CAMP STARTS TOMORROW!

Friends,
So I've realized that I'm not the best blogger ever, but I feel like that's okay... it has been so nuts over here! (I feel like that has been the start of every blog post thus far). Anyway, camp starts tomorrow and I am so nervous! Pray that I have all of the paperwork in order for the groups and their leaders tomorrow... I'm one of the first camp people that they encounter when they get here, so it should be interesting! Our first day at "the barn" is on Tuesday, which is SO exciting! We finally finished setting everything out tonight, so it's pretty much ready! I just wanted to share some pictures and tidbits from the past week--

Last time I wrote a blog post, I was scared out of my mind when some of my friends shot a nerf gun at my computer screen. I love these people. 

Yet another reason why I love working here: mid-afternoon parachute breaks. For the Edge camp sessions, the theme is "Extreme Adventure," so we have all sorts of "extreme" sports equipment lying around for their stage environment. When this parachute came in, we decided to make a parachute dome----elementary school style--- and listen to Justin Beiber while inside. Mind you... this is in the middle of the office.. during normal business hours... and we were almost late for evening prayer. Again, I love this place.

These are some of the wonderful girls that are here for the summer painting some of the tables for the barn. The girl all the way to the left is one my roommates, Kaitlin (in the middle) is a missionary here and has been a wonderful sister and friend to me over the past few months since we've met, and Colleen, all the way to the right is a summer staffer for session 1. She is SO cool, and we've become friends since she moved here 2 weeks ago. Precious girls.

Okay, reason number 3 why the office is fab... for a skit during edge weeks (middle school kids), 2 missionaries, Dom and Nick, are doing ongoing skits throughout the week that include "extreme" things. Their costumes? T-shirts with each other's face on them.. along with out of control workout gear (think spandex, headbands, running shorts, socks. it's.. extreme. hah!). When the shirts came in the mail, Molly and I just had to make sure that they worked, so we wore Dom and Nick t-shirts for a good hour one day this week. I wish that we could have gotten video of people's weird reactions to our sudden outfit change.

And finally, some art barn pictures! I just wanted to share my favorite thing that I've crafted so far as an example for the teens to make. I love it! No pun intended, of course. 

 annnnnnnd, LOOK AT THE BARN!!!! IT'S AWESOME!

 and I'm convinced that this is the best view at camp. This is an closeup picture of the music area.... 4 guitars, 2 ukeleles, a djembe, and 2 cajone drums = AWESOME JAM TIME WITH SUMMER MUSICIANS!!

Sorry that this is a mostly pictures kind of post! Can't wait to share all the wonderful stories from camp, since it'll start tomorrow! In fact, I'm hearing screams and cheering coming from outside the office right now, must mean that the group that was coming in early has arrived! How exciting. I can't wait to meet all of these wonderful teens and group leaders, and to break open my booksack full of 12 (yes, that's right... 12) camp tshirts that will be my uniform for the next 9 weeks of camp.
Love you all--
Em

fun things over the past few days

My sweet friends,

Man oh man, what a week this has been! It's been so exhausting but so wonderful at the same time. I know that I promised a long blog post, but of course, it got crazy before I could sit down and type it all out! Just to keep you all updated, I wanted to share a few pictures and fun bits from the past few days.

First of all, Madison (10 year old precious gal.. she's the one that did the presentation on Greece the other day.) and I made a summer wreath for Molly and Rachel's house on Sunday. Talk about cute! Madison and I were in our element. This girl is so fun.. she's been the best help with all things art barn related. This week, the two of us are getting together to make examples of all the projects the teens can do in the barn. I can't wait. Also on Sunday, we (Molly, Neil Pettit--he visited this weekend-- and some of the missionaries) went to lunch at our fave Mexican restaurant-- Manrique's. Seriously, this place is awesome. I think I'm obsessed and I've only been here a week and a half. ... of course, it also could simply be the fact that it's not camp food, so it's a good treat. Whatever the case may be, it's great.

 

Also this week, I received the registration packet from the Cathedral in Lafayette.. of course, this made me smile because (1) it was from Lafayette, (2) there were lambs on it... of course, and (3) Ms. Laura is just precious. 

So, Monday and Tuesday, one of the ladies that is really helping a tremendous amount with the barn this summer came to stay at Covecrest to help me get set up. Thankfully, after she left on Tuesday night, we had everything organized and priced... ready to be moved in to the barn, which.... drum roll please.... looks like this!!

Yes, I know, very rustic... and barn-like. The Tyvek paper is staying... I'm telling myself it just gives it character! lol. But what I'm really excited about is the inside.....

Even though it's definitely an unfinished building, it is so amazing. This picture is what the teens will see when they walk in. There's going to be a funky sitting area in front of that picture window for jam sessions with the camp musicians (so fun... we're in the process of buying instruments). Over the window, we'll have a big sign that says "In the beginning, God created..." (Gen 1:1). I can't wait to see it. In the right corner, we'll have our checkout area... and everywhere else will have big beautiful tables full of supplies for teens to create and create and create some more. This girl is excited. I'll keep you posted with more pictures once we move stuff in and get furniture set. 

Another thing I'm excited about: these awesome chalkboards that we made from wooden plaques at Hobby Lobby. I'm stoked. We'll have these hanging/displayed with quotes/prices/instructions everywhere around the barn. Annnnnd, all of the paper signs that we are making for the barn will have this same look-- they'll be black, and the same shapes. So cute.

One last thing--- I learned how to laminate things this week. 

