Christian leaves for camp this morning...he's really excited...I'm pretty sure he's been awake since 5:30 when Wesley came down the hall crying because of a bad dream. Who can blame him? I couldn't go back to sleep either...however, I'm allowed to come out of my room!
It occurred to me yesterday as we got ready that it's so much easier the second time around...no tears, no anxiety, just excitement. Isn't that weird? I'm so confident that he can do this and that he will be well taken care of and that at the end of the week he'll have had a great time and be completely tired.
He's growing up so fast and that fact has been hitting home on a regular basis lately. A big part of that is his changing stature...5'3! Also his incredible sense of humor and quick wit(which sometimes gets him in trouble) add to how mature he is becoming. Parenting an 11 year old is worlds different from parenting younger kids...there is a tremendous learning curve for me as to what to allow vs. what to crack down on, how much risk is appropriate vs. how much I need to watch over him, how much to listen vs. how much to talk. It seems to me that as soon as I get a good handle on our relationship it changes.
This was hammered home yesterday at church as we said 'good-bye' to one of our youth group young men...he's heading to boot camp. Another one of our 'boys' just had his first child and then was shipped off to Afghanistan...time never stands still. And as I watched my friend Karen's tears fall all morning because it was her son going to boot camp I was struck that I'm glad my son is only going to summer camp...for now.
Good bye Christian...have a great time...look for God's hand, it will be resting on you...I pray you have an open heart to hear his voice this week.
3 comments:
Nice new blog look! If Christian is turning 11, that means you were last in AK 12 years ago...time does travel fast!
We'll give a wave as we travel through Chicago Wednesday morning.
God's hand...it's a huge hand isn't it?! Praise Him for that!
It was much easier this time for Colin too! I still miss them! Yes, I did say that!
Ok, he just came home announced that he had not "gone" in a week and ran promptly to the bathroom. ;)
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