I know I know I am a horrible Blogger!

I will start this post off by apologizing for my absence.... It is not that I did not want to blog but I just haven't known the words to say since my last post. Such a summing up my summer at camp so I have just decided we will skip that for now and move on to what else is going on in life.

Gosh where to start life is crazy! School is taking over my life might be the fact that I am taking 18 hours... But this girl has got to graduate!


There has been so many exciting things happening in life so I think a list would be the best way to share!
- Finally after a summer apart I was reunited with my wonderful friends!

- RUSH is over and we got 76 WONDERFUL new Hooties!

- Probably the most exciting this that has happened is that I got to go back to Camp for Labor Day! Just that would have been exciting enough for me but no it gets better!! Steele got to come with me!! and no only was he there but so was KELLY, AC, AMY, CALLIE, CAMILLE, KELSIE, MARTIN, and SARAH POOLE! and of course SARAH EMILY MARSHA PHIL AND JAM!! What a gift that weekend was I finally got to show camp to Steele and let him be a part of my favorite place on earth, he even went horseback riding with me! All of that in addition to him skipping their first home football game is just more reasons why he is the BEST BOYFRIEND in the WORLD! Enough about him and more about the glorious weekend! It was so needed and so wonderful! A weekend of fellowship, freezy pops, laughs, hugs, and such a sense of peace! Thank you Lord for making it possible for all of that to happen!

- Then we went to Auburn for the State game and even though it was a heartbreaking lose it was so much fun to stay with Mary Cam and get to experience Auburn! 

Oh I can't forget what happened on the way there! 15 miles out of the city of Auburn we ended up on the side of the road. Yep WE WERE THOSE PEOPLE YALL PASSED! Two new tires later getting home was uneventful! Thankfully!

-- ELIZABETH WAGNER SHULER was born AKA BABY BETSY!!! She took the world by storm on September 9th and I swear she has gotten more beautiful everyday! What a gift it was to be able to see them in the hospital and get to hold this precious child (future best friends). I can not think of more perfect parents then Emily and Conrad so in my opinion Betsy is a pretty lucky girl!

- I know this may not seem too exciting but I got to go home for the first time since May a few weekends ago. I know to some people that might seen crazy but I really had not had a chance to get back to my beloved Jackson before then! Thankfully my family had come to see me prior to that whenever I might have been but it was just so nice to finally be home! So go call your parents and tell them you are thankful for them and miss them cause I know I take seeing my parents and talking to them for grated all the time!

- I started my new major Educational Psychology and loving it!

- We CAMPED out in the Junction to get football tickets... So I am expecting a little more out of this season!

- Yes it is October but we have Spring Break Planned!! KEY WEST here we come!!  

- We have already had 6 CANDLELIGHTS in Chi O this semester! Apparently everyone wants to marry a Chi O! Congrats to All!

- AMY (AKA ROOMS) got a JOB in Chatt!!! She will be the newest oncology nurse at Parkridge Medical center! Whoop Whoop!! SO proud of you! God is so GOOD!! 

- My mom started her job at Jackson Prep! She loves it and the kids love her even more!! So excited/proud of her! GO MOM!

- Steel and I just celebrated our 1 year anniversary! It seems like it has been a lot longer but this past year has been the best yet! So thankful for him in my life! 

- Ah almost forgot Baby Cousin Lilla became a Chi O this weekend!! She was the last girl in the family to make the "right decision" and she did!! I was so glad I could be there to see her on that special day!

I know that was plenty of information so we can stop there for now! I promise I will work on getting better at posting regularly! I'll end this one in a shout out to my mountain top family, Yes life here is so wonderful and I am so blessed but I still miss that mountain everyday and the sweet sweet friends that loved me so well there! 

God is NIGH...

I work at CAMP DESOTO....

I wake up everyday at 7AM to a very very loud bell (sometimes not loud enough)

I listen to the word of God EVERY morning sitting on rock looking out into His creation

I get served a full breakfast of toast, biscuits, eggs, cereal, fruit, oatmeal, and grits 

I sit on a dusty floor during staff meeting just waiting to hear the greatest words of encouragement 

I then proceed to do one of the most fun jobs:

cutting paper into feathers that later become amazing Indian head  dresses

I cut out 80 gold circles that become Olympic gold medals 

I test EVERY single marker sharpie and paint pen just to make sure we have enough for Christmas in July crafts 

I test JFo's gorp

I make a bizillion copies some for plays some for worship sing and some surprises for camp

