Just a little bit late but trying to catch up

Last week, a week ago from this past Monday. June 9th to be exact. We took Garrett to NYLT. He had mixed emotions about going. At first was not thrilled about going because he was the only one from our ward that was going to be attending. But yet he was somewhat excited to go. Let me back up just a little bit, this is a little bit complicated. You see, Garrett had signed up to go to NYLT (National Youth Leadership Training, and this is for scouts) and this was the week of June 9th for him - all week until Saturday, Scout Camp and this is to work on his merit badges - this is the week of June 16 and until Saturday as well, and then High Adventure - Canoeing the Green River and I believe this is sometime in July 3rd week of July but not sure. Okay, so the Sunday before he leaves he decides to ask the YM president who will be going to NYLT with him. You see, we had not checked dates and we knew that Trek was going to be going on and we fully assumed it was the week that Garrett was going to NYLT because that is what we had been told. Except we find out, when Garrett asks who was going to be attending NYLT from our ward that Garrett was going on a completely different day than the rest of the kids that would be attending NYLT - they were going the last week of July and this coincided with Trek.

"Whoa!" we thought. Garrett was really going to camp by himself. Once Garrett found this out and that he could now attend Trek I think he became a little scared, nervous (not that he gets homesick - remember the trip to Salt Lake on his own?); just afraid that he would miss something at home because he was going to be missing a total of four weeks; only two were basically consecutive. So now he gets to do four different camps. So he started rethinking his decision to go on High Adventure. Which we encouraged him telling him that this is the fun camp. Which he agreed. Then it was Trek, but we said that he would remember this the rest of his life. At first when he was thinking he would have to miss Trek he was a little bit bummed out, since it is every four years they do this he would tell us. So at that point he was wishing he could skip NYLT. I hope this story is making sense.

So long story short or long, depends on how you look at it. He is half way through his second scout camp. But back to last week. Heading up, we were in front of a van with multiple boys heading to NYLT and behind a van carrying multiple boys going to NYLT. So when they all piled out he was really having second thoughts, thinking that he ws really going to not enjoy this and everyone else already knew somebody up there. They were there with their friends. As his mom I am thinking that he is not going to have any friends and he is going to feel left out, but I was hoping that this would not be the case. I know Garrett and he can make friends where ever he goes, especially if they have a fondness for his love, trains. So I am thinking, will he know what to talk about with another person if it does not revolve around trains? Is he going to make friends? So he called us on Wednesday letting us know that we should not pick him up on Friday instead make it Saturday. He called Brent's phone, and I am telling Brent, "ask him if he has made friends, is he having fun..." To which we were only able to get one question in before it was I gotta go. Yes he was having fun.

So we picked him up Saturday afternoon and he had a blast! He made new friends. One that live in Kaysville, one that lives in Logan, as well as a few others in his patrol. (He is not here to tell me all of his friends since he is at scout camp).

But come to find out, they had a mix of weather. It sounds like they experienced almost every single season, with the exception of fall, during that week at NYLT. When he arrived there on Monday, June 9, the weather was in the 70's. Then it dropped like a rock. I guess it was in the 30's and snowed, it snowed about four inches. It rained, and when he said rained, as well as others, it sounded like it rained a ton. So much so that they had to bring in a dump truck to help repair the dirt road that in parts got washed out, Garrett said. Then it warmed up by Saturday. Garrett said he sleeping bag got wet, his pillow was wet, so they had to be dried out. But he was not the only one that happened to, he said once again. But it sounds like it made the boys work together and have to rely on each other. Also, it is beautiful up there. I am sure that since it has not been that hot, everything has remained green. It is one of those places that you could just relax and enjoy the beauty around you. Garrett had said that it was his favorite camp so far, not to mention the food that they were fed. Chef cooked homemade food for them everyday and made sure that their bellies were full (he understands growing boys I take it). We sent Garrett with a ton of snacks, well first he did not realize we had put the majority of them in the bottom pouch so those were not touched, but secondly, they were fed so well that he did not feel like he needed additional food. Oh, he said that he and the chef thought the same.....Garrett said one boy asked about hot dogs and when they were going to have those to eat. I guess the Chef said that as long as he is cooking they will not ever eat hot dogs because he knows what goes into them when they are made. Garrett made an instant friend. Once Garrett, and this was years ago, found out what were in hot dogs...thanks honey, not that we ate them very often, but Brent made sure to tell Garrett their contents - Garrett refuses to touch a hot dog, even if it is the only food served for that meal. He has been known to thrown them away, into the fire, or just plain not take one.

So this last Monday when he was preparing to leave he said that he really wished he was going back to NYLT where he made his friends because they all had a blast and got along so well. Or, he wished they were all going to be at Camp Bartlett where they could meet up and have a great time.

So as a mom, I was really glad that he came back with a new group of friends. I was happy to see that he really enjoyed NYLT and when I mean enjoyed, he really enjoyed every minute of it. It really sounded like he came back with a lot of knowledge.

So I want to let Garrett know that I am proud of him and let him know that I love him a lot. It is so fun to watch him grow and become a great young man that has a desire to serve his Heavenly Father. There are many times I realize Garrett is or may be struggling with something, but he will strive to do his best and knows he needs to finish whatever he may be struggling with. Garrett you are a wonderful son and I feel blessed to be your mother ~ I love you.