Camp - Between here and yonder and every point in between

There is this great song by The Proclaimers called “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” in which the singer says, “I would walk 500 miles and I would walk 500 more just to be the man who walks a 1000 miles to fall down at your door.” If you haven’t heard it, I strongly suggest adding it to the ol’ iPod especially if you are a runner – it has a great stride beat. Granted, the song is about the person the singer loves but as any parent can attest, there are no lengths to which we wouldn’t go to be with our children or try to make them happy.

I know, I know, at some point these kiddos of ours need to learn that not everything in this world is joyful and happy. HOWEVER… we mothers are a fierce breed. Somehow, we spend as much energy trying to make our off-springs happy as NASA does to make one of those giant tin-cans of a rocket take off – in the case of some people I know, just as much pyrotechnics! Anyway, for some reason that only my shrink can possibly fathom, I have signed up my children for various camps this summer. But herein lies the rub…

We went to San Diego for a few days in June only to arrive home to drive half across Texas the next day to deliver middle child Simon to camp west of Kerrville. He’s there for 7 days before we haul across half of Texas, again, to pick him up. Five days later, we drag ourselves back across the same flippin’ stretch of road to take oldest son Christopher to Boy Scout camp which is north of San Marcus. To add to my driving enjoyment, I return 7 days later to retrieve him. After returning to Houston, I will wash and repack the car to trek to Oklahoma to visit my mother, return home, and go to and from Fort Hood at the end of the month of July. Hhhmmm, I think I might need an oil change…

Not only do I need a new set of tires and a butt transplant to replace my deflated touche, I am seriously beginning to question my motives for this summer of “fun.” What in the hell was I thinking?!?! I wanted everyone to have FUN! As a side note, on a recent trip I really felt sorry for youngest son Alexander for not getting to go to all the “fun” places his brothers attended. As a conciliatory effort, I actually considered buying him the $13 red, Buc-cee pillow at the renowned Buc-cee’s Stop. I mean, after all, he falls asleep in the car ALL the time and he might be able to use it…Poor kid, deserves so much more… but I digress…

I know it has taken a rather long time to get to my point here. The recurrent theme of being tired throughout this blog hasn’t been this prevalent in quite some time. But as I sit back this evening to recount the last few weeks and ponder what is to come, there is one thing that is certain: summer is a time of change. Oldest son Christopher has done his preview week at his new middle school and was actually BORED while middle son Simon was at camp. Christopher changed from being an elementary student to a middle schooler – in other words, he moved from being my first born baby to a young man on his way to discovering himself. We left middle son Simon at camp last week as the baby of the family (he really is the baby regardless of his middle child status – and I will totally deny I said this if he inquires!), and we picked him up today years older. Youngest child Alex is all about the “me do it!” with everything from getting in and out of the car to opening his juice.

I am so thankful that my children have these summer camp experiences. I remember every summer camp I attended and the ways in which I changed and grew. I want my children to have that experience, too! But, for me, it is a double edged sword – I want them to go forth and conquer, experience, and, just be. At the same time, I mourn for the loss of what they were, their childhood and infancy, a time that I can never recapture. I guess the bottom line is that I hope I’ve done enough for them, given them enough love, and helped to prepare them for what lies ahead. I’m thinking I might have done okay, though. Yesterday, I got the lone postcard from camp for the week. It was addressed to “Mom.” This alone sent me into a happiness orbit! Simon said he was having a great time and wanted to stay longer. He also wanted to know when he would be receiving his care package. Clearly we need to work on bringing him out of his shell…