Pray for sunshine for trips and activities 

start musical groups with the PO out of cardboard tubes 

I buddle shirts which will later be surprises and gifts to campers 

I get visit from many counselors who want a little breathe of air conditioning 

I was a million white t shirts 

breaking down card board boxes 

get ready for night activity 

I alphabetize 

I LAMINATE (love it)

I get to hang out with some of the greatest people I know 

Even though it may not sounds like it I do get to experience the campers:

I get to pass out fishing poles and lanyard string 

I get to watch girls open their birthday presents (one got a car)

I get to set up picnics and then watch girls get a hand full of pickles and crumbled up chips cause thats how she likes them

I live in a community:

of back scratches 

hugs hugs and more hugs 

you get stung by something and the KITCHEN comes to your rescue by taping an ONION to your stomach (yes that happened to me yesterday)

you begin and end your day with your friends sharing the love and word of God 

we reconnect with CORNY 

Living by a bell 

an encouraging word comes right when you need it 

prayer is always the answer 

I get mail out of our wooden post office

There is an Hour every day dedicated to Rest

I live for a coke at 3 

I spend my afternoon yet again doing the most random jobs ever but loving it

and evenings of baggo, tribe days, talent shows, dances, concerts, kickball, basketball, just to name a few

I live a life of simplicity 

I take moments everyday to be thankful 

I am BLESSED

I end every day with DAY is DONE gone the SUN

Yes yes I miss my life at home and mainly my friends and family but God has given me an opportunity to show his love through serving this summer and by golly I am going to do that the best I can!!

SEE MY FRIENDS IN 2 WEEKS THOUGH! 

Blessed and Grateful

Well hello there, I am back but I hope you all enjoyed my guest writer the infamous Amy (rooms) hopefully she will write something again soon! 

But anyways camp always find a way to teach me something at all times and these days it has been the fact that I am so blessed like geez too blessed! I just have been thinking a lot about the things that really matter and the things that I really am lucky to have! So I think I shall share a few with yall!

Well lets start with the obvious these days which is Camp DeSoto.... this is a place that most of the world does not understand (if you want to try there is a book Camp Desoto: a history curtsey of my mother buy it online or your local book store) but anyways there is NO place in the world that has taught me more and has had more to do with the way I am then this little place on Lookout Mountain. Thank you Lord for Hemlock, PO, community time just to name a few

Along with camp I am blessed to have some awesome nights out with some rocking people

Blog world say hello to the people that have help keep me sane these last few weeks at camp JFO Amster(rooms) and Ac(amelia Carol herself) and you can just pretend  Bonney, Sydney, Kelsie, Sarah, and Kelly are hiding in the back! but nights out have a whole new meaning these days and boy am I thankful for them! Whether is be a night in fort payne or doing it big in Chatt we alwasy have fun and really find time to become centered and back to being normal people. God has shown me his loved and grace by just the little things 

                           Whether it be TOOOOO much bread at Tonys or......

A breathtaking sunset 

Our nights out are always the best and ALWAYS needed

Thank you Lord for Night out for they bless me 

Moving on I have talked about my friend at camp but there are also those people that have "let" me disappear into the woods for 2 months and still let me call them my friends I am so blessed to know my friends are just waiting for me to come back and when I do I will be welcomed with opened arms. And to you all I say thank you and I am truly blessed by each of you! 

Well now I guess its time to get a tad bit cheesy.... I do not usually do this but I have to talked about how blessed I am to have my Studly favorite Alpine Counselor Steele Dehmer aka Best boyfriend in the whole world! I am always thankful for him but I am especially thankful for him this summer.... might have something to do with the fact that he is only like 8 miles away from me, every date ends at the brow (my fav place in the world)  and his wonderful letters have started up again! We even got to spend the "Alpine dance" together the other night I was very proud to show him off! I love him for the great example that he is to all those 5th graders and pretty jealous that they get to hang out with him all the time..... anyways thats enough yall know I kinda like him and I am very proud of him

Anyways I guess what you get from this crazy random post is that I am very happy and very thankful for 

staff meeting 

praying in color 

jams jokes

jfo sanity 

horses 

sarahs hugs

amys jokes/cuddles

community time

the man from snowy river 

sunshine 

and the grace of my Heavenly Father!

and for all that I am VERY GRATEFUL 

Day is done gone the Sun 

God is Nigh

Hello from Roommate

Hi, my name is roommate, I live in the Hemlock Hilton with foxy K. Cox. I am writing this from a wireless keyboard which is beyond weird, let me tell you. So we are roommates in a really nice cabin with five birds that live on our porch. Their names are Albert, Bernice, Curtis, Derrell, and Eustace. They have grown from eggs to birds in front of our eyes. Their parents are very attentive and poop all over our porch. The Hemlock Hilton is home to random senior staff. We have ceiling fans, varnished floors, and twinkle lights. Those factors plus the coffee pot and fridge on our back porch make for good digs and good community.
Being random senior staff means we sit at the back staff table. Nurses, doctors, assistant head counselors, the hostess, and overflow people all gather three times a day to eat together and endure some of the most awkward conversation that we will ever encounter in our whole lives. Without being mean spirited, I would like to share some of what I have learned from these meals.

