A full week of camp has already past and I have more than enough to write about.  For those who aren’t familiar with how this works, all forty-some counselors go through an intensive 24/7 two-week staff training where we live, work and play together.  We’ve already learned how to facilitate some activities such as the high ropes course, archery, and the pool party that goes down every Sunday night when kids first arrive at camp.  It has been crazy and fun and exhausting. 

My stomach was tied up in knots when I was about an hour from camp last Sunday.  I constantly battle the lie that no one really likes me, and after having not seen these people for a year (as well as the prospect of meeting new staff), I was terrified at the thought that I wouldn’t get a warm welcome.  I shouldn’t have been afraid.  I was greeted with excited hugs and smiles and questions about vet school.  Friendship has never come easy to me but I feel like I’ve been getting better, and I can honestly say that with both old and new staff I have made good first steps to genuine, deep friendship.  This past week at camp has affirmed that I’m growing and changing, and it’s so important.  In fact, I talked to one of my college friends (whom I will call “Disney”) tonight, and she told me that I seem so different – a lot more confident and better at communicating with people.

Our camp director gave us bags with this quote attached to them:

“We need holy friendships with people who are willing to challenge the sins we’ve come to love, affirm the gifts we’re afraid to claim, and dream the dreams we would not otherwise have dreamed.”  I don’t know who said it, but it’s so true.  I hope it happens this summer, because I feel like I can only give the kids what they need and deserve if my tank is full.

I know it will be a struggle, something that I must meet each day with courage and prayer.  It’s terrifically easy to believe no one cares about you and to dissolve into hopelessness.  It’s much harder to be hopeful and honest.  Something that can help are “Ebenezers.”  One of the camp chaplains gave us a talk about them the other day.  Ebenezer means “rock of help,” and the Israelites set up rocks at specific places to remind themselves of something amazing God had done for them.  We have Ebenezers of our own – a specific place, a gift from a friend – something tangible and physical that reminds us of an act of God.  I’ll be looking for Ebenezers at camp this summer and sharing some of them with you.

And now, some pictures from the camp farm for your enjoyment!

Bovine Encounters and Falconry

My roommate Jen and her fiance, Jason, have amazing hobbies -- one of which is falconry. I got to see them hunt the bird last weekend (Their dog Sierra also was a part of the hunt). Warning before I even start, the bird was everywhere so I didn't get any amazing photos. I was instructed to turn around and cover my face with my hands if she attacked me (which was apparently a very real possibility). So, I had to measure the pros and cons of being mauled by a hawk with or without my precious camera.

We took off through the woods, Jason yelling commands which I'm afraid I didn't understand; but the bird did. When he saw a squirrel, Jason would shake vines on the tree it was in and shout something that sounded like "Hyahyahya!!" which apparently meant both to hawk and dog "KILL IT!" The bird went crazy, the dog went crazy, and the squirrel ran for its life.
Sierra would wait under the tree -- if the squirrel headed down near the ground she'd try to get it.
Once Autumn got ahold of the squirrel, it was all over in the blink of an eye. At one point, she caught a squirrel in its nest and refused to return to Jason, instead eating it fifty feet up in a tree (smart bird). Sierra, Jen and I wandered off while Jason watched Autumn finish her meal.
We met some cows, who were curious about us and would follow us when our backs were turned but suspiciously stopped when we glanced back.


Look! A cow skull. See how there's no upper incisors? (oooooh vet school)

Some snapshots of my Christmas:

I started the holidays in Santa's workshop making some presents.

Yip, yip, Appa!

Left my school house.

Enjoyed seeing our living room get the present it has always dreamed of: a Christmas tree of special magnificence.


Woke up to a beautiful Christmas morning (though this technically wasn't that morning; had to fit this photo in somewhere).

Read The Lord of the Rings by the fire.

In all, a pretty good break.

Horse-starved girl drops out of vet school and runs away to a barn...

Not really...school is awesome; just lately I've been missing horses. I kind of took my summer for granted. Days spent riding on the trail, thinking of nothing but the way the sun looks when it shines through the leaves. Of course, that's not really how it was. Really it was trying to keep control of my horse (a somewhat spirited Tennessee Walker), my campers (equally spirited), and my temper. But one only remembers the best from camp when one is stuck inside learning about kidney filtration.A couple weeks ago I got to go visit with my roommate's horses, Caper (below) and Tequila (above). They're sweet and they love their owner to death.
I've also been going home a lot lately, taking advantage of being close to home and getting some free delicious meals. And of course, I always love hanging out with Pepper. She looks uncharacteristically wise in this picture.
This post is kind of random. Maybe over Thanksgiving break I'll find time to take some better pictures.

Fall Colors

Sunlight shining through fall leaves feels like a special gift from God to me.
I was visiting the mountains with my parents last weekend. I needed a break from the sterile, cold indoors of the anatomy lab and the lecture hall. I needed sunlight like a hawk needs to soar.
I told my parents that I was going to spend Saturday night sleeping in the backyard in the tent. They laughed at me and didn't believe me, because it gets cold at night and I'm not one to make myself unnecessarily uncomfortable. But I managed to make it through the night, mainly because my sleeping bag is fantastic and I got nice and toasty by my campfire. Didn't get a great night's rest, but I was too stubborn to come inside and it was nice listening to the wind in the trees and the owls.
I woke up early to bake brownies, make coffee and take pictures. This is the view from our porch.
We drove to Brasstown Bald, the tallest mountain in Georgia, and hiked the last half mile to the observation deck.

Time spent in nature makes me feel whole again, when all seems tired and old and broken.
My parents needed a break, too I think.

Cloudy day = first hint of fall?

My photo shoot for this week is at our little zoo, where I'm starting volunteer training. I couldn't resist being outside, this weekend is so beautiful.

I'm not used to it being so warm well into fall. We haven't had a cold day yet, even though it's sometimes cloudy. In Indiana I bet they're getting lots of rain and chilly wind...

Bear Hollow has a nice selection of native wildlife, but the animals weren't really into photo-ops today. This bald eagle was the exception. It must have very limited flight capabilities because its enclosure was open at the top and you could look down into it.

At one point, when I was at maximum zoom to get the face of a tortoise, this dad with his family told his kids to watch out for the "spy camera." Lol.

I thought of taking pictures of actual human beings, but I didn't get up the courage to ask anyone for permission and didn't want to be creepy. A self-portrait will have to suffice.

A weekend well spent.

I went to the aquarium the other day when I should have been studying Bacteriology.

The aquarium is pretty peaceful, if you can tune out all the people. It would actually be an awesome place to study if you didn't get kids running past you every five seconds telling their parents, "I'm a piranha. I'm from the Amazon!" (Finding Nemo style, with big toothy grins).

These are upside-down jellyfish. They have a symbiotic relationship with algae to acquire nutrients. They're pretty cool.

Lion fish are always worth seeing.

And my favorite, whale sharks! Friendly fish the size of a school bus -- oh how I love all of the crazy creatures on this planet. One day I'm going to scuba dive with them.