so, i talk about this camp a lot. it's high time i tell my tale. it's a story of falling in love with a summer camp.. and with a boy. let's start at the beginning. part one. when i was a camper.
it's the summer after my senior year of high school, and my friends have finally convinced my sister and i to go to their "minnesota camp." we're on the brink: about to be too old for summer camp, about to go off to college. this was going to be our last hurrah. a whole crew from youth group was coming, too. it was the best. the gang was all together, just like grease.
we drove into camp shetek on a monday afternoon, holding our pillows on our laps, sleeping bags smashed into the trunk, and jamming to starry-eyed surprise. about to venture out of the minivan and into the sweltering july heat, darrin warned us girls to watch out for boys that just want to flirt with us. camp is the place for flirting. hundreds of thousands of crushes take root during that week of summery bliss. little did we all know, later that very afternoon, i would lay eyes on my future husband. (more on that little scene in a future post.)
i stepped into the chapel that first night and thought "in a few days, this is going to feel like home. and i'm not going to want to leave. i had better savor it." and that was how it happened, too. the week was hard-core fun and time flew. i was on top of the world. thriving under the tight camp schedule. loving every minute of being a kid, but still trying to be a lady.
i played frisbee golf while wearing a beaded necklace and white sunglasses. i sat on the boardwalk and chatted with new friends. i forgot about my camera. i took notes during chapel. i raced to the shower line-up in my pajamas when the morning bell rang. i felt starved-to-death after night games. i got a tan line from my green team bracelet. i loved mail call, but didn't get any mail. i ran to clarke steps for game time, belting out show tunes as i went. i wanted to wear a shirt with cut-off sleeves like those athletic girls. haley french braided my hair and i skipped out on shaved legs for a couple days. i learned all the actions and shout-outs for "when justice rolls down" and jumped around, singing my heart out like i had been doing it since third grade. i was part of the nebraska group. i made a few good serves in the volleyball tourney. i sat on my sleeping bag trying to hold my purple conair mirror and put on mascara at the same time. i bought the green camp t-shirt and got my sister to go halvsies on the pink blanket with me. i wore my camouflage pants and swiped black paint under my eyes for war games. i slept like a baby in the corner bunk of cabin 7. haley and christine were across from me. the 3 of us laughed constantly. we were giddy girls at camp. we loved every part of it. i met loads of new and wonderful people. all was right with the world that week. i had the time of my life.
but here's where it gets important.. the very first night in our cabin, i heard some girls talking about the harms boys. apparently these harms boys were the sun, the moon, and the stars. apparently the whole harms family was a legend. i had no clue who they were talking about. anyway, the moral of their story was..
everyone wants a harms boy (there are six of them), but we can't all get one. because there's only one left. and that was grant. grant harms. the grant harms. whoever gets him, they said, is one lucky girl. over the course of the week i figured out who the girls were talking about. so that's grant. he's the guy i see at mail call. he's the one who's single. and a week after i got home from camp, we became facebook friends. but that's the start of another story..
..coming soon.
15 comments:
Hi Summer, I just discovered your blog this week, and I love reading your fun posts!
Please tell part 2 of the story soon!! True love stories are wonderful to hear.
Have a happy Friday!
xo,
Linnea
more, more, more. so glad you posted this. i love that paragraph about the harms boys. aren't you a lucky one?!!! yahoo. every girl needs a camp love story. i'm going to get mine through you.
Hello Summer! I just love "how they met" stories. I am in the process of reading PW story of how she met Marlboro Man and am loving it. Can't wait to read your next installment.
oh i cannot wait for the next installment! through one of your previous posts, i was led to the pioneer's woman's site & her love story has kept my attention & i've accomplished little else after discovering it. i always wanted to participate in summer camp of some type but never did. i thought i had an over-romanticised idea of it, but maybe, just maybe--i didn't. please write more soon, and thank you, lady summer.
for everything. for loving your vocation, for not undermining it in an way. (for your heart for Him most of all.)
What a delicious story. We are all craving the next course! Thanks for dishing up a (your) true love story for all your readers to enjoy. :)
wow. camp. who knew.
tell us more.
love the way you captured it in words.
pve
I'm on the edge of my seat...what a great story...one lucky girl!
I enjoyed part one and can't wait 'till part two... ; )
i know everyone else wrote this...but i'm super into your story. i say you skip the day and spend it on the computer...writing for us :)
...and don't leave out any of the good details! We weren't there for pt.2..."the kitchen girl"!!
Can you please write a book? I know for sure I would read it and it would end my streak of parenting and child-rearing only books I tend to read these days. So excited for number 04.
Summer, you have certainly drawn me in, and I can't wait to hear more of your sweet camp love story!
aww that is so adorable!!!
i cant wait for part two!!
so far it sounds like the beginning of a movie that every girl wishes she had the lead role. can't wait to hear more! :)
Just found your blog. Thanks for sharing your sweet stories! Please finish up your story soon- it sounds like it was a whirlwind romance :)