Side Note: regular people-you'll HATE this post. It's pointless so skip it.
Okay First off it looks like I just spent 50 hours on this because I have no life but I will have you know that this has been sitting in my drafts and it has been a long time coming. So correction, I still do not have a life but I did not just spend hours making this. Although I would have if I needed to because I love you all.
This summer wouldn't have been 'this summer' without my beautiful summer family. Unlike most people, the Red team got switched around a lot but it was such a blessing growing close to those people as well...they are apart of my family just as much as the people that originally began with me.
Dearest Elizabeth,
She is such an huge example to even the stranger down the hall. Her light is so bright and touches lives. I know it was hard the weeks that she was with us being so far away from her Natey cakes but I would thank her for withstanding it the weeks that she did. She taught me so much those first couple weeks and I sure needed her by my side in order to finish out the summer the way I did. We joked a lot about not having kids and we wanted somebody to 'worship us' but it was amazing to see how many people wanted to do just that to Liz. She is so loved and I know it's because of the unceasing love she shows to others. I love you Liz Smith..Gardner and am so excited to watch your exciting life unfold :)
This is my baby girl Kristilyn.
She hates Kristilyn but I think it's beautiful which fits her. I'm telling you I lucked out with the girls on my team who I got to work side by side with because they taught me everythiiiiiing! She would accessorize greatly including her rings (which if anyone has seen my hands, they know I sure appreciated that). Kristi and I had some trials working with people that sometimes struggled but I think that's what brought us closer was talking and learning from those experiences. What I love about Kristi is that she cares. She cares about the hilarious story that is only funny to me, she cares about what is going on in my non-efy life, she even cares where I am when I'm not there. She is super smart and a finance major. I will forever be calling her up asking for tips to budget my money. She would dance inappropriate with me for 5 seconds at a dance. WE WERE NEVER ROOMMATES which we were upset about but got over it quickly because we found other ways to bond. She has the softest blanket that I would enjoy just falling asleep on while she would open up to me about her life. She was able to rise up and play mommy coordinator the last week of our summer and it was such a dream. Seeing her run the show was amazing. Kristilyn Jensen can and WILL do anything!
Where do I start with my bestie Mr. Grant?
I couldn't and probably wouldn't have done this summer without James. We were friends towards the end of last summer but of course this summer brought us close. We would find every excuse to do our duties together (even if we weren't co's). James is the funniest person alive. Not just his humor but the way he reacts to things has you dying laughing on the floor. He made the greatest BC because that's what he did--built up his counselors. He would always be doing something for his them. He would feel bad going to get food or doing BC things because his counselors didn't get that same opportunity. We took an average of 9,863 pictures each week. Which I will take the time to thank him for! Nobody will understand us. Or our million of inside jokes. He kept the team fun and always guessing. Teaching us dances, jokes, or new songs. When it came down to being serious-he was it. Whether it was teaching a lesson, dealing with a discipline issue or counseling a youth, James was there. And that's what I think I learned most about James this summer. He is always there for me.
Sar Bear.
Sarah was our Mama. And not just because she was the girl coordinator and everyone called their coordinators Mom and Dad...she WAS our Mom. She was good with talking and solving our issues. She was there to build us up when we doubted ourselves in our lessons or feeling inadequate about anything. We joked that James was such a "mama's girl" and it took me a while, but I think I eventually got there. Sarah always had faith in me whenever I was to doubt myself or my abilities whether it was pulling off a musical program or talking to an insane counselor. Her passion or "baby" rather, is modesty. Which was a blessing for me. Hearing her talk to the counselors about how they should go about modesty and take it so seriously I will always hold close to me. We loved our girl time. Tanning..shopping..eating..it was a good time. Although she didn't quite approve of my borderline dancing I know she loved it deep down!! Just a Kiss by Lady A or practically any other country song will remind me of my Mama SJ. Love you Mom.
SJ #2
(yes we loved that we had SJ squared goin down on our team) Our Dad.
Our Dad was incredible. At first, like all of us nobody knew what we were doing except for Sarah. But it was cool for all of us to see Shaun step up to the plate. He learned fast and was such a leader (a naturally born one..?), but in a different kind of way. He of course was the jokster of the team but yet we all respected him and looked up to him so much. He had us all at gunpoint at least once this summer whether it was with his phone or walkie. Like Sar, he had such outstanding faith in everyone. It was almost like you wouldn't dare say 'I can't do that' in front of Shaun because that was useless-he knew you could. The last week when people left and we added new---he was like the glue. We looked up to him like none other and he didn't let us down. The way he would handle discipline situations with love was unlike any other. Times where he could be so angry and fed up with things, he just chose not to. To this day we all continue to look up to Shaun.
Oh Jaron hadley.
I loved weeks when I was Jaron's co because we got to become closer. He would go the extra mile to make sure he was helping me (unless it was all to make up for the first week when he forgot to announce musical program..haha). It was a running joke that if we had something that was missing, it was in Jaron's backpack. And that was because usually it was. He was such a good sport for being the butt of a lot of jokes. I hope he knows that it was because we loved him. Jaron always asked daily how I was. Everyday. I appreciated that so much. He would always sing and jam with me in the car when we were crusin' somewhere. I have about 15 videos of us singing. He is such an incredible teacher. Times where he would tell me what he was teaching for his afternoon meeting--I felt like I had just gotten taught by an apostle. No lie. He has a way with words and the gospel.
