Misk

Misk, or Misc., or Miscellaneous. Andrew decided to pronounce it that way the other day and it cracked me up. Anyhow, much has happened of late so the only way to title this is 'Misk.'

This week I started summer school, and had to get through two weeks worth of work in three days. That was rather challenging, and I ended up doing school work from 7 in the morning to about 7 at night. I had to get ahead because I won't be able to do much school this week due to the firework stand. After all the crazy schoolwork and writing about eight papers in three days I had to pack up for Girls Camp. I only went for one day, but it was the best day in any case.

I rode up with one of my leaders just in time for the hike. The hike was pretty difficult I thought, because it was pretty steep and quite rocky. When we got to the top there was an old mine, which I did not explore because there were rats. After we got back to camp we had lake time and cliff jumping. I don't remember which lake it was, but it was FREEZING. Think of the water at the top of a mountain where it first comes out of the rock and how cold and refreshing it is after a long hike. Now think of swimming in that, rather than wading. It was pretty much aching-bones-cold. It was still pretty fun though. The cliff jumping was positively terrifying. I only did it once, and that was quite enough. It was probably a 40 ft. high cliff, and I was terrified out of my mind, but you had to do it. So I stood at the top psyching myself out for about ten minutes before I finally did it. Some of the leaders were in a canoe at the bottom and were counting down for me to jump. When they got to one I ran to jump and just as I was about to go I stopped. I still had the momentum carrying me so I was pretty close to just falling off, and it was pretty scary. I tried to catch myself for a second before I realized that at this point I would likely end up seriously injured if I didn't just do it, so I finished it out. After all that I wasn't really thinking anymore so I sort of curled into a ball and when I landed I totally smacked my whole backside. It hurt like crazy! So I wasn't terribly interested in trying it again after that! I have a picture though, so I should never have to jump off a cliff that high again!

After that we had some down time to get changed. Then we each made a tile with the girls camp theme on it that all the girls and leaders signed, and then dinner. After dinner we went to an area with a little stage and some benches for the talent share (which was in place of skits). Since it was stake camp, they had three wards do their talent each night. The other two wards did kinda silly/funny talents, and ours was more serious/spiritual. Ours ended up being last, just before we had a couple of speakers and the prayer, so it worked out really nicely for ours to sort of bring the spirit. After that was all over we went back to our individual ward camps for testimony meeting.

Our testimony meeting was really great. The past couple of months we have had some non-member girls coming to mutual and they came to camp too. One of the girls bore her testimony and it was really great. She's going to start seeing the missionaries and she came to church today! It was awesome. For the first time I started to understand what people mean when they talk about the 'ward family.' During that testimony meeting I felt really comfortable with everyone, and I felt a lot of love for every girl there. I don't really even know any of them that well, and I was only at camp the one day, but I could really just see how amazing they all were. It was a really great experience for me. After the testimony meeting I rode home with my leader and didn't get home until after midnight.

The next day was the first day of the firework stand. Andrew and I are doing that together and so far it hasn't been half-bad. I was a lot more comfortable with the whole thing yesterday, so I think it'll all be okay. I don't think business is something I should go out for in the future though. I just feel really awful telling people how much money they owe me! I never want to make people pay! It doesn't help that some of the fireworks are pretty unreasonably priced either. But what do you do? I got home around 10 last night, and had a paper to write still. I stayed up until about midnight writing the paper, and turned it in. I just checked my grades and my teacher already graded it. I got full credit and she said 'your points were well made and your writing, excellent.' Whoo! I can totally pull off a midnight essay! :) I was quite proud. Granted, it was more of a report on a story I read than an essay. You can't really mess that up. Still though, I'm happy.

I should be getting my ACT scores any time now, and I suppose after that I have to start looking seriously at college applications. I have next week at the firework stand, then a couple of weeks off, and then Nauvoo for a couple more weeks. That pretty much sums up my summer! I guess I must be growing up a little bit, because I keep having these moments where I just have these awesome thoughts, or philosophical reasoning about certain topics. It's pretty cool, but it sort of freaks me out. It's like I can't stop it, and it's just proof to me that I really am going to have to move out soonish. It's like the winds of time are pushing me. I'm fighting it as hard as I can, but it's really not working. I hate growing up! Every time I think about moving out I just want to cry. Sheesh! I'm such a baby. I guess I'll get used to it someday...maybe. Well, enough of that. I hear some Chocolate Death calling my name! *ksh* This has been 'Charity Events' reporting, over and out! *ksh* :D