A fly on the wall

We dropped our boys off at summer camp for the first time ever on Sunday. This was harder on me than I thought it would be, but not for the reasons I expected.
I mean, yeah… I’m going to miss them. I already do! And I’m a little worried about their overall health and safety. For the first time in my life, I understand why parents pray so much for their kids when they go to college. They are completely out of my hands, and I have to trust they will be OK.
But the hardest part for me is that I don’t get to be part of their big adventure!
I’m excited for them to have this experience. I know they are going to learn so much. It’s going to be great for them to have to make choices without Mom and Dad around. They will be challenged to try new things. They will have to figure out how to get enough rest and nutrition to make it through the day — and possibly even clean up after themselves — without anyone reminding them what to do!
I wish I could be a fly on the wall. It’s so weird that I can’t get any communication from them for an entire week. It’s only Day One, and I’m dying to know if they passed the swimming test. What did they have for dinner last night? Was it hot in the cabin? Did they get some sleep? Are they going to go horseback riding? How was chapel? Who are their room mates? Did they have a pillow fight? What are they going to do today?
I’m so thankful that they are at a really nice camp and that some good friends of ours are working there for the summer and can look out for them. They also have several friends who went to camp with them. The boys know three of the other boys in their cabin already! All of these things put my mind at ease. But every time I think of them, I realize there’s no way for me to know how they are doing. No way for me to see them laughing and having fun. No way for me to whisper a little advice. All I can do is pray.
On Tuesday evening, the camp will post photos from the week. Oh, how I hope that photographer got at least one shot of my boys!
When we pick them up on Saturday, I know they will be a little different than they were when we left them yesterday. They probably will have matured during their week without parents. And I will be a little different, too. It makes me realize that little by little, I’m learning to let them go and let them grow up. It’s not always something I want to do!
I went into this week thinking about what a challenge it’s going to be for my kids, as well as a fun and exciting adventure. When we dropped them off and gave them those big good-bye hugs, I started a new adventure of my own. Hopefully, I will handle it as well as I know they will!