2Hyrs Camp-out

2Hyrs is a group that our youth minister's wife started. Our youth group is called 2HYM (Highland Heights Youth Ministry) and Alison played off of that for the 2Hyrs name. I honestly can't remember what it stands for, but the girls get together once a month without the boys to do service projects or just hang out. This year they decided to add mentors in the mix. There are several mentors and we are all in different age-range, so it's been really fun when we have the activities that a lot of people are able to come to.

Monday night I got the privilege to camp-out with some of them!!!  Yes, I worked all day Monday and came into work Tuesday morning :), but I just couldn't tell them no.  I am helping teach their bible class this quarter and I am LOVIN' IT!!  The girls are so sweet and I'm learning so much from them.  I hope they can say the same about me.

We went to Cedars of Lebanon and it was so perfect!  It will definitely not be the last time I go out there to camp.  We arrived at the camp at about 4:30 to start setting up the tent and get the fire going before it got dark.  Once we picked our site I went back to the camp check-in to wait on the ranger.  Christie decided to send me an action picture of what was going on...

From right to left - Not sure what Shelby and Morgan (the lumberjack) are doing.  Haley is jump roping and Jessica is putting together Morgan's tent.

I waited at the camp check-in for about 30 minutes and then decided to call and make sure someone was coming.  The number I had called earlier went to voicemail, so I dialed the next number and the guy said the ranger will come around and find us...really I didn't have to stand there.  Well, now I know :).

When I pulled into the site we unloaded all the food and drinks from my car and Christie said, "Did you bring wood?"

"Nope sure didn't.  Girls, time to search for some dry wood."  They went on the hunt.  The ranger came by and a guy with a ton of wood in his trunk.  I tracked him down later and found out the BP at the entrance of the park sells it.  So, there I am in the middle of a state park, named CEDARS of Lebanon mind you, going to buy wood...interesting picture huh?  Well, I got a couple of bundles thinking it would last us the whole night.  Oh I forgot to tell you that while I was searching for the man with the wood in his trunk, I found a vacant campsite with very large logs sitting by the fire pit.  I decided to snatch a few of those as well.

When I got back the tent was in the final stages of standing on it's own and Christie had a timer going to see how long it would take them.  She started the timer about 15 minutes after they started working and stopped the timer at 49 minutes!  Wonder if we had some guys on the trip how long it would have taken them?  We should have started the timer when we started the fire, but alas we did not.  I do know that we were all starving so the longer it took the more we complained.  Jessica came through and rescued us as she kindled the coals back to life...

And look it's still a little light outside. 

Jessica and Morgan had already been on a tree climbing adventure and came back telling us about 2 guys they met that wanted to meet up with them later that night.  Shelby was the most excited because she is single :).  We had it in the plan to meet up with them at 10...it was so fun being with these girls all night, really took me back :).  In the meantime, we ate dinner, went on a bathroom run, Morgan tried to become a knife thrower

we had a dance party and probably my favorite part of the night was when the girls were singing.

Isn't it beautiful!!  It really reminded me of when my roommates and I would climb on the roof of Porter Terry and just sing!!! 

The night seemed to go by so slow, which I am thankful for, but finally 10pm rolled around and we all headed to the ball field to meet up with Brent and Miles.  Brent was described by Morgan as dark skin and dark hair, very dreamy and Miles was described by Jessica as a red head with frekles and SUPER CUTE!!  Christie and I just kind of hung back to let the girls have their time and not look like we were smuldering them.  Morgan and Jessica walked over to the ball field and waited.  Finally, the moved into the shadows of the trees where we couldn't see them. We figured the boys didn't want to be in the light that was shining right on them so they called them over there.  They said they had some friends and came to where we were and grabbed the rest of the girls...long story short... there was no Brent and Miles and the girls just really wanted us to believe it!!  They are soooo silly!!!! 

Once we got back to the campsite we made our beds up and sat around in a circle and told ghost stories. I told one (happy hollow bible camp) and Morgan told 2. After those were over we all started winding down. I slept pretty good that night. There were a couple of times that I woke up, but nothing too crazy.

I got up at 5:30 and headed to the shower house.  It felt like I was at camp getting ready!  I just loved it!!  Most people probably would have driven home to get ready, but it was way out of the way to do that and I'm not picky :). 

We just had such a good time!!  I really hope the girls had fun and that we can all do it again soon!!  Thanks for inviting me girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!