Camp CARE

Fun riding on the boat!
Some of my crazy girls getting ready for the dance!
Dancing with another one of my buddies! (Yes, I know I look massively preggo here!)
Above: All my girls lined up for their swim test.
Below: At the dance, shaking my rumpus

Above: Three of the girls in my cabin who enjoyed eating dessert with no hands. What the heck; their moms weren't around! Camp is fun!!!

Camp CARE stands for Cancer Ain't Really the End. It's a Charlotte nonprofit committed to giving children with cancer and their siblings a normal camp experience each summer, as well as providing year round activities call "reality checks". I initially heard about Camp CARE at work, b/c the week after all the pts got back, it's ALL I would hear about. So this year, I decided to get off my fanny and get my application in to be a counselor. Luckily, I was accepted, and just got back this past weekend. I was one of 5 counselors in a cabin with 11 little girls, ages 6-8. Alot of them were first time campers, but surprisingly we didn't have anyone crying for mommy at night. We were so shocked noone was homesick! We kept them so busy, that they fell into bed exhausted at night, with no time to even think about home. I was really worried about my exhaustion level (still being in my first trimester), and the ever present nausea. However, I survived it, and even had a blast!!! It was by far one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I mean, how could I complain about being nauseated, when most of these little girls have spent months throwing up from chemo? It was a reality check if I've had one. I really want to go back next year, and my dear hubbie go with me. I honestly think he would love it. It's a true camp up in the mountains, with all the typical camp experiences. The problem will be leaving Shim. I just don't know how that's going to all work out....
Let me see if I can get some pics on here.