MDA Summer Camp

I can't believe how fast the last month flew by with school getting out and visiting family and getting ready for summer camp. I am feeling so blessed right now after returning yesterday with Shawnie from our week at MDA summer camp. I wish that everyone could feel the spirit that these kids have, especially when there are 100 of them with different levels of abilities all together at the same place. What a party it was! The weather was totally uncooperative, so there were a lot of revisions made to the schedule, but everything went smoothly and it was a beautiful experience. Shawnie and I had so much fun together, it really ended up being the most bonding experience we've ever had. The theme was time travel so we got to have all kinds of different experiences through the week from medieval knights to a luau to Hollywood to aliens....I am so grateful for people who work so hard to help these kids feel so special. They are truly angels! We've made some pretty incredible friends and Shawnie touched many lives, as usual.
The highlight of the week for me was an experience that Shawnie and I had together during the "alien parade". All of the kids and the volunteers dressed up as aliens and paraded through the halls of the hotel. All of a sudden, these Star Wars characters started coming down the hall, Storm Troopers, Jawas, Luke Skywalker, the Emperor, and worst of all, Darth Vader, with the breathing thing and all. Shawnie completely fell apart and the night was over for her. She wanted to fly into our room and lock the door. She was completely shaken up by it. We talked about it and she just couldn't bring herself to believe that they weren't real. The parade ended in the ballroom with games and activities, where everyone mingled together, including Darth Vader. She would have nothing to do with it. In fact, I got her to the door at one point and he turned our direction 50 feet away from her and she took off, plowing everything in her path, me chasing along behind her. The witnesses thought it was quite hilarious to watch, actually. Well, after that, we ditched the wheelchair and sat in a chair outside the door where she could watch him. By the VERY end of the evening, he had told her all about his 5 kids and let her push the button on the Ipod that makes him breathe, and most important to me, took a photo with us. She left that activity absolutely floating for conquering her fear, with a greater strength visible in her whole self. And we have a picture to always remember it!