Girl Scout Camp

My memories of Girl Scout camp, if I'm really honest aren't so great. I only got to go for part of the week because I had to leave early for yet another ear surgery, someone kicked dirt on my English muffin pizza I had spent thirty minutes cooking on the campfire, and a trip to the nurses office ended with me being shuffled out as another camper was brought in with a vegetable peeler cut to the finger and the nurse asking her, "Have you ever had stitches?". ..

But none of this I shared with my eight year old daughter, because overall Girl Scouts is a wonderful organization. I loved every minute I was involved with them, minus the above experiences. I learned all sorts of neat things, I met kids with the same interests , and most of all it was fun. My Mom was always our troop leader which helped because she gives 110% to whatever project is in front of her and she made sure we were always busy and doing something awesome.

But today as I watched my eldest in the rear view mirror of the car as she leaped up the steps of her little stone cabin and away from me for five whole nights I prayed she'd love Girl Scout Camp. I think she will. She's my outgoing, adventure seeking child. She thrives in social environments and she never blinked twice about going off to a camp where she might not know another living soul. Turns out she will know two of the other campers, but she found that out today as we were checking her in.

Here's Em standing on the front porch of her little cabin. Her t-shirt says The Alamo and she kinda looks like she'd be willing to hole up in that cabin and not come out no matter how much I pleaded and begged and got down on my knees and asked her to just come home with me...ahem, excuse me I just had a moment.

We were the first ones to arrive at her cabin so she had first pick of the beds. I believe she got the newest looking mattress and only one bed away from the floor fan!


WB and I watched with raised eyebrows as she methodically rolled out her sleeping bag and neatly tucked her blanket under her mattress on all sides. Then she tried it out.

So tonight I'm wondering how she is doing. We've already bought little e-mail notes to send to her each day. She will receive these like mail, as they will print them up and pass them out. But she's not allowed to communicate with us, unless there is an emergency of course.

Yes, here I sit looking out my window staring off into the canyons.

Do you see that dark area way over there? It's actually the shadow of a cloud, but right down there in that canyon lies the Girl Scout camp. Did I mention it was literally just over the hills from us? Well, it is. But now I just find myself randomly gazing in that direction knowing my first born child is over there and that I'm right here. Really, did anyone ever tell you how difficult it was going to be to watch your child grow up? It's pretty scary stuff I tell you!