Summer camp ~ the dance...

Summer Camp ~ The dance….

Sunday morning my almost 9 year old sat beside me on the sofa after he got out of bed and looked at me with his huge brown eyes and flashed his heart-warming smile at me. “Today is the day we go to camp,” he said with excitement rattling his voice.
“Yes it is,” I answered just as excited.
His smile faded just a bit, and his eyes weren’t as large when he looked at me again and said, “I’m not going to miss you.”
<<>> Okay. Now here one might think that would end the beautiful moment between mom and youngest son, but not a chance, in my wacky world of motherhood.

I was thankful he said what he had for several reasons. You see, the way I see it is, he is comfortable enough to go away from home, knowing, he will be returning. He is secure enough with his character to want to spread his wings without me being there to reel him in. He loves me enough to know, a week, is only a week, and the life lessons he learns while being away from me, he could never learn while being with me. He is excited to establish his independence. All this with the decision three pair of underwear is good enough for a week. (I’ve tried the outfit-in-a-ziplock-a-day thing and take it from me, it doesn’t work!)

So I take this as a good sign, even though, I asked him to pack seven pair of underwear. I mean, who wouldn’t want their child to have the opportunity to practice who they are in a safe environment that will catch them if they fall? But then who says they will fall? And who says they need clean underwear if they do?

One of my proudest moments as a mother so far has been of my oldest at camp last year. Friday night is the big dance. He is almost 12 and doesn’t have a true interest in girls yet, curiosity, yes. Interest, perhaps in the next year…oh dear God…. Anyway…he overheard a guy tell a girl he would dance with her next and she smiled, so sweetly. (his words…an 11 year old thought a girls smile was sweet…awwww) okay, So, he was dancing with a young lady who attends our church when he noticed the guy who had told the lil girl he would dance with her, choose a different partner. Then my son saw the sweet smiling lil girl cry. This really bothered him and he told the friend he was dancing with what happened and asked her if it would be okay if went and danced with the crying girl. She agreed. So here my 11 year old, asks a girl he doesn’t know, to dance because she was sad, and he wanted to make her feel better. She said yes and they danced…

And you know what? I never asked if his underwear was clean. Sometimes life is best when you aren’t there to see it.

Today’s drink: Summer Punch
3 bottles dry White wine
1 1/2 cup Creme de Cassis
12 slices Orange, halved
1 pint Strawberries
Ice block
Put a block of ice in a punch bowl. Pour in wine and creme de cassis then stir. Float orange slices and strawberries on top.
Makes about 20 4ounce servings.


Cheers!
Taylor