Why Evie Loves Going to Anvil Island.

We have been home from Anvil island for a couple of days now, and you could say we are back into our usual daily life. Well, as best we can be that is, Jason injured his ankle on the last day but more on that in another post. Multiple times a day Evie has been asking when we will be going back to Anvil, the poor girl is seriously going through Anvil withdrawal. It’s something many of us have gone through as campers, and staff. You’re away from your home life for a week, and in at this incredible place that just impacts you to the core.

Talking to her recently I have been asking just why Evie loved going to Anvil Island and she has given me a bit of a list of what she enjoyed the most.

• Swimming: Traditionally in order to get to go swimming at camp you have to do a swim test. It normally involves swimming a short distance and then treading water. The lifeguards change it up for Evie and she just has to show them she can float in her lifejacket for a bit, and then she gets her swim band to wear for the week. This allowed her to get to go down to the swim dock, and boat dock, as well as go on the speed boat.
• Going Fishing: This was the second time Evie has ever gone fishing, but the first time with an actual hook and fishing pole. Some of the campers and a staff member helped her bait the hook a couple times and one the third try wit my helping her know when to pull the line out of the water she caught a fish. She immediately freaked out, dropping the pole on the dock, but she was so proud of herself. She then promptly demanded the fishy be put back in the water. I love that this first sticks out from the week for her.
• Her Bed: For some reason, she loved her little inflatable air mattress we got for her. We looked everywhere for one at a reasonable price and finally got one. It’s the coolest thing because it has bumper walls so your kid won’t roll out of the bed, and it has an inner mattress you can fit a bed sheet onto and pop into the air mattress. When asked why she liked it, she said because it was bouncy. I predict it may be popped by the end of summer.
• Fireworks: We let Evie stay up late one night after chapel so that she could go and watch the movie they were playing for a camp event. Part way through the movie it was interrupted with a fireworks display that was put together be some of our staff. Watching the wonder and sparkle in her eyes was magical for me too. She went to bed late that night, and after being tucked into to go to sleep she declared it the best day ever.
• Reindeer: While it’s not reindeer on the island, just your usual deer, this is what Evie called them all week. She loved spotting them wandering the camp. She even attempted to hug one and got ridiculously close before being stopped. It’s incredible to get to go to a place and see wildlife up close, she is such an animal lover I understand why she mentioned this.
• Chapel Time: Evie loved the music that was played during chapel! She would often be singing the songs throughout the day. She has also been recently asking lots of questions about becoming a Christian, so this was a great opportunity for her to learn a little bit more when she did listen in while there.
• My Bestest-Best Buddy: I knew this was going to be on her list right away. She got to spend the whole week with her bestest-best buddy. At church she will often call out hi to her friend when she sees him, so getting to see him every day was just amazing for her. Plus with them playing together all day it meant naps, and early bed times!
• The Yummy Food and Chocolate Milk: This one threw me for a bit of a loop. Evie is a majorly picky eater, and we had some battles while away at Anvil. That being said the food was spot on for each meal all week! It really shouldn’t have surprised me that she did enjoy the meals too. The favourite though was the homemade cinnamon buns and the “chocolate milk”. It wasn’t actual chocolate milk, it was hot chocolate that was cooled down from the snack time the night before. Now one thing this little girl loves is chocolate milk so she enjoyed a cup of that when she could.
• Being Outside: With so much to do at the camp on Anvil, and it being on an island of course it’s pretty much every little kids dream. She loved getting to be outside every day. While the weather might not have been great we still made the most of it. At the end of the day her feet were covered in dirt, there was sand in her hair, and some cuts and bruises had made their way onto her legs and hands. Marks of adventure. 
• The Big Boat and Green Bridge: Going to and from Anvil we take a large boat from downtown Vancouver and up to Howesound. Evie loves being on that boat, she knows exactly where it is taking her. There are several levels to explore during the 2hr-ish boat ride, her favourite though is the lower deck where all the luggage is stored, and there is an open space to play. She could be found running around, dancing, and playing with a ride on car. The boat also goes under the Lions Gate Bridge, and what kid wouldn’t love getting to have the opportunity to see a bridge from a different perspective?

It’s fun for me to hear from her what she loved about a trip, and what stands out in her mind. She is making memories and storing them away in her mind and heart. The camp on Anvil Island is a place I hope we will get to visit, and be involved at by volunteering for a long time. It became very obvious last week that Anvil now has a very special place in Evie’s heart, and rightly so with it being where I was saved, baptized, and where Jason and I got married. I am looking forward to my girls growing up going to Anvil.