Today was one of my favorite days of the fellowship so far because I got to hang with kids after serving lunch on a whim. I would be happy to spend time with the campers anywhere, anytime. BUT, field trips are even more fun because I get to watch them engaging in new experiences that they may have not otherwise been able to participate in without our camp. AND, the field trip was to one of my favorite places in Columbus: Cosi! If you’re thinking, it can’t get any better than that, you’re sorely mistaken.

Not only did we get to go to Cosi, but the special exhibit we had tickets to featured mythical creatures including, but not limited to, mermaids, unicorns, and dragons. This may not sound like a big deal until you understand that the kids live and breathe by the mermaid code. A majority of my conversations with the youngest class—dubbed “the pod”—have been regarding unicorns or mermaids. We initially bonded because a ring I have looks like a ring a character wears on the mermaid show they all enjoy and they are obsessed with touching it and asking to wear it. Not knowing any better, I told them that I was, in fact, a mermaid and the ring helped protect me from turning into one around other people. They still believe me and it’s too late to burst the bubble.

While the field trip was a surprise to me, the girls were actively anticipating it. They wore their unicorn shirts, brought their unicorn bags, and donned any unicorn hair accessories they may have. The bus ride there was spent chirping about how many creatures they’d see, and predictions as to whether or not they’d be “the real thing.” Even the most reserved students were giddy with anticipation and, wow, was it worth it.

Though they didn’t want to read about any of the creatures on the plaques or look at any historical artifacts referring to said mythical creatures, their eyes lit up when they saw the sculpted statues and figures depicting what mermaids and unicorns would look like in reality. Unfortunately, we couldn’t hang around the exhibit for too long, but they made sure to snag some coloring pages for the road.

I’m sure the girls will remember this day for a long time and so will I. It’s not every day you get to see someone’s dream come true! I’m grateful to Cosi and HFF for thoughtful and thorough children’s engagement.