Faith, Love & Summer Camp

I honestly don't know how summer camps stay in business. I don't know how any child ever gets an education. I sure don't know how our military has enough people to defend the nation. Because I have trouble understanding how any parent can allow their child go off to camp or start kindergarten or enlist is the military!

 

We kept Super B for 4 days and nights while his big brother was at camp and his parents took a much needed trip away. I was worried. This isn't like "hey, can you grab the mail and water my tomatoes while we are out of town?" Nope, this was "we are going to be four hours away and this is our youngest, precious son." Mr. G and I neither one have kids of our own. We aren't particularly close to any family or friends with kids. At least not any where we would rank very high on the available baby sitter list. But Super B had school and we are his caregivers. Of course we would keep him. But did I mention I was a little nervous?

I mean, what if he cried?
He usually never cries. In fact, he won award for best smile/giggle at school.

What if he got homesick?
Please. This kid is a rock-star traveler.

What if he got sick?
We had phone numbers and instructions and meds and a first aid kit and...we were covered.

When all was said and done it was an awesome week! We had fun. We had burritos. We watched Finding Dory.  Mr. G took Super B to get a haircut. I kicked a table leg bare footed and didn't say the words I really wanted. We basically kept to our normal routine. Today, when we handed him off to his cousin who was so excited to spend the day with him I was a little misty.  I hugged him real close for an extra few seconds or maybe it was more like an extra 114 seconds (What? No one had an actual stop watch!). I'm going to miss him when he goes to camp next week.

In the end, there was not one single valid reason to worry about this week. In the spirit of full disclosure: we are with him from 5+ hours every week day, so it's not like any of this worry was rational. That is often the essence of worry it's irrational.

Especially if you are a Christian.

One of my good friends and her husband are foster parents. I asked her one time if it's hard to let the kids move on from her home. She said, "not if I know they are going to a good situation." (That's love.) What if they aren't? "I just have to trust God for me and for them." (That's faith.)

Faith and Love.

That's the only way I can figure that any parent can do it. After 4 days, I was clingy. Faith in God is the only way I could imagine that anyone could parent well. The only way I could understand how they would be able to let go. Faith and loving them enough to do what is best for them.

So this post is:

1. A salute to parents everywhere. You got this 'cause God's got you. You and your littles.
2. A reminder to Christians. Faith over Fear, Y'all. Faith over fear.
3. A reminder to me: Fear is a big fat liar.
4. An announcement that I am going to be napping if anyone needs me. It was fun, but I tired.

HAVE FUN AT CAMP, SUPER B!! SEE YOU IN A WEEK, KIDDO!