Love letter to CYO Camp

Dear CYO Camp,

Last year was Grady's first year at your summer day camp.  To be honest, we were a little hesitant to send him, as the C in CYO stood for Catholic.  I know, I know, we are religiously bereft parents and were making a lot of assumptions.  All of our fears subsided upon learning that the lead director had no religious affiliation and the focus was on nature, respect & independence.  I'm so glad our son attended and he's been counting down the days until this year's camp session.

Yesterday's camp highlights were:

• Scrub Club initiation = falling down on accident (accomplished by falling off the trail while hiking)
• Best chicken fingers of his entire life
• Swimming without poop in the pool (see yesterday's entry regarding same)
• Learning camp songs
• The art of tie-dyeing
• Learning about meditation & body, mind, spirit associations 
• Listened to the clean version of the song Thriftshop (and then asked if honkey & piss were bad words)
• Friendship bracelet making
• Favorite counselors = Anna & Sally

I love how full his days have been and how incredible the counselors are.  Naming all challenging tasks a club is genius.  And how you get them to eat all of their food, drink plenty of water & apply sunscreen is clever!  I'm definitely taking a few notes from your staff.  It makes this mama feel so, so good knowing he is in your care.

Tonight is the sleepover portion of camp.  Last year, he was nervous and unsure if he would want to stay the night.  This year, he packed up his own bag, charged the batteries for his flashlight, barely gave me a kiss goodbye this morning and off he went.  The growth and maturity that has happened this week is a wonder.

He came home with a whittled wooden cross last year that he wore as a necklace and told me he now had a forever family and that he attended church in an outdoor cathedral.  My eyebrows arched and I exchanged a quiet glance with my husband.  We said nothing and he wore the necklace for a week straight.

This year, I look forward to his time in the cathedral of trees with his new friends and receiving