A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to chaperone kids' camp for our church. Mason and Hannah Kate both went and both had the time of their lives. My kids are such suckers for all things church and VBS and camp related. For that, I am very thankful. But the thing is that I (their mom) is mostly always involved in the leadership of these things, and I am always along with them. They are the kids whose Mom is the chaperone. They are the kids whose Mom is in charge of VBS. They don't seem to mind. And I, for one, count it an extreme privilege to have these opportunities to serve Jesus by serving our church, our community and our children, mine included. I do not for one second take for granted these opportunities I have with my own children. I try to be the "cool Mom," but I know sometimes that doesn't always translate. I also try not to (as much as is possible) "hover" over Mason and Hannah Kate. But I do wonder at times if they'd rather I not be the chaperone or the one in charge. They've never said as much. But sometimes I wonder.
And so that was camp. As for me, that was (literally) camping. Even though we were in cabins with a shower (okay, two) and a bed with a mattress, that was stretching it for me. I am not a camping kind of girl. I have tried. I have. But it's just not me. By the end of the week, I really wanted my Ellie. I also really wanted a shower. In my own shower. Because when you're sharing with 18 other girls, and you hear one of them squeal, "I just tee-teed in the shower," (true story) you want to crawl in a hole and never shower again because that means that 15 other girls probably did the same thing! Even my flip-flopped feet didn't want to go in there!
So. Kids' Camp.
It was a great time of sleeping in a cabin with 19 other girls and two showers. Now that, my friends, is what I call roughing it. Because girls, 2nd-6th graders to be exact, still have to be reminded about taking showers and definitely aren't shy or discreet when it comes to bodily functions that should be kept to one's self.
It was a great time of eating cafeteria food. Seriously. For four whole days, I did not have to cook one single meal or feed anyone. Instead, meals were cooked for me and served to me!
It was a great time of gaga ball (an updated version of dodge ball), bazooka ball (kind of like paint ball but safer and much less painful), food-ball, air hockey, basketball, paddle boats, swimming (well, I hardly call it swimming when so many kids are packed into the pool that all you can really do is bob up and down in one spot).
It was a great time of Bible study and worship. The kids were encouraged to identify idols in their lives and then get rid of those idols and all because God calls us to live lives of holiness to Him. I mean, we had a nightly devotion in Leviticus one night!
It was a great, great time.
I must admit I had too much fun packing my kids for camp. Each outfit was packaged individually and labeled by day and event. Seriously, this is the way to go! As a matter of fact, when we went to the beach last week, Mason asked me why I didn't pack his clothes that way again. He said he liked just grabbing a bag an It was all done for him. That's my boy!
Oh, and all those outfits neatly packaged in their individually labeled bags . . . came back home. It took me eight loads of laundry to get everything washed.
But, no matter. Laundry and all (including tee-tee in the shower), I'd do it all again!