Hello From Virginia Beach!!!

I've made the move up to the beautiful city of Virginia Beach!  From what I've seen, which is all of Walmart, the beach for 3 minutes, target, and subway, this place seems pretty cool!  I got here Sunday evening and started work on Monday morning!   The kampground staff has blown me away with their cheerfulness and willingness to help me get settled in and figure things out around the kampground.  I had no idea all the things I needed to figure out just to be able to plan this Memorial Day Weekend's events.  I'm still working on figuring the rules of the road here...I guess it will all come with time.     

 

My first official FunFinder as SummerShine Activities Director is complete and ready to be printed in the morning, I'll also get to post it around the kampground, put it into the packets in the store and personally hand it out to each kampsite!  I'm pumped!  We got to do a photo shoot for it which means get my sweet tripod and wrap it around the swingset for Josh, my only staffer so far, and myself to do fun yet corny poses!

So where am I living?  I have my own travel trailer on the kampground!  I will admit I expected different features, but am learning quickly just how special Camper 408 really is!  God has done a great work with getting me to be thankful for each thing in here.

What kind of things did I plan for this weekend?  I'm glad you asked, I've been dying to tell you... We have all kinds of fun activities planned to help you(the camper) make life long memories!  Top Your Own Sundaes, Flash Light Kandy Hunt, Manager's Breakfast Special, Krazy Kool Kraft Time (tye dye and other things), Funapalooza, Movie Night Under The Stars, BBQ, Roasted Toasted Kampfire, More breakfast, Prayer and Share, Scavenger Hunt, Kalabungya Kickball, Yard Sale, and Side Walk Chalkin...I am almost certain that I've forgotten a few activities in between, but one thing is for sure - I will not forget them this weekend.

It's just Josh and I for the big weekend!  Management was so great to give me him for all the activities instead of working him in the store or something.  I'm a firm believer in "I can do all things through Christ who strenghtens me," but I'm also very thankful that I don't have to do all these activities alone.

 

Angelo, my other guy staffer, will be here on Sunday!!  I'm so excited for him!  This will be a great adventure and I'm so glad he is along for the ride!  Micah will be here in June.  I got to talk to her today and I could tell she was ready to get here!  Stephanie has joined the crew...still waiting to figure out when she will come.  God has provided an amazing staff!  Pray for us!!!

 

I still miss the family!  Mom has been a great source of encouragement for me with a letter and many conversations.  I got to call Ethan today and tell him I stepped in stinky dog poop...he thought that was funny.  I miss my friends and my Jeff too.  

Send me some love!

Virginia Beach KOA

attn:  Jenny Farnham

1240 General Booth Blvd

Virginia Beach, VA 23451

so this is life...

My life is crazy but I love it!

WOW!  Check out all the SummerShiners at Orientation!!!

We all had VIRGIN margaritas for Jessica's surprise birthday celebration.  Happy 21st!

Taylor, Blair, and I fixed dinner at Debbie and Eric's house!  

On a rare, free Saturday Jeff woke me up to watch the sunrise at Pretty Place!  It was my first time ever going there.  He had the whole day planned out! We then visited Bald Rock and went to NGU's spring football game.

After that we met Julie and Robert for a rock climbing adventure!  

It was so much fun!

Check out Indoor Climbing on Bulls road in Blue Ridge!

Jeff is so sweet!  I love spending time with him!

Then we celebrated Ethan's 5th birthday with a camo fish fry!

After that we had more quality time and conversation downtown.

I don't have much spare time, but enjoyed getting to paint this as a form of procrastination, what is shown is not the final product.  Hopefully I will get to do some more painting over my 2 weeks at home and some this summer...maybe.

This is the Impact Team that I help with on Tuesdays.  NGU students go to Pendleton Street Baptist Church and play with elementary students, feed them a snack, and lead a devotion.  The same thing happens when the middle school group comes is and then when the high school group comes.  This has been a learning experience for me, I wish I could have gone more often!

"He must become greater, I must become less."

John 3:30

Special Olympics

As promised I am sharing my first Special Olympics experience with you!  God really blessed us with such a beautiful day!  It was chilly at first, but warmed up later.  The sun was out the whole time which put everyone in an even better mood.  Furman University gave their parking lots, stadium, track, and 3 open fields for the multitudes of athletes and volunteers from 9am to 2pm!  Here's how it went...

The Olympic ceremony began with the lighting of the Star Spangled banner, a prayer, and the lighting of the flame!

I was assigned to this amazing athlete!  He participated in the Softball Throw and did very well!  He was so much fun to talk to and walk around with.  After his event we spent the rest of the time mingling with the other volunteers and athletes and enjoying all the Olympic Town had to offer.

This was the crazy long line at the Male Softball Throw - shameless plug for more volunteers :)

My athlete finished 4th in his division!  I was so proud of him!  

This is Kristen and her athlete who also placed 4th in her division for the Softball Throw!  They were so much fun to spend the day with!

Another amazing person was with us!  She was actually my athlete's girlfriend.  They were so adorable!  She won first place in her division of the Softball Throw!

As our time ended I asked my athlete if he had fun, hoping to get a simple "yes."  He said, 

"I have never had this much fun here!  This year has been the best!"

There is not enough room in this blog or time to write how amazing my experience at Special Olympics was.  It was my first time volunteering, but definitely not my last.

To do, To do, To do

My list of To Do's keeps growing and growing.  My weekly planner looks like Bic and Crayola threw up on it!  My goal for the week is to start and finish 3 papers and get over my sickness before SummerShine Orientation Weekend...which means this Thursday afternoon (1.5 days).  I also have articles, speeches, more papers and tests to get ready for all due next week.  It's been really hectic and it will continue to be that way for the next 3 weeks.  As of May 5 I will be done with my Sophomore year at NGU.  

Yes, the academic work will stop after exams, but home To Do's will begin and swallow up my 2 weeks at home before I depart for VA.  It is discouraging to realize this, but I have learned that I thrive in busyness and getting things done.  Mom is the same way, it's just our nature.  So where's the line?  I still make time to enjoy the other things in life.  I'm helping at the Special Olympics tomorrow and get to cook dinner at Debbie's with some really fun ladies.  There is also relaxing time spent with Jeff and special friends.  Not to mention this crazy fun weekend coming up where I get to hopefully meet my staff, hang out with my old staff, and be inspired.  I guess what I'm trying to say is...even through the craziness of the end of school there is time to be found to enjoy my surroundings.  I cannot be locked in my room or the library working all the time...I'd go crazy.  I'm going to work hard on my papers, finish them on time, be prepared for my speech, study extra hard for my tests and FINISH STRONG the last leg of this race.

I'm not just going through the motions.  I'm soaking it all up and enjoying every minute!

Thanks for reading my little pep talk to myself... I needed to voice it to let it sink in.

*****Fun posts about Special Olympics and SummerShine Orientation Weekend to come!  Don't be discouraged by this boring one*****

SummerShine Update

SummerShine held the 2009 Activities Directors Orientation March 27-29th.  We all traveled to Clemmons, NC to be prepared for the upcoming summer.  Assistant Activities Directors came and we all got to meet our partners in crime.  Having a small staff I don't have an assistant, which will be just fine.  We gained a lot of insight on the summer and were encouraged greatly!

Please keep these leaders in your prayers as we spiritually prepare for an intense summer of ministry!  

Pray for our KOA campgrounds:

Santa Cruz, CA     Trinity Lake, CA     Mt. Rushmore, SD     Mystic, CT     Virginia Beach, VA     Williamsburg, VA     Cape Hatteras, NC     Cherokee, NC   and   Myrtle Beach, SC

www.summershine.us 

Some recent shots...

...because it would take way too long to tell you what all God is doing!  

"A picture is worth a thousand words."

Big news first...

I'm going to be the Activities Director at the Virginia Beach KOA this Summer!!!

Libby's ego is prego

Ethan and Wesley are very excited for "sister" to come

Dearest Ashley is due to graduate in May.  Pray she can afford life.

Spring is in the air

Photog adventures :)

I love Mom

I have the coolest friends ever...Jessica will be my roomate!

Millie has college paid for --At NORTH GREENVILLE UNIVERSITY

I still love Myrtle Beach

Intramural basketball was a BLAST

Concerts are fun

Snowy night forts are so fun with Millie and Ethan

You just can't beat shaggin with my guy

He makes me smile

Snow Day '09

MLBC youth rocks my socks

God really has been working a lot in my life.  I hope that I never get in the way of what He is trying to do.  We'll see where He takes me.

I like life.

I like life, but I'm sure I will like Heaven better.  As much as I enjoy myself here, I'm beginning to realize this is not my home.  Just a thought.

The first part of the my Sophomore, Spring semester has gotten off to a great, positive start!  My classes are very interesting, productive, and useful.  It's always nice to know that these classes are actually going to help me in my life and career.  I have public speaking with an awesome professor and a great English class.  It's been great to jump into a new, busy schedule and get to know the people that I meet along the way.  "Meet people where they are at," is something that I learned throughout my SummerShine time.  Don't sit around waiting for someone to approach you.  When you sit in class on the first day don't wait till the person beside you speaks...they probably won't.  Start the conversation, be genuinely interested in them.  Without talking to the people around you how are you supposed to learn how to love them the way they need to be loved?  I'm ready to grow spiritually and academically.

As far as extra curricular activities intramural basketball will be starting soon, Impact team goes out on Tuesdays, Admissions office work is great, and MLBC student ministry is really doing awesome things.

I love my family!  There will be many exciting things happening for us in 2009.  Here is our crew for Sunday Lunch.

My SummerShine update for Summer 2009 is that only God knows where I'll be and what position I'll be in.  We've(me & God) talked about this a good bit and He said that He had it all under control and that He knows each campground and staff better than I ever could.  I have a peace because I know He will put me at the campground where he will be honored and glorified the most.