Letting Go

Luke is away at church camp for the first time this week.  I have to be honest.  I thought this spring about looking into sending him to a camp, but they were just too expensive for me to justify sending my 9 year.  I had totally forgotten that he was old enough to go to Kids Camp with our church!  When I realized that, I was soooo excited for him!  He is at Siloam Camp.  It's run by the Arkansas Baptist Assembly.  I grew up going to Siloam during elementary years!  I am pumped that my son is going to the same camp that I have so many good memories from.

Tonight was family night.  Lance and I drove over tonight to eat dinner with him and attend worship.  It was wonderful!  It started a little shaky.  Bless his heart.  While we were walking down to his cabin, one of the other mom's from our church saw us and said that Luke had just been hit in the eye and was wanting him mom.  :(  As soon as our children's pastor saw us approaching the cabin, he walked inside and got Luke.  He came running out and when he saw me, he ran to me and started crying.  Bless his heart.  It just took a couple minutes and some hugs and kisses and he was back to his happy self!

It's been a great experience for us all.  For Luke and for Lance & I.  It is so good for Luke to be "on his own" in a controlled environment.  And Lance and I are learning an important lesson in letting Luke be himself without us squelching him.  Every single person that Luke introduced us to told us what a great young man he is.  And told us something special about him.  We were so proud of him.  He is such a great kid. 

The camp theme this year is Viking, hence the viking hat he had just gotten at the camp store. :)

I was so proud of him tonight.  Everyone at camp knows him! Ha! He's been there 2 1/2 days and everyone from the camp director to the camp pastor to the summer staff knows Luke.  :)  But everyone of them told Lance and I was a great kid he was.  Made me so proud.  The camp pastor is Tommy Toombs.  I don't know how many people remember Tommy Toombs, but right when Veggie Tales was getting started, there wasn't much out there for Christian Kids entertainment.  Little Tommy was big!  I had told Luke about him and that he was going to love him.  So after chapel tonight, Luke went up to Tommy and introduced Lance and I and told him, "My Mom is a big fan!"  Haha!!  Awkward! 

It was a proud Momma moment tonight, too.  Towards the end of the service, Tommy was talking about the prodigal son.  He mentioned having eaten lunch with a boy named Luke today.  He told the crowd that Luke had told him about his dad.  That his dad was a Doctor and that he was representing his father's name well at camp.  He was very impressed with Luke!  We have drilled that into his little head.  That he needs to represent both his earthly father and his Heavenly Father well at all times.  Glad to see it's registering!  :)

He has 2 more nights at camp.  We pick him up Friday.  I can't wait to hear all about his week!  (after he crashes and sleeps for 14 hours!)