The Lovely Daughter is making her first solo drive from North Carolina to Ohio today. She left a little while ago and plans to stay near Cincinnati with her cousin tonight. I'm sure that she is far too young! (23 on Thursday) for such a long drive on her own, but in honor of the challenge, here's a photo of her with her brother Josh at camp. He had just finished his first year of college and so was finally a full-fledged counselor, meaning that along with a co-counselor he commandeered a cabin of eight little boys each session. She had just finished 11th grade and was a staff-in-training, meaning that she spent a lot of mornings leading horses around a ring, and her afternoons helping out wherever.
When I was a little girl, campers were ages 5-13 and counselors were at least in college; there were no in-between SIT and intern years. Those latter programs have become a popular addition over the past decade; the SIT positions are filled by Christmas, most of them by former campers. The Lovely Daughter has been a camper (three years), an SIT (one), and a counselor (three more). She says that camp really feels like her other home.
Now I need to find something to distract my thoughts from that long drive!
Trust me, you won't get used to it. My 38 year old (can I possibly be old enough to have a son that old) drove from Cleveland to Baltimore and I worried about him, particularly after getting a call saying he had lost his transmission in the driving rain. I used to worry every time he drove from Cleveland to Chicago in the winter. Worry is part of the job description of being a mother.
ReplyDeleteSafe travels for your lovely daughter.
ReplyDeleteThe camp that my kids attend have campers up to age 18 - thankfully because we got a late start. They also have Leaders-in-Training and Counselors-in-Training programs that start earlier than 18. I'm not sure why my oldest will choose next year but he probably will want to remain a camper because he loves doing the water skiing program.
Know that feeling of "is my beautiful baby old enough to do this that or the other thing?". Will hold you both in my prayers.
ReplyDeleteYour children are gorgeous, brimming with joy and life. I LOVE this photo of Josh, especially.
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