pork salads, skits, and then Jungle Safari
Adventures. The skits were almost more than I could handle. They had little girls acting like the bums of horses and zebras. One little girl was just a swaying, and had brought rocks up that dropped out like droppings. Her big sister was just dying at the swaying horses patootie. I was laughing so hard I was snorting. It was hilarious. The first year girls went with the YCLs and Diana & I for the Jungle Safari Adventure. All of the other girls went with the stake Young Women Presidency.
The snipe hunt had been a hot topic. Finally at our last meeting I said if all of the leaders are against the snipe hunt why are we doing it? The previous year there had been some injures. We decided we would not allow it. We had a list of scriptures about light and assigned the girls to read them. When we were gathering questions for our face to face with the stake presidency and their wives we had several questions asking how do you overcome the darkness when you feel like you are drowning in it. So we decided we really needed to focus on light and less on tricking people. The light walk was so much fun. The
girls taped glow sticks to themselves in the shape of stick figures. I was so proud of those girls. They give each girl a tea light candle, and
at the last portion of the light walk they had lined the road with tea light candles leading up to a cardboard cut out of the Savior. There 2 girls bore testimony of the Savior and the light only he can give. I was so proud of those YCLs. We had worked so hard with them, and I just was so pleased
that they were able to put aside their disappointment of the not doing the snipe hunt
and make a good thing happen for the first year girls. The other girls stayed and played games, and then we all came together and watched the
video "He IS". We had a nighttime snack and then sent them to bed. We stayed up a bit preparing for the next day. I was a bit concerned
because Morgan was hanging around a girl with a dark countenance. It stressed me out. The girl was in total Goth makeup and told one of the leaders that she didn't want to be there,and she looked mad. God told me to simmer down. That that little girl needed a friend. I sought her out every chance I got. I went out of my way to do things with her and show her love.
Our big ball popped before we even started. The wind picked up right as we were starting the rotations. I prayed and had the girls stop and pray. That silly ball lasted for all four sessions, and the wind ceased. I know that was no coincidence.
When I finally laid my head down to sleep I was so glad day 2 was in the books, and I was sure this was the night I was going to sleep. My feet were so sore, and was exhausted from constant movement.
Just as I was about to drift off to sleep, I hear "We need a nurse!" The report was one of the girls had a migraine and had self medicated. She
was non-responsive. This little girl is not just any girl. She is a senior in high school, completely bald, and has had all of her bottom teeth pulled. When we arrived to her tent she was sitting up talking. She had taken
a Nyquil, a Tylenol PM, a Benadryl 50 mg, a Benadryl 25 mg, and a natural sleep aid. She said she always took that amount every night for bed. I was floored. What is that mom trying to do? Kill her daughter? I woke the cute little priesthood men. They were so cute. As I was waiting for them I could hear them talking, "I'm right on top of a rock, I haven't slept a wink yet." They kept talking. As they climbed out of their tent I said, "I'm so sorry." One of them said, "We live for this!"
As we arrived back at the tent it was almost 2 am. It was warm than the 35 degree night we had endured the night before. Still sleep eluded me. I was up before 5 again, because I remembered I'd promised to get Gaby up in time for the 6 am devotional.
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