Sniff*Sniff

Today I watched as the camp bus carried my firstborn away for the week! This is the longest block of time that anyone of my kids has been away from BOTH parents, and it's so weird to think I already have a kid old enough to do that!

But it's not so much my baby going off on his first adventure, it's the destination that makes me so teary-eyed. Camp Barakel has, for many years, meant the absolute world to me. It's where I found friendship and true happiness in an otherwise difficult time for me in high school. It's where I learned so many things, even found I like riflery! It's the place of so many memories, as I worked there for several wonderful summers and even for a few winter and fall retreats. But the reason I love it most is because it was there when my Christianity became truly Personal for me. I can't say I was "saved" there - but it's where my faith became something I lived and not just some general sort of belief I had. Not once, but twice I was teetering dangerously on the edge of Trouble and that camp - well, the God who reigns in that Camp - was my refuge.

I prayed today that it would mean to Wesley what it meant to me. Maybe not all in one week of camp, but eventually. ;-) I do wonder how he will do with two chapels a day - he's been a bit spoiled in churches with kids' programs during the service! But I KNOW he'll love all the competition and all the pop and candy and ice cream at the store. Hopefully he's got a great counselor and some buddies already - I was lucky to run into an old fellow counselor at the bus stop, and her stepson was also going sans buddy, so I'm assuming they will probably stay together.

After dropping Wesley off, I took the other three (how is it that I send one child off and I still feel like I have a gaggle of kids with me?) to the nearby outlet malls and did some shopping. Of utmost importance was the Pepperidge Farm outlet. Can't go to the outlet mall without stocking up on goldfish crackers! What else would Cole have to throw at me while I'm driving?

Tomorrow it's off to Montana (Audrey, Cole and me)...