Rossy. My possum.
I have said a lot this summer that our team would have been so different without Ross. And it's true! Between his indigestion move or his crazy dancing in his skinny jeans (not allowed) and vans. I wasn't able to get close to Ross till towards the end but I'm so glad that it happened. I have so much love and respect for this hilarious and knowledgable kid. (Ross you hate that I said kid right there. Because you think you're so much older than me haha) He would always be offering things to people. Jackets..scriptures...FOOD. Yes food. Ross and I would always go on vending machine dates. I loved them. One week I had to go around and do testimony rooms and my co was in charge of musical program so I made Ross tag along. I think that's where our friendship grew. I learned so much about Ross in that 45 minutes. There was one week {whether he had a special assignment to or not :) } Ross was my best friend. That week was the best week because of that fact. If it's true that 'your wife gets more beautiful every time you pray' or 'you get blessings if you pray' then sign Ross up for the hottest girl alive with the largest basket of blessings because there wasn't a meeting where Ross didn't pray. No joke. But they were sincere and I think everyone liked that. We're neighbbbs this fall and I can't wait!!! Love you Ross.
Marissa.
It was pronounced on the walkie "mawwwwwiiissa." And I loved every minute of that. This girl is my super woman. And I would always call her that. She was always willing to help and do more than she was assigned. She SAVED MY LIFE the first week when I was in charge of musical program. She came and just busted out the notes to every song so I could conduct my practice when I had no idea what I was doing. Every week whoever was in charge of musical program I would always bring that up because she was everyone's angel in that way. I know it is kind of like the health counselors duty to be concerned about the sick kids but she always was. And she was so sincere about it. She never forgot about a kid alone in their room, a youth that needed to be picked up, or even a kid that just needed a friend. I'll never forget her face that she did...it was her huge smile and her wide eyes. That face made my day so many times this summer. The song "tonight tonight" by Hot Chelle Rae is HER song. The moment of hearing her small voice in the back seat singing 'even the white kids'..
Oh MELissa.
This girl first came into my life the first second of EFY. She was 1 of my 3 counselors the first week. She got locked out of her car at the Sunday night fireside so we got to kick it in the Van and learn more about each other that night. I never knew that we would have the summer we did. She is so great with the youth and I loved having her in my BC group quite a few times. When Liz flew the coop Melissa joined the ranks and I'm so glad she did. I can't believe how this girl has grown. She was able to conquer the musical program TWICE when it took me literally months to emotionally prepare for that one. She was humble and took all the advice we gave her to heart. By the end of the summer I was trying to be the incredible BC she was. She has the prettiest smile that I will covet for centuries I'm sure.
Oh taylor-tot. The heart throb of the session.
Taylor is so talented. I was so blessed to work with him this summer and get to see those talents in action. Although every single female loved him--his head never got bigger :) ... It was an honor to have him step up and be a BC because we needed his dedication and energy the last few weeks when we were all burnt out. He loved his walkie. He loved loved loved his walkie. And it loved him. His jokes were sometimes THE DUMBEST anyone has ever heard but they would end up being the most hilarious because taylor said it. (panther?) I am jealous of every co-counselor he had this summer because the week when we were co's he was a literal gem. There were so many small dumb tasks that I needed help with that he would do sometimes without me having to ask him. The last week when we each had about 10 counselors in our group he was so happy to take my afternoon meeting while I did variety show. A person volunteering to teach 20 counselors on week 11? Love him. His testimony is so strong and anyone that hears it will be touched by it.
Beautiful Kya.
Who would dare step up and be a BC on week 11 with 5,837 counselors and 39 million kids? Kya the great would. We were so excited to add this girl to our team and our excitement was justified by the wonderful goodness she added to our week. One time on class duty she was kinda thrown into being in charge of the whole session/campus by herself and she handled it so well. It was crazy and she may have threatened us never to do that to her again but I know she did such a good job. Her smile is so great. She had such a positive attitude of learning and what she could always be doing better. She wasn't afraid to ask questions and just get the job done. I love Kya Turner and her heavenly singing voice.
Brother Hilton.
Boy did he spice our weeks up! If you would notice the bottom left corner-yes he did duct tape melissa to the couch. Before Ben stepped up to BC with me I had his help with the musical program. He has this special power to make about 50 kids quiet down and listen to every syllable he is saying at a drop of a hat. I couldn't have done that week without him. He loves to listen and talk about life...which I'm sure everyone does but he goes about it in a special way. He loves serving people. I remember late one night we went to Macey's grocery store and this old man asked us where a certain kind of cough drop was. He thought we worked there because of our polo's. As I'm ready to turn this man away or say we don't work there Ben is on his hands and knees searching through cough drops for the kind he was asking for. I was ALWAYS learning from Benjamin.
. . . .
So here's to my mixed-up-brady-bunch-like summer family.
I am such a better person from getting to know each and every one of them.
I LOVE YOUUUUUUU RED TEAM.
