I love the person I learned to be.

A lot has happened since last time I wrote.

First of all, I'm back in the good ol' land of trees and mountains, also known as Oregon. It has been so nice to be back but I already miss my family and I've only been away from them for a week.

Life is going great though. I moved into my new house up at school, on Wednesday, unpacked what bags I had, and packed my things back up to be a counselor at a 4-H youth camp at the coast. The camp is called Lobster Creek Camp and this camp is pretty much the highlight of my summer every year. I went as a camper to this camp the summers after my 7th and 8th grade school years and this was my fourth year as a counselor. This camp is an hour inland of Brookings, OR, down old gravel logging roads. It's literally right next to the most beautiful creek I have ever seen, which is a tributary to the Rogue River. This camp, without a doubt, has changed my life. I grew into the person I am today because of the values that I learned from Lobster Creek.

One of the things that always amazes me about Lobster Creek is the fact that I spend a total of 5 days with a select group of campers and counselors, and I would consider most of them some of my dearest friends. I met my best friend at camp, I met some people who have changed my life for the better, just by goofing around and loving me unconditionally for who I am. I can be myself at this camp and I know that I'm not being judged, I'm not being laughed at (well sometimes I am but it's because I act like an idiot), and I'm not being held to unrealistic standards. I feel incredibly loved. How many places can you go where you are just plain loved?! For me, there's one place, and it is Lobster Creek Camp.

I got extremely emotional last night, which was the last night at camp, because I realized that I probably won't be coming back to LC next year. Due to the need of money to pay my bills, I will probably have to work a steady job next summer and I will either be living in Corvallis or in Ohio. I made accommodations this summer SO I could go to camp but the reality sank in that it won't be like that always. I almost had to have a grieving session because I knew that little part of me would be over. I probably won't be taking that old logging road down to my own little piece of Heaven next year. That got my eyes watering and my campers surrounded me with more love than I could even ponder. It is such an incredible feeling to be loved by a group of kids that you just met five days ago and I feel incredibly blessed to be able to have experienced that immense love, not only once, but four times.

The friends I made touched my life. I could be my real self in front of them and I know they'd come running if ever I called. How can this happen in just five short days? I don't know. If I did, I would use it where ever I went, but what I do know is that there is some kind of bond that can only be made by that type of situation. Being "trapped" on a hill in a valley, without technology, warm water and drama can really change the lives of the teenagers who open their minds and hearts to the concept. We make inside jokes that last for years and bonds that are strengthened by distance and that one place in our hearts.

Even though I won't be returning, the memories made and the time spent at LC will stay with me for the rest of my life. I love the person I learned to be at Lobster Creek 4-H camp.