After just a week's quick break from school, Romney took off on her first adventure of the summer - Stake Girls Camp. She went last year, when she was still 11, and ended up being the only kid from our ward (local church group - a stake is a group of wards) - who stayed for the whole week. This year our ward had many more girls since a couple of girls turned 12 in the past year plus a family with three camp-aged girls moved in. Big group, great leaders - a week away in the mountains of Heber. I was grateful for the photos my friend Emily sent home. I know Romney had some emotional days, probably feeling homesick and/or overwhelmed, but she tells me she had a great time and has so many great memories of the camp. I'll try to get her to write a few words about it.
After girls camp poor Romney only had a couple of days to recuperate before her next camp - Brighton LDS Girls Camp for girls ages 12-13 (although she was allowed to go last year as well) - up in the Mountains at the top of Big Cottonwood Canyon. This is the camp where my mom worked as a young college student and then again as a committee member when I was in high school, and where I spent three summers working. It's a place that is my mountain home and I love it there so very very much. Romney loves it too - it's a special place for her. However, I know it was again challenging for her to go. She was pretty wiped out from the previous week and wasn't looking forward to being away from home for more nights. I have a feeling the week was harder for her than she reported, but like always, she says she wouldn't trade it and carried away some extremely precious memories. It's hard to see her struggle through tough things, it's hard to see that things like this are hard for her, and so I'm extra proud of her for surviving and thriving.
Here we are in the early morning on our way to the gathering spot for the busses to take the gals up to camp:
And the excited girls getting ready to get on the bus:
All week long I thought about her, prayed for her, hoped she was well and wished I could check on her. Friday morning finally came and we were so excited to get our girl back. I know she had some teary nights, but I also know she's so proud of herself for being one of the amazing girls who did both the Above and Beyond hike (seven peaks in one day) as well as the sunrise hike the next morning. She's amazing!!! I hope she feels as proud of herself as I feel. I was so glad to get her back.
We had a little break, just one week I think, before Romney got to start her summer's true love - Youth Theater at the U. Luckily this camp is a day camp - we got our exhausted yet still verbose girl back every afternoon. This camp is amazing. She just loves it so much, and is totally exhilarated every day.
She chose to be part of the melodrama group again this year and had so much fun putting on their play How The West Was Done. She did a great job. This year Romney was part of the teen camp - kids going into 8th grade - 12th grade. She was the youngest kid there and I worried about that a little. But her melodrama group had a tight bond and she just thrived as she was included in their circle. I feel like it was a super positive group. I remember that same feeling, being a part of the circle in plays and camps and things like that. Wonderful. When theater school was over, my sweet gal wept and wept and wept. For a few days. She really grieved the ending of that camp.
How to put into words what it's like to be a witness to your child's development and growth? There really isn't an adequate way. My little woman. My heart was bursting all summer long over her.
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