Gracie's coming home today, home today, home today...

Three days ago, my friend Char and I drove through the wilderness (felt like) to drop our precious babies (my oldest, her youngest) at Camp Conestoga for the Arena Riders (that's right--horse camp!) program. In the pouring rain.


As you can see, it didn't dampen the girls' spirits in the least.

Grace is my first little duck to sleep away from me--first at friend's houses, now this. It tugs at my heart a little bit to see just how very big my little angel is getting. The house feels all wrong without her in it. Claire has ended up in our bed both nights that Grace has been gone, the queen has been all out of sorts, and Sam has been (gasp) nice to Claire! (Okay, so that part isn't all bad).


Camp Conestoga is a Girl Scout Camp, and I have the most fantastic memories of Girl Scout Camp growing up. The other emotion I felt most strongly when dropping Grace and Rachel off was longing. I want to go back to Little Cloud. Remember how much fun that was? I always went with my cousin Kristie. One year my sister Carrie and cousin Gina went in the same group as us, but my strongest memory was of me and Kristie. We had our battles (always) but I think we'd both go back if we could. I wish I had the picture that was taken of us this fourth of July. I'd post it along with these adorable kids--you could just imagine our two dark heads beside the two little blonde ones above. We'd have had fun with those two, Kiki, would that we were 7 years old again!


And speaking of cousin love, Claire seems to have found her beloved cousin/sister (in fact she calls her her "sister") in little Bridget Markham. I'm beginning to suspect that "ClaireandBridget" is the phrase for their generation that "DawnandKristie" was in ours. Look at them: aren't they cute?


Before I know it it will be these two heading blithely off to adventures that will never include me. I'm glad to be a grown up, truly I am. Most of the time. It just feels a little funny to be on the "did-you-remember-your-sunscreen-keep-track-of-your-flashlight-yes-you-have-to-wear-your-raincoat-I-have-her-health-form-right-here" side of the equation instead of the "Mo-om, I'll be fine!" side.

And Gracie's coming home today--hooray!! I wonder if she'll have learned the canoe song?