OH MAN. I might need one of these for real.

It was love at first sight. 

Okay, time for this girl to get some rest. Love to you all.

Em

my first friday at covecrest

It's Friday!! First work week of Covecrest and life is fantastic! Just a few highlights from yesterday and today:

1. I learned how to do registration paperwork for summer camps. Of course, this girl loves it.
2. I drove down the mountain to St. Helena's (the local church) for mass this morning with Molly and Chris Benzinger (mission coordinator). AND, I even remembered almost all of the turns without needing help. yessss!
3. I had my first Manrique's Mexican restaurant experience. Dad, you would LOVE. We're going when you come visit. 
4. I opened up probably 15 Art Barn boxes today, and IT WAS LIKE CHRISTMAS.
5. I made a demo Art Barn cup today. Now that was fun!

6. Molly and I adventured to a store that's probably the Caroline and Company of Clayton, GA... which was precious, but the reason why it was so exciting was that they sold Beaucoup Designs jewelry! Of course, I took a picture and sent it to Anna. Shout out to the MB!
7. I'm sleeping late tomorrow AND I'm going to Hobby Lobby. OH, you know I'm happy about that!!

Love to you all--- longer blog post sometime this weekend.
Em

PS, for everyone who's related to Molly and loves her dearly, she is doing fantastic. We're having a delightful time being friends at Covecrest. :)

a day of firsts

So, day two of Covecrest and I've had lots of firsts!

1. This morning, I was able to back my car out of the driveway all by myself! That was a huge first, as I do believe that whoever designed it was going for the curviest driveway award.

2. I made my first trip down the mountain (again, all by myself!) for my first trip to the Clayton, GA Walmart. While there, I found quite a treasure. Please enjoy:

Yes, my friends, this is real life... and this person is, in fact, an official member of the Possum Growers and Breeders Association, Incorporated. Score!

3. I got my first email that makes it look like I really work here...

Life is good. God is good.
Love you all!
Em

148 songs later

Hi Friends!

Wow, it seems like forever since I posted my last bit on Saturday morning. My, how things have changed over the past 3 days! Since then, I've gone to Kappa Delta Formal, packed up my room at The Glynn, driven to Jackson, then Atlanta, then Tiger, moved in to my "summer home" at Covecrest, and finished my first day of work, and first "girls' dinner" at Covecrest. I think I'm getting tired just reading all of that. hah!

I just have to mention this because I think it was fantastic... before I left for KD formal, my roommates, Alison and Sarah, followed me to my date, Andrew's, house for a petite pre-formal and graduation photo shoot (of course, we had to go there to take pictures, since we aren't coordinated enough to do the self timer on my camera). Since Sarah and I will both be missing Al's graduation, we wanted to re-create it for her, so we took pictures, and I'd say it almost looks like we were actually there...This just makes me smile.

After very little sleep Saturday night, and a wonderful, but busy Mother's Day with the fam, I left Lafayette for Jackson, stayed there for the night, then drove to Atlanta on Monday! I met Molly at the Lifeteen office, ran some errands (of course, a Hobby Lobby trip was involved), and we got back on the road to camp. And, from Lafayette to Tiger, Ga.... 148 shuffled songs on my ipod later... we were here. It was so good to not be on the road anymore. Of course, Mol and I took a picture to prove that we had made it, and I got busy unpacking my stuff at the new mission house I'll be staying in. It's so beautiful.

So, my first day at Covecrest was nuts, but amazing! Started off with holy hour and morning prayer (Corey Grimley... you would LOVE IT), then the whole community went to the Montessori school at camp and watched one of the student's final projects. Madison, who I think is 10, was so precious! She spoke better than some of my college friends would on the Ancient Greeks. It was great. After that, we hit the ground running. I sat in on a camp planning meeting, then went straight to my desk in the office (I have a desk!) and started working on art barn supplies ordering. It looks like we're getting to the end of our list of supplies to get, which means that we're getting closer to summer camp! Highlight of today could possibly be learning the new phone system at camp.... I'm getting really good at the "Lifeteen Covecrest, this is Emily" greeting. Who knows.. maybe later in the summer I'll be bold enough to switch it up.... "Lifeteen Covecrest, this is Emily Crafty Broussard, Wassup!!!" That'll be the day! lol. In other news, my to do list for tomorrow has already almost filled up my cute little notepad, which means that the day will be just as full, but just as great. Life is so good.



Okay, must get sleep! Miss you all already!
Love and prayers,
Em

PS... did I say that there were gifts on my desk when I got here Sunday night?.... one of which was a WAX SEAL SET?!? Okay, as my friends at the lawffice know, I feel like I'm about 30 years too young for it to be socially acceptable for me to be so excited about this, but really. I squealed when I saw it. THANKS NAN!!

30 hours...

Well, it's official! The only things between me and a summer in Georgia are 30 hours, an unpacked suitcase, and a to-do list that's a mile long. I'm so excited that I can't stand it.

After visiting with Ms. Janenne (St. Mary's youth minister extraordinaire and photographer) yesterday about my summer, she suggested that I start blogging to keep everyone updated on what happens. I couldn't resist the opportunity, so here I am!

For those of you that don't know, I'm leaving tomorrow for the summer of a lifetime--living and working at Covecrest, a Lifeteen camp in Tiger, GA. I'll be interning in the office and heading up their arts and crafts program for 3 months. It's a dream come true. God is so good.

Please pray that I can get everything done before 3 pm tomorrow!!

Em