Where are the words?

I am trying to write an email to everyone but it is currently impossible. It is really hard for me to put into words what is going on and how the kids are doing. They are doing great and everyone loves them to death, but beyond that I cannot explain.



Today, though, was a great day. There had been a few days of complete stress and frustration, especially between us leaders\staff\JCs. We had a huge discussion in the leaders meeting yesterday (and I cried it was so intense, though I cry easily so that does not mean too much), and even though what I felt was not said in the meeting I had the opportunity to explain my frustrations later. Just telling it to the people that matter made a difference. And even though the discussion was frustration and many other big words I can not think of right now, it gave us the opportunity to talk and get things off our shoulders. I felt better this morning just for being able to say how I think the night before.



Then today was an amazing day to put me back on track and make me feel like one should feel. Our planning group did activity I and III, as II was the Norwegian National Night\Afternoon, and I really believe it went as good as we could have ever wanted it to. For acvity one we did one of my energizers from camp that everyone loved. Then we did a game where we all put on other peoples shoes and formed a circle with them, which is not at all a fair way to explain it, but ask me later. It was really fun and people had a good time with it. Then we did the activity where everyone is in a circle holding hands and we pass a hula hoop around the whole circle (so we have to get through it and such). Kids also loved this one. THEN we did the game where everyone has to stand on the blanket and it is folded so it gets harder and harder. It went way to easy so we then did it where we flip the whole blanket over. People still loved it! But it only took like 60 minutes, with debrief, when we anticipated it taking the whole time. So we then just did a running game which worked great.

But when we did evaulation it was amazing, everyone seemed to just love the activities!

Then was Norway stuff which was a lot of fun.

And then activity III, we did another energizer (not one of mine though, which was okay!) then we did Me Too, my favorite ice breaker, and then the peanut butter river \ foot bridge one. It was crazy, and the kids had a lot of fun and got frustrated and mad and then felt good when they finished, even though they all cheated. But it was great. When the groups evaluated almost all of them felt like the kids really got a lot out of the activities! They had fun AND learned! I really just felt like it was a great time. Many people complimented us on how well things went, too, which always feels good.

As a leader, today was amazing and gave me some much needed juice. Sleep is still rare, but I am going right to bed after this, giving me a good 7 hours..... that is a lot.

I still have no idea of what to write about the kids... it is hard to pin point specific things. The boys are constantly playing cards or soccer with all the other boys. The girls have a couple close friends, though they are starting to branch out and meet more people which is great to see.

I need my sleep so this is all for now. But I hope I have another happy post to write soon!

Hope all is good at home! We have gotten a couple packages for the kids, which they have enjoyed. Thanks for all the letters and small notes, they really appreciate it!