Camp!

Laurel went to Girl Scout camp last week. It was a 5 day sleep away camp about 2 hours from our house. She had never been there before and she didn't know anyone there. But aside from some anxiety about the swim test they gave at registration, she was pretty relaxed about being left there. We helped her make her bed in the cabin and then she basically pushed us out the door.

My heart ached the whole week. I missed her, but it was more than that. I think it was the first time it really hit me that my kids will grow up and go off and do their own things. I won't have as much control or knowledge of what they are doing. This is the natural progression of things, and of course I "knew" that was part of having children. But I didn't know that letting them go, even a little bit and in the absolute best of circumstances, would ache like that.

She had a great time at camp, of course. I knew she would love it. She got to ride horses, which is her favorite thing in the world. Plus smores, camp skits, making friendship bracelets and swimming. She was also pretty proud that she did a lot better at archery this summer than she did last summer.