Off to camp he goes....

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back in April Dylan came home very excited and let us know that a man came to the school and told them about an essay contest they would enter for a chance to win a 600$$ scholarship to a nature camp. He said So... "I know you hate me leaving <--- then came the BUT- If I wrote a great essay and WON could I go?" Well me apparently not being very optimistic thought. There is going to be tons of kids entering .................and told him with out much though. OF course honey. In the back of my head I never thought about it again. Well not only did Dylan write that essay......... HE WON~~~~ I chose a week late in Summer giving myself much more time to mentally prepare myself to leave my first born overnight for 5 nights. WITH NO phone contact. It is a no news is good news policy. So the summer went by rapidly and the day came (yesterday) that we made the hour drive to drop him off a camp. My heart broke as I walked away from him. He gave me the nervous smile and joined one of his bunk mates (that he had met 4 minutes before) I tried not to look back but I did. 20 or 30 times before getting to the car. I had all I could do from running back, hugging him again and asking him if he was sure he wanted to stay. I know that would of been a major MOM FAIL on my part and probably pretty embarrassing to him. Not so much the asking him but the me hugging him, blubbering like a fool and begging him to come with me. He would of been named "the kid with the crazy mom" for the week. So instead I pushed forward got into the car and then cried. He has now been there for 24 hours. I wonder every hour what he is doing, who he is with, if he is eating enough. He is 11. I know this is a great chance for him to gain some independance and perhaps for me to learn to give him that freedom. It does not make it easy though. Since hiding in the woods with binoculars is creepy, weird and probably would get me arrested. I will instead think about him, worry about him and count down the days until he returns........