Life is a choice. For example, you can choose to make life an adventure or you can pop a lean cuisine in the microwave. Now, I have nothing against a meal that is from the freezer section and supplies you with nutrients after spending meer minutes in the microwave. But mindset is key. Do not be a victim of your own life and of your choices. Live life to the fullest whether you are enjoying a lean cuisine from your microwave or if you are snacking on the wildest cuisine on the planet. Enjoy your life and form community wherever you can find it. If life hands you a lean cuisine, shake some hot sauce on it and throw a party.

Thank you for listening to my soapbox.
Roommate

I am ALIVE I promise

So I know all my loyal readers have been wondering where I have run off too.....WELL only to the greatest place on the planet....you guessed it CAMP DESOTO!! I have been here since June 4th and camp is just not getting started. Anything good needs lots of preparation time but campers are here and camp is in full swing! The past two summers I have worked on program staff (aka cabin counselor) but this summer I am trying out a new role! The CAMP HOSTESS.....and no there is not a more perfect job for me! 1. I know all about camp and could sell this place to anyone 2. Its my favorite place in the world 3. Who wouldn't want to be the DeSoto hostess!

 Life is good God is better and I cant think of anything I would rather be doing

I wish I could give y'all a little Day in the life of a DeSoto hostess but that would be nearly impossible because you never know what I will be doing next cutting out paper feathers, lamenting, stapling papers, buddings t shirts, making play lists, taking noodles to the pool, or just sitting around with some of my favorite people. I love my job and I love being here!

Camp DeSoto hostess, Sarahs Executive assistant, Marsha's Helper, Professional lamenator, CD on Laundry service, J partner in random PO duties,  and last but not least a VERY HAPPY CAMPER

Until next time..... promise it wont be too long!
HAVE A GOOD DAY AND GIVE A GOOD DAY!

Have a good day and Give a good day!

It is an absolutely BEAUTIFUL day!

Park far away enjoy the weather and dwell in how wonderful our God truly is!

"This is the day that the Lord has made let us rejoice and be glad in it!"
Psalm 118:24

Redeeming Love

For anyone that knows me knows I love a good "beach read" which includes pretty much any trashy romance book, not like Fabio kind of books but you get the picture. So it might come as a surprise that no competition my all time favorite book is Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers "A powerful retelling of the book of Hosea, Redeeming Love is a life-changing story of God's unconditional, redemptive, all-consuming love." so says the book cover but boy can I tell you all about it!
I am not one to get really into a book and not being able to put it down remember I am a "beach reader" but there was just something about this book! I recommend this to anyone and everyone, girls especially but boys totally need to read it to! What girl doesn't want a "michael Hosea." Lets just say that any boy who read this would get some MAJOR points in most girls eyes. Getting boys to read this might be a little difficult but  any girl that has not read it need to IMMEDIATELY. It will change your outlook on what you deserve from a man and it will show you what we are receiving everyday for our amazing God.
It is such an amazing story of forgiveness and obedience, I could go into total detail of every chapter and tell you all about it but that would just be mean of me because you have to go read it!
I have read this book probably 5 different times and each time it teaches me something new. Either a lesson on trusting Gods plan, being patient, or just the idea of how amazing the love God gives us everyday in every situation is. AND who doesn't love to read about the PERFECT LOVE STORY, yes it is a tad bit unrealistic but who cares every girl loves a real life fairy tale!

This story brings me such comfort because of the fact that we rely on the people around us to accept us and to build us up but all we need to remember is that God never gives up on us. it is a story of true love between and man and a woman and the greater true love between us and our Heavenly Father.
*Warning might become a distraction to your everyday life and there will be A LOT of tears!

                                     "Though Fallen Low
                                       God Raised her up
                                             An Angel."

READ and dwell in the fairy tale!
Then go out and find your very own Michael Hosea or if you already have him hold on tight!
Have a good day and Give a good day!
Kcox