July 5, 2008 9:14 PM
July 4th at our house - Maddy off to Walpole Island
Awesome July 4th at our house with 26 people and complete chaos - but happy chaos - all day.
Sam and Kip, my five grandchildren, Josh and Hattie, Zach and the six Curtis kids still at home, a couple of Sophia's friends and a family with five kids we've been wanting to get together with from church. Now we did - hope it wasn't too overwhelming.
Scenes from our day: Gathering in the living room to hear Tripp remind us of what Independence Day is all about with Josh reading the Declaration - skipping King George's transgressions. Wow! What an incredible piece of writing!
Rain - like last year -and huddling under the big outside table umbrellas to talk. Eating a huge assortment of meats because Tripp went wild on the barbecue. Getting to know Chris and Leslie better - and eating Chris's terrific chocolate cake - it was certainly the men's day to shine in the food department!
Fireworks on the driveway - they seem smaller and less worth having every year. I remember when I was a kid that fireworks were enormous - but of course there were lots of accidents.
I'm all for safety, but must admit that home fireworks in Virginia are pretty disappointing. I don't think any went over 7 feet and they'd make noises like something big was about to happen, but that only drew attention to the fact that nothing much happened at all.
But I did get some fun pictures, running around in complete darkness, snapping pictures with a flash:
This morning Maddy left for Work Camp with a bus from our church. They are going to do construction/painting for native groups living on Walpole Island.
Maddy's been expressing a lot of fear about going all week, but this morning she had a complete breakdown in the van and cried and begged me not to send her.
I was really at a loss - should I push her - actually force her - because encouraging was not making her any more willing to go? Or should we turn around and go home? We arrived on time at 8 am. She huddled in a fetal position in the passenger seat of the van and begged me to take her home. She was so distressed! I turned around to take her home, but on the way, her cell phone rang and it was one of her friends.
I drove her back, but the parking lot was full and there was a lot of activity so her friend didn't know where she was. Tripp arrived to pray for her.
Thank goodness the bus did not leave until 10. And thank goodness for her friends - especially the ones she got close to during the High School Youth weekend - who while I was out seeking some grown-up wisdom all came down and climbed in the van. When I returned they had Maddy wiping her eyes and holding up her head, so I beat a hasty retreat.
I came back 20 minutes later and the van was empty.
Then I had to make not one but two trips back home for things she'd forgotten - including her photo ID and then her pillow. Believe me, I did not complain - I was just so happy she was going as I knew God would have some great lessons for her there - after all, it was clear, He'd already started :)
When the time came, she was ready to get on the bus and not even worried about the swollen eyes:
My sweet little girl!
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Comments
I did this exact thing before every big trip as a teen - it's so hard wanting to go out into the world and still feeling a little like a kid who needs her mommy:) I think it's a very good sign that she's so close to her family. I feel for kids who never experience homesickness, but what a perfect way for her to begin the process of making her own mark in the world with her friends there to support her and her parent's prayers. I'll be praying for her, too, this week.
Posted by: Shannon Miller | July 5, 2008 10:49 PM
You are an awesome mom! I can still remember my mom driving me to my new high school in 10th grade. I'd begged to go there, and she'd moved heaven and earth to get me a scholarship. I cried all 18 miles there with the worst stomach ache of my life, but she just kept driving (and I'm sure praying silently like mad!). I am so glad she did that for me, even though at the time I thought death was coming any moment.
Now that I'm a mom I have the hardest time knowing when to keep driving and when to turn the car around. I just have to pray like my mom did. And it's such a sweet victory when they pull it together, like your daughter did, and you know that something important happened to them, and you were a part of it, and they're a little older and stronger - it's just great!
Posted by: Tari | July 6, 2008 1:14 AM
For the duration of the camp Maddie will be just a few miles down the river from me. If she happens to call, please tell her someone only a few miles away is praying for her!
Posted by: Salome Ellen | July 6, 2008 8:30 PM
When my oldest daughter was 14, I signed her up to go to Catholic Heart Work Camp with our parish youth group. I knew it was a great thing from all I had heard from parents and kids who had gone before. She did not want to go, and I had to practically strap her into the car the day they were leaving. She came home at the end of the week having had the best experience of her life. She had always gone to mass with us and been a great kid, but she came home grounded in her faith on her own, and dedicated to helping others. She could not wait to go back each year, and in college has continued with Habitat for Humanity and other service. When it came time for the next daughter to go to work camp, her sister was the one who insisted she go.
Posted by: melissa | July 7, 2008 11:40 AM
