Sophie's First Girl's Camp

 Our Ward Girl's Camp was July 8th, 9th and 10th this year.  Having a four month old does not lend itself easily to participating fully in such activities; however, Sophie and I did make it up to Mantua on the 9th and were able to bond with the Young Women for a few hours before heading for home.  Sophie definitely did more bonding than I did.  The girls could not get enough of her!  Someone would be holding her and then suddenly there would be a big cluster of young women surrounding her, cooing at her as she grinned back at them with her enormous smile.  You know the one, the one where she's smiling so big she might actually eat you!  Then a girl would come over to me to show me what a cute picture she'd taken of my little darling and how she'd be sure to send me a copy because Sophie is just so darn cute!  She fell asleep in the arms of our Bishop's wife who can't believe her own baby is getting so big!  She's sixteen months.  And that's how the afternoon went.  Sophie was passed around and just smiled and smiled and enjoyed herself.  Our Young Women President made her this adorable bracelet with value colored beads to remember her first girls camp and I was beginning to think that Sophie was born to camp!  And then she let me know how false that was.  At about 9:00 pm started hollering and would not stop!  I was having the hardest time comforting her and everything I tried backfired on me and made her yell louder.  It seemed like FOREVER that she carried on.  It was probably only a half hour, but then she was asleep and it was almost time for testimony meeting.  My favorite part of Girls Camp and the main reason I chose to head up there Tuesday.  It was amazing.  These Young Women are amazing!  I don't think any of us will forget the way we felt when sweet Emily, who is down-syndrome, bore her testimony.  And Sophie slept through it all.  Until I stood up to bear mine.  I was just beginning when she decided she'd rather I didn't, and so I made it as short and sweet as I could.  What a memory!  I still think she was a champ, and so grateful for how sweet everyone was with her.  When she cried so many ward members told me how unlike Sophie that was.  She's such a sweetheart whenever they've seen her that it couldn't possibly be otherwise!

  Clearly these pictures weren't taken in the wilderness but they're just too cute!!