Go Shawty, It’s Your Birthday!

 

September: Birthday Motherlode!

Today I attended a birthday party in honor of a few great friends of mine—Grace, Claudia, and Joshua.

Theme: Black-tie Masquerade Activities: a murder mystery game, pizza, movie trivia, sneaking views of the Arkansas/Alabama game (let’s not talk about it), Xbox, mint chocolate chip ice cream, and napping.

Can I tell you a funny story? In the murder mystery, I played a character who had recently been broken up with by another character, played by my recent ex-boyfriend. We had fun with that. Ha. Haha.

Of course I was the #1 suspect when he was murdered:

Maybe I really am plotting his murder? But you didn’t hear that from me.

(Nahh, I have more class than that, don’tcha know.)

After we solved the mystery, we chowed on ice cream cake and then I conked out for about an hour. No lie. Who falls asleep at a party?

I think that qualifies me for the senior discount at IHOP, just sayin’. 

Any party that offers me entertainment, food and a nap, I give 5 stars:

*****

Happy Birthday Grace!

Happy Birthday Claudia!

Happy Birthday Joshua!

 

 

I amand let’s do this again next year, same time?

Moments Between the Footsteps

The passing of Labor Day has the nostalgia setting in.

With school three weeks in and the temperature in the mid-70s, summer is officially over.

I’m sad to see it go. I do love fall and the lovely things it has to offer—football, chili, sweaters, hot chocolate, Halloween (the best holiday), corn mazes, pumpkin EVERYTHING—but there is something magical about the summertime, and this one proved no less.

I kicked the summer off with a family-friendly Memorial Day cookout:

 

…went to the beach with my best friends:

 

…and spent a lot of time with some really great people (kids, friends/fellow counselors, boy) at (camps, mission trips, retreats):

  

Those experiences are more than just memories. They are people that have become so precious to me; they were learning opportunities; they were good, they were bad; they were enormous blessings.

None of them were largely life-changing, but they all played a part in what comes next, whatever that is.

They were the moments between the footsteps, and I am so thankful.

 

 

I am and I’ll let you know what happens next.

Over the Hills & Through the Woods, to Barton Bible Camp I Go.

Labor Day weekend had me retreating to my favorite place on the planet, Barton Bible Camp.

I went for selfish reasons, really. I knew that if anyone could brighten my spirits, it was the teenagers I spent my summer with.

I also knew that they are the only people that think my made-up words, such as cray-cray and totes, are cool, which is a huge ego boost for me.

I love (love, love, love) them and I miss them already.

I am and I am counting down the months until camp next summer.

They Make Me Want To Be a Better Person

 
I’d never given much thought to the connection I’m able to have with kids until a friend pointed it out to me.

“I never really hang out at the campus house,” I was saying to her over Tropical Smoothie flatbreads and smoothies.

“I know, you’re always with the youth group. But you are so good with them. I could never relate to them like you can.”

That’s the first time that I thought of it as a gift, being able to relate to kids. I thought everyone had that ability, maybe because it just comes so naturally to me.

She’s right though, I am good with them, and they are good with me. We connect, we share, we laugh, and it’s awesome.

And you know what? I would rather hang out with the youth group all day then spend time with other college students.

They are like a breath of fresh air.

I’m grateful for the summer I got to spend with them and I pray that I helped minister to them, even if it was in a small way.

 

 

I am and Austin, this post was for you. You are still in the youth group, you know. (YOU MADE IT ON THE BLOG!)

A New Career Aspiration (If You Will)

Is there such a thing as professional camp counselors?

Are there such people who major in Camp and spend time in classes about proper community bathroom etiquette (shower shoes, people!) and how to get the most out of the allotted two-hour lunch/nap time block?

If so, sign me up, because I wore flip flops in the shower every time and figured out that if you eat in a speedy 30 minutes, you can get 1 1/2  hours of sleep and are better prepared for afternoon sports down the hill.

And in my opinion, that’s all you need to know to be well on your way to semi-professional camp counselor.

I don’t do anything halfway though, so last night while down at the lake for the bonfire, I crept into the woods with a friend, a flashlight, and a roll of toilet paper to pee.

If peeing in the wilderness doesn’t bump you up to Professional Camp Counselor (with a 401k and benefits) I don’t know what will.

Okay, okay, you aren’t convinced yet—I can tell by the look on your face.

What if I told you that most days I didn’t wear makeup and sweated pretty profusely?

(Camp makes me attractive, let me tell you.)

Would you consider me professional if I told you that I love to use camp lingo, like ‘mess hall’ and ‘KP cleanup’?

I also attended countless counselor meetings, the baptisms of ten beautiful children of God, had devotionals with the girls in my cabin, snuck down to the lake with fellow counselors, had several heart-to-hearts, wrote & received Love Line Letters, and made so many wonderful memories.

What a resume.

Alright, I can tell you don’t think I’m cut out for PCC (if it’s even a thing. Did we ever decide?) and that’s okay.

I’ll just have to spend the next several summers proving you wrong.  

 

 

I am and as much as I miss camp, I am loooooving my bed.

Out of The Woods & Into a Picture With Me

Counseling at church camp is sort of like running a marathon—exhausting, but rewarding.

Kids are hilarious. From the moment we drove down the gravel hill into camp, they were perusing for end-of-the-week bonfire dates.

They were all about pranking, bending the rules, and girls girls girls or boys boys boys.

And oh! The drama.

She set them up, broke them up, took so-and-so’s date, dumped that guy, can I move cabins? blaaaaaaaaah.

But they were also delving into their spiritual lives—asking questions, singing, and praying.

It was a beautiful thing.

As for us counselors?

We had our fun too.

Today I am laundering, (re)packing, and resting up for another week of camp.

See you then!

 

I am and it felt good to take a shower today without having to wear flip flops.

The Barton Magic

I grew up going to a church camp tucked deep into the woods of southern Arkansas.

The camps destination isn’t what makes it special. It’s not the lake and it’s definitely not the prison-camp style cabins.

It’s the sweet feel of the spirit—or the “Barton Magic.”

I love it, and for my four years as a camper, I lived for it.

This year I was asked to be a counselor for the camps third week session. I was ecstatic! Give me the Barton Magic, please! Give me camp!

Then I went to Alabama and fell in love with some teenagers who begged me to counsel second week session of camp.

“I’ll try ya’ll, but I don’t think they’ll need anymore people.”

After all, second week session starts on Sunday.

Lo! And Behold! They did need help and God delivered that help in the form of me, Autumn.

Two weeks at camp, longer than I ever spent as a camper.

I am beyond thrilled.

I cannot wait to dip my feet into the lake I was baptized in, to spend late nights laughing with my cabin of girls, and I definitely cannot wait to be swept up into 14 days of pure Barton Magic.

 

 

I am and don’t forget about me while I’m gone.

Spotters Ready?

Apparently I have serious issues with trust falls.

You learn something new everyday, I guess.

Really though, I couldn’t do them, and then I was the last person to do them, and then everyone was watching, and I was embarrassed and freaking out about those stupid, stupid trust falls.

Anyway, dude (Lonnie) held a pencil in the air and had me follow it with my eyes and before I knew it my awesome spotters were catching me.

So there’s that.

 

 

I am and maybe I just didn’t feel like putting my life in two 14-year old girls’ hands. Not an excuse? What’er.

They Are Sunshine To The World

You totes should have been with me on this youth group trip to Huntsville, Alabama.

See these kids? Coolest in America, with brilliant personalities, hilarious conversations, love for God, and Bieber Fever.

On Thursday we participated in a ropes course. These kids were fearless! They climbed the tallest obstacles and JUMPED off of them (harnessed of course). I stood at the top of the same pole for 15 minutes screaming “Why did I do this?!”

Some chaperone.

The course was intense and I tried A LOT of new things, like rock climbing and zip-lining back down to the ground.

Friday we took the group to the Space and Rocket Center. It was really cool.

We rode the Space Shot about nine million times and then I sat down with a few girls on the floor of the Dinosaur Exhibit where they grilled me with questions like, “Who do you like?!”

I probably shouldn’t have told them, but in the spirit of trusting them (we did trust falls) I cracked.

Hopefully that poor guy doesn’t find out.

I stayed with three girls at Joshua’s (full name, does that mean we’re best friends now?) grandparents house and they were bombspice.

Seriously, Mama Martin cooked us bacon every morning. Boss.

Other fun memories:

DJ Autumn
”cool mom”
winning Mafia
Rolo McFlurrie’s with Milks!
Mrs. Corder
Playing sardines in the dark church
”Hotumn”
The Situation Game
Grace’s “situations”

I loved every minute of the trip.

I am and don’t forget to enter the giveaway! It ends Friday.