Update on Camp

The first day Matthew and Haley were at camp I was okay with them being gone (okay, the first 12 hours I was okay).  By Tuesday afternoon, I was really missing them.  I was basically stalking our church Facebook page searching for any posted pictures.  I wanted to see their little faces and if they were smiling or tired-looking.  Were they sitting alone?  I think the whole week I saw maybe 5 pictures of the kids, so all that stalking for basically nothing (lol...I realize that there is limited internet access at camp and it is not anyone's job to photograph my kid all week and there are other children attending camp where their parents prefer their child NOT be photographed/posted on the internet and I realize when I was growing up my parents did without ANY pictures of me.  I get all of that).  I was thankful that at least they were smiling in the few pictures I did see and it gave me some kind of peace that they were okay and having a good time.


It was Haley's first time away at camp and she's the baby of the family and she has that history of seizures when she gets dehydrated or overheated, so clearly I worried about her. I am proud of myself for only sending one text message to the chaperones all week because I seriously wanted to send several a day. Of all the kids, Haley did the best her first week of camp.  Go figure cause I worried the most about the one that is most independent. 


Matthew did say that she cried as the bus pulled away and she cried a little more that evening.  Haley has not admitted to that yet (haha...she's innocent until proven guilty).  She is a social butterfly and loves to be around her friends and she loves to make new friends.  She very much enjoyed her counselor and I'm sure she talked her ear off.  She had an absolute blast at camp and cannot wait to go back next year.


Haley says her favorite part about camp was, by far, getting saved.  We are thrilled with her decision to trust Christ.  Her counselor led her to the Lord one night after chapel.  Haley said she's wanted to become a Christian for a long time, but she didn't know how or even what questions to ask.  Haley also loved going on the water tube with her counselor and other friends. She said that her counselor squished her on the water tube, but she laughed because she was the only one still on the tube at the end of the boat ride. Haley said she dug her hands into the rope handle and held on with a death grip.  No one could have pried her loose (She's such a goof). She also liked the snack bar and climbing the rock wall.  She liked seeing the snake in the water as well (snake?).


Matthew had a blast with all the teen guy counselors.  He was a lot older than a lot of the boys that went from our church.  He didn't feel lonely though because he fit in well with the guy counselors.  He followed them around all week teasing them and they'd tease him back.  I guess a bunch of them threw him in the lake with his clothing on.   He didn't have a favorite part about camp, but he said he liked it all.  He liked the chapel time.  He liked the games in the gym.  He liked being out on the lake. He says he definitely wants to go back next year. 


The following Sunday after they came home was Camp Day at our church where all the counselors come for a visit.  Matthew and Haley were so excited to be able to introduce Tim and I to their counselors.  I asked Matthew's counselor if he understood Matthew at all. His reply?  "Dude, not really."  That made me laugh.  I do believe this teen-surfer-sounding-kid addressed me as "Dude."  I must admit I'd rather be called "Dude" than "Ma'am." Here in the South I get "Maam'ed" a lot more than I appreciate.  Anyway, it was awesome that this teen allowed Matthew to hang around him all week and goofed off with him.   It meant the world to Matthew and also us.


We told the kids that if they came home from camp with all their belongings that I packed for them, we'd celebrate by taking them to Sweet Frog (a frozen yogurt place) when they got home.  I didn't actually think there was any possible way Haley would come home with everything, but she did (minus a yellow sock).  They held me to that promise. 


I will note that Matthew not only came home with all his belongings, but he also had all his dirty clothing folded and put in the plastic bag.  I love my organized and neat boy!!! He's just awesome!  And I'm so proud of my scattered-Haley-Bee for turning a corner to maturity and keeping track of her belongings for a whole week all by herself.

It does this Mama's heart good to see her baby beaming with joy at camp

Playing in the gym at camp and it looks like a smile on his face

She left for camp my baby and came back this tall, lanky child!

The crazies getting some Sweet Frog....Good job Haley and Matthew for bringing home all your stuff!