Taylor Christian Camp

When it comes to my children, I don't consider myself over protective where I need to be around my children all the time and make sure they are properly looked after =).  But...there is a part of me that cannot shut off (and quite frankly I don't think it ever will)  because even when I'm not with my kids, they are on my mind.  I wonder what they are doing, if they are making good choices, if they are happy, safe, eating to much sugar =) and so on. As they get older, they need to have experiences that allow them to grow and make decisions on their own.  Isaac and Miles are to young to fly away from the family nest, but Karson is at the right age to be "on her own" and make sound decisions.   I wrestled with the idea of talking to her about church camp because I knew she would want to go--she loves camps. 4th grade is the first year you can attend church camp at Greenwood Park's summer camp.  The idea of Karson being without me for an entire week made me nervous.  I grew up going to Taylor Christian Camp and have loads of memories from my time there as a camper and counselor.  The most memorable was getting baptized in the creek.  My first year wasn't scary at all because my older sister was there as a camper, and my mom was there as a camp cook.  All of my church friends were there which made the week extra fun!  I knew Karson's experience would be entirely different from mine.  I think that's what made me the most nervous. She wouldn't know anyone, she would be on her own, and I would have ZERO contact with her for a whole week.  I had pretty much written off even discussing it with her because I had decided I wasn't ready for that.  On top of that, she has literally been to camp the last three weeks of summer--bball, vball and theater.  Moving on....

I went into Plano to each lunch with the kids around the end of the school year and was signing myself in in the front office when Vonda Chalfant came to the desk.  Vonda is the health aide at Plano and a friend of mine and also attends GP.  She said, "hey, what grade is Karson in?  She's old enough to go to camp this time right?"  I told her my anxieties about it, and she told me that she was the 4th grade counselor.  It was like God handed me a special gift, one I didn't want to pass up.  I knew Karson would be in good hands that week (not that I ever doubted that but personally knowing her counselor made it MUCH easier for me).  It was settled, she was going to camp. 

We arrived at camp last Sunday and dropped our darling daughter off with an arsenal of camp supplies.  Preparing a child for camp is much like traveling with a newborn/toddler on vacation.  You literally have to pack the entire house--leaving no possible supply behind.  I can't imagine how packed our car will be when all three of our kids go to camp.  Sheesh, I can't even think about that--I will be a nervous wreck when all three of them are there.

Karson was in Cabin #9 sharing it with eleven new friends. The drop off day is later in the afternoon where lots of people attend, help their kids get set-up in their cabins, a potluck dinner is shared and the evening closed with a devotional, then parents/siblings/friends leave.

I know Karson wished her cousin Elizabeth could have stayed--I know she would have had so much fun and wanted to stay.  Both girls were sad to leave each other for an entire week--they're BFF's =).

All the kids had a great time breaking in the playground.  Who would've have know a giant metal post with a tethered ball would provide SO MUCH entertainment.  Makes me think we might need one of those in our backyard???

We had six members from Community attend camp:  Tanner, Kolby, Tucker, Karson & Haley (not pictured, Jordan). Ok, so Karson wasn't ENTIRELY alone, but she was the only girl her age from our church.

I didn't talk to Karson at all last week.  No electronic devices are allowed at camp.  Vonda texted (she had to sneak to do so) me a picture of  Karson and a friend on the playground on Wednesday.  She told me Karson was having a great week--whew, so glad to hear that she was alive and well and having fun--what a relief. The kids had a pleasant week weather-wise until Wednesday night when the avalanche of rain started.  It rained non-stop on Thursday.  I felt bad for all the campers and knew they were probably holed up in the lodge or their cabins--WRONG. Karson told me when I picked her up on Friday afternoon that they did everything in the rain.  I think everything she packed was wet.  Vonda told us that their cabin was so stinky from all the wet clothes, towels, shoes, etc.

Overall, Karson had a wonderful first year and can't wait to go back again next year. I'm proud of my lil' camper!