Hello there.

It’s me, Todd…the Activities Director here at Camp Garcia. I’m going to take a moment from our normal activities to discuss something.

I’ve officially hit my next life milestone by turning 30 years old.

That’s correct, I’ve been on this earth for three decades. Which is nuts. I mean, freaking craze balls. Three decades? Are you kidding me? There was a time in our not so distant history that I should have already had six kids and died from consumption.

But here I am., no kids yet and the worst I’ve got is some joint pain and gingivitis.

The Camp Director,  (AKA my wife) weighted down with guilt over the amazing 30th birthday I threw her a few years before, planned an epic 30th for me.A trip to the Grand Canyon…

A trip to the Grand Canyon…

I cannot begin to tell you how freaking grand that place is. I mean, it’s not a “gimmic” name. I imagine the people who built the “Great Wall” also felt the same way when figuring out what to call it.

Wall Builder: “Well, that’s the last brick. We’re finally done…but what should we call it”

Wall Namer: “I mean…I had this big ass list of names but I’m not sure what to use.” 

Wall Builder: “Yeah, I’d hate to be in your shoes. I mean imagine if you named it something that didn’t do something this great, justice.”

Wall Namer: “What if I just called it the “Great” wall?”

Wall Builder: “I. Love. It.”

Or something like that…

Anyways, the canyon is expansive and photos don’t do it justice. It looks like a painting and it’s amazing and beautiful and I can’t wait to go back.

 

This woman. I could write pages about how lucky I am to have met and married such an incredible person…but I won’t do that here.

Just know that she (with the help of our friends) planned this amazing trip.

She even had the #campgarcia logo made into patches. Which were sent to our friends who then wrote notes that she turned into a 30th birthday book for me.

I cried when I got mine.

When we got back into cell service on Sunday night and throughout Monday, my phone started to buzz with messages from people I’d met over the past 30 years. Old friends from South Milwaukee, new friends from Chicago, New York, and Arizona, colleagues from India, the Ukraine, Germany and more.

It got me thinking about how lucky I am. I am so grateful for the past 30 years and so excited I am for the next 30.

Even now, a week later I’m still blown away by the trip, the book, the friends and the fact that I’ve been so supported in my life by so many wonderful people.

So I’m making a promise to myself. I promise to keep this in my heart as I continue my journey in this life. As I continue to create, meet new people and face new challenges…to always remember how far I’ve come and to look at it with this same sense of accomplishment.

Thank you to everyone who helped form this little life of mine and who has made their impression it, in one way or another.

And thank you to my wife. Stacey Mitchell. You are still the best thing that’s ever happened to me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Blob