Look Who LOVES! CAMP! DEER! RUN!

Oh where do I begin this blog? I guess I will just come right out and say it..."Hayley won the Best Camper Award!" I could not be more proud of her. Uncle Jeff and I are always saying she is wonderful but this just goes to show that we aren't just being prejudice.

KrisAnn, her co-counselor told us the day that we visited that she is the sweetest camper ever! Well duh! I could of told you that! Then she proceeds to tell me one of the sweetest stories that proves she is the best. When they were walking back from out camping she and Krisann were laughing and talking. Then KrisAnn turns around to see that Hayley is no longer with her. Hayley had noticed a girl in her cabin walking alone so she went to hang out with her. And per Krisann this is not the only example of this. She was always looking for the person who was sitting by themselves or who didn't have much friends and being their friend. I don't know about you but that is the sweetest thing that I have ever heard.

Last night when Hayley told me about this award, I got tears in my eyes and hugged her real tight. I told her how proud I was of her over and over again. The light that shined in her eyes was so priceless to me. What a great boost of confidence for my sweet Hayley! And already at a early age she is treating people like Jesus treated others, caring about the individual rather than the social status or looks of that person. What a great lesson for us all!

Oh and Hayley and I spent a good quality of our time last night singing silly songs and Deer Run songs together. I just love being able to share my favorite place on earth with her. But as we were leaving, she said, "I am really glad that I got the best camper award and all but I would of really enjoyed getting the big feather for capturing Chiefy." To which I quickly assured her that as she grows bigger she will have more and more umph under her belt to tackle the Chiefy and save his wretched soul in the waters of Killi Creek!"


(Note to the Non-Deer Runners Out there: No real souls were lost while attending CDR, there maybe some saved but I guranteed NOT LOST. The above statement is a CDR thang that you just wouldn't understand until you were at camp. Trust me, Jeff and his family have tried but they sometimes get lost in the chatter of Hayley and I and our love for all things Deer Run...except the water slide...we hate the gigantic slip and slide!)

Look Who Is Spending Her First Two Weeks At CDR!

Niece Hayley is attending her first two week session ever, last year she went to a one-week session. Y'all I am crying typing this, I found this picture this morning on the website and my heart has been aching all day for her and for my old Deer Run friends. I am so happy that one of my extended family members is able to enjoy the beauty, fun and spiritual growth that Camp Deer Run has to offer. I loved my time there and Jeff asked me the other day before she left, "Do I need to buy you a trunk full of camp stuff so you can go to?" Yes!! Would you Please! If I could of got a few days off work you can guarantee that that is how my summer session would be spent.

For those of you fellow Deer Runners you understand the joy and anticipation that comes from counting down until it was time to drive off to East Texas. Remember when we all would start writing each other (before email and text messaging) or we would even sneak in a long distance phone call (before cell phones and one low long distance price). We all would ask the questions like what are you bringing? Who will be in our cabin this year? Will Sarah still be a Cheuk you think? Who do you think is returning from last years staff? And we would laugh at old memories shared and anticipate new ones that would be made. We would plan out our nights where would sneak out and could we top off last years prank. Do you remember our drive to camp Jodi after we got old enough to drive? Do you remember the song we played when we turned on the long, winding road that leaves Deer Run? "There's No Better Place on Earth than the Road that Leads to DEER RUN!" Or do you remember the music we listened to driving on the way up to camp...Micheal Jackson's greatest hits. YEAH BABY! I still can't hear his music without thinking of you and me driving like the devil up to camp. Laughing everytime we passed Dyke, TX.

Do you remember your first day? Running to hug the old friends you made last year? Enjoying getting to know the new ones (or in my case peeing in the woods with my now dearest friend still to date during night games-no one saw right?), getting the first hug from last years summer fling and wondering if the flame would be rekindled again. In some cases we did in other cases these flames are long since burned out. But some are now marriages-connections made under the East Texas stars and the blazing sun.

We cemented friendships that I know will last until the day we die-or that is what I choose to believe. It also helps that half of us our blood relatives and the rest of us we consider ourselves relatives because I can't imagine a day in my life when you guys weren't there. We have laughed, we have cried but most importantly we have prayed through good times and bad. And for that I say...."KILLI KILLI KILLI KILLI WASH WASH WASH WASH KILLIA KILLIA KAI-YA!"

Hee! Hee! Half of my non Deer Run Readers are scratching their heads saying "WHAT?!?!?"
And if I haven't lost them yet I am sure that will do the trick. Y'all come back now ya hear!

I love each and everyone of you fellow Deer Runners out there in blog land and the real world. I will be at camp on Saturday night and Sunday during the day because that is what you do when you are an adult and you are not "allowed" to sign up for a summer session. I guess I am turning into Cousin Gay! LOL! But you know, my sweet MIL told me she would of been glad to have paid my way so Hayley would not of been alone. I am still wondering why I didn't take her up on that offer? I guess it was a moment of weakness! So stay tuned if I spy another picture you can guarantee I will save it to post here. I will also give you a full write up come Monday from my time spent with sweet (probably smelly) Hayley!