Ella was torn when looking for a summer job. She spent some time and prayer discerning if she should just find something mindless that paid well and was good for her bank account; or something that was good on her pre-med resume (like EMT training or an internship at a local hospital); or something that was good for her soul. Her former boss, who owns the climbing gym Ella worked at and who also sits on the Board of MH, gave her the "This is the time in your life to do this sort of thing!" pep talk and helped get her a job on the summer staff at the sacred grounds my kids spent 10 childhood summers growing up at! Ella applied for, interviewed, and was quickly offered a job in the Adventures/Recreation department. She'll spend her summers guiding kids and parents at Family Camp through ropes courses, rock walls, archery ranges, Canopy Tours, and fieldhouse games. It could not be a more perfect job! Oh and her best friend from high school, Maya, also got a job in the Middle School ministries, so they are rooming together for the next few months! Another perfect piece that fell right into place!
We loved having Ella home for the month of May to recharge and reconnect with friends. But, this is a gal who thrives with purpose and challenge. We also loved driving her to her newest home in the coastal redwood forests and mountains to have the kind of summer she'll tell her own kids about some day!
With it's no a/c, wood paneling, limited drawer space, and forest view, Ella and Maya's dorm room is rustic and cozy and just right for a staff member working at a summer camp! She brought way less stuff than she had to bring to college, so it was a treat to pack the car so easily!
Gideon gave her flowers in college regularly, so his goodbye for the summer gift was the LEGO flower set for Ella to build and enjoy in his absence. This had to come along; being carefully held for the 2 hour drive. Since the drive is nothing compared to the drive to LA and can even be comfortably done while holding a vase of fragile LEGO flowers, we're hoping to make it to Santa Cruz regularly this summer to spend time with Ella on her Saturdays off!
After the time spent getting her all checked and moved in, we had a few hours to enjoy this special place. We walked all around, sharing favorite memories and having the unchanged sights and smells trigger the nostalgia. Above is one of the ropes courses Ella will spend her summer on. Wanna know something funny? We ended our years of attending Family Camp when Ella was just a few pounds shy of meeting this course's weight requirement! The training she did on the Sequoia Grove yesterday was her first time on it! We celebrated that she was finally big enough! ;)
We checked everything off our MH bucket list. Waterfall: check.
Banana slug sighting: check.
Walk down to the creek and boat dock across the suspension bridge: check.
Fountain: check (not open for ice cream yet, but we sat and talked for a bit).
Famous cluster of redwoods in the middle of camp: check.
Test out the new hammock from Auntie Heather on the fieldhouse lawn: check.
Ella's schedule for the 10 days of training is packed from 8am to 8pm (or later!) with everything from archery safety to mandated reporter and CPR training to flash mob practice for each week's opening night performance! All her meals are provided in the dining hall and she reports that the food is GOOD. There is lots of time for community building and spiritual growth too with whole staff trips to the beach and Maryanne's Ice Cream and worship times and breakout seminars. So cool to have a job that gives you SO much more than just a paycheck!
And now a little photographic trip down memory lane! The first rock wall Ella ever climbed was in this place.
Fears of heights were conquered on the Discovery Grove.
Many a counselor and summer staff member made a lasting impact over the decade we attended. I just marvel at how the Lord tends to those seeds we sow, weaves our stories in the best ways, and opens doors for us to use our unique gifts and passions to serve Him and His kingdom in soul-feeding ways!
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