Maddie's First Winter Camp
Our little Maddie, who is nine now, is off to church winter camp this weekend. Every time I go past her bedroom {which happens to be adjacent to the kitchen, so that's about a bazillion times a day}, I just do a little half smile, so grateful for that sweet girl of ours.
It doesn't seem like long ago that she was this size:
And here she is nine {and a half next week}.
So Thursday night she came to us and her glasses were broken {the arm thingy} and because they are a special spring-loaded type screw, they're impossible to fix on our own. Let's just say that I wasn't planning on spending an hour and a half trying to solve that little problem on Friday. I honestly don't think I even had lunch I was that busy. {And as a point of reference, I don't ever miss lunch. Any meal for that matter.}
I picked Maddie up after school and we had exactly one hour to pack, cook supper for the boys, and get myself ready because I was going out with some girlfriends last evening. {And because I just had so much time to spare on Friday I thought it would be the perfect time to squeeze in a little home hair dye session. Sometimes I swear I leave my brain in bed when I wake up in the morning. Any hoo.} There were things in the dryer that were still drying that she wanted to bring to camp. We were figuring out gecko instructions in her absence {and no they have not been picked up since she's been gone. Bad mommy.} And I couldn't find the packing list of what she was to bring and not bring and now that I'm thinking about it, I failed to pack a towel, so I guess there's no showering going on. Oh well.
And all of a sudden it was 4pm and we were supposed to be walking out the door at 4:10pm. We made it, because I'm a speed demon of sorts, but just by the hair of our chinny chin chins. And with a whole lot of racing around like crazy people.
So in an effort to be completely real and vulnerable, our house was a WRECK come 4:10pm yesterday. And here's proof.
Dining Room:
Kitchen Floor:
Kitchen counter:
And more:
Living Room:
{And what I failed to show was the bathroom - disaster - and the kids' bedrooms. YIKES.}
So for all the crock potting and bread making and domesticating that I did this week, I just wanted to make sure that you are all very keenly aware that while I might be humming along in one section of my life, for a few days in a row, that usually means the other 12 sections of my life are a wee little bit out of control. {And I think I picked 12 because it's two thousand and twelve.}
We miss our little Maddie. But I can hardly stand how excited I am that she gets to experience winter camp. Learning about God. Being with church friends that love her. Being with the leaders that are AMAZING. Some of my RICHEST life experiences with God were summer and winter and spring camps throughout my growing up years. Truly. No lie. I can't even tell you how big of a part they played in my faith journey. I sort of shutter to think of my life without those experiences.
And so when we read that 4th graders were going to get to go this year, I did a little happy happy joy joy dance.
I can't wait to give that girl a great big hug tomorrow afternoon as she hops off the bus. I've been thinking about her so often since she left. These little people in our lives, they sort of just weasel their way in and we love them with a depth of love that really isn't explainable. Like how God loves us. Bizarre.
Oh, and while it KILLED me, {with a capital KILLED ME} I left my camera at home last night, on purpose, so that I didn't embarrass my sweet daughter. Believe me, I wanted to fully document every single second of her send-off, but I refrained.
And between you, me, and a brick wall, I wish I had snuck it along. I regret that I don't have those pictures, but, I suppose the mental snapshots that I took will have to do.
But you can be guaranteed that I'm bringing it tomorrow for pick up. Sorry 'lil lady, your mama is a photographer!
And so we hear that camp is going well {shout out for Facebook updates from winter camp}. The kids are learning and loving it and we even got a sweet little email from Maddie that said, "I am haveing SO much fun. I love you. Love, Maddie."
Sweet girl. Come home soon. We miss you.