I didn't even know that Navou, AL existed until last weekend when I joined a group of 9th grade girls for an overnight retreat at Camp MacDowell. There are a lot of small towns that I never knew existed in Alabama until I moved here 8 years ago, and I'm still discovering new ones. Among my favorites are: Eastaboga, Reform, Arab, Wetumpka, and my personal favorite, Social Circle.
So, Navou, AL is where I found myself surrounded by giggling, energetic 9th grade girls at 2 a.m. on a Friday night. Thankfully, my bed was not located in the same room as all the girls, but the thin wooden walls did little to block out their stories and songs and laughter...until 3:30 a.m. At about 3:30, the still nighttime silence began, but the coldness set in. We were in a heated cabin and I had a 15 degree sleeping bag, but somehow my insides felt like they were in a freezer, and I probably looked like some sort of alien with the mummy bag zipped up all the way over my face so that only my mouth was showing and my body compacted into a fetal position. I'm pretty sure that I slept for about 30 minutes that night; let's just say it was a long night and I have an immense appreciation for youth workers everywhere.
The retreat was well worth the sleep sacrifice, although I'm glad for several months before we do it again. Through the miracle of caffeine, I drove the 12-passenger van full of girls home the next afternoon and settled down for a long winter's nap.
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