Camp and No Regrets

I've always been a big chicken. Afraid to do everything.

I remember not riding the giant carousel at AmeriFlora on my second grade field trip because I was afraid I'd get sick.

I also didn't ride the dumbo ride at Disney World for the same reason.

I DID go up in the Washington Monument on my 8th grade field trip to Washington DC.

And I didn't go to NYC with friends on an all expense paid trip in college because I was afraid to fly.

Needless to say there area lot of things I now look back on and think "I wish I would have done that."

Then something happened this past spring and I decided that I'm sick of tired of looking back on things in my life and regretting not doing something. So no matter how scared I am, I am going to start doing something so I don't ever have to look back and think "I wish I would have done that." ever again. I even donated blood as a kick start.

One of those things (among many others!) is the high ropes course at my 4-H camp. I always thought that and the zip line looked like so much fun, but I was always too afraid to do it, so I just chalked it up as something that I'd never actually do. And the likely hood of it happening now that I'm no longer a camper at 4-H camp made it very unlikely that it would ever happen.

Enter some awesome students of mine and my trips to go to a camp they are working at this summer.

Over the course of the summer I'll make four visits to the camp to teach a class about preparing for college. I get to go up early the day before my presentation and participate in the night games, campfire, sleep in the staff house, have breakfast and lunch with the staff/kids and pretty much just realize I have the best job in the world that allows me to do something so fun. It really makes me so happy to be there. I miss going to camp so much and this little bit of it every few weeks is like a breath of fresh air. Granted, it's not MY 4-H camp and it doesn't feel the same, but it's very similar and very different at the same time.

Since I know all 6 of the summer staff members, and because I'm cool (let's be honest, here!)....ok, they're the cool ones....they let me take the pontoon boat out on the lake and do the high ropes course!

I'd never been on a boat before - ever! (Although I once did have dreams of being Kennedy-like this summer and spending all my weekends on a boat on a lake, but those dreams got crushed!) But thanks to AJ I got to DRIVE. Or is it steer? Let's just say I was the captain! We went on 45 minute cruise around the lake and saw some really cool sites.

Then, my highlight of the summer so far - high ropes. I was so excited when they told me I could do this on one of my visits, so I took them Raising Canes Chicken Fingers to show them my appreciation.

Let's just say I was so excited, but also sooooo nervous. But, I did it. I did the rock wall, the zip line and these 'island' things. I really had to trust Seth and Ellen not to drop me while they were belaying me!

Trying to get brave enough to turn around.

 

Seth may have thought I was able to stand on my own two feet when I got back to the bottom but I was a little weak and fell!

Hanging out in the trees cause I was really nervous.

Doing a little more waiting around and stalling.

I look like a total idiot in this, but those things were wobbly and there wasn't anything to hold on to!

Seth, Ellen, Me and AJ! Thanks guys for helping me accomplish this 'fear' I always had! Colin, Amy Jo and Jake not pictured!

So this is one thing I get to cross off my 101 things to do in 1001 days and my summer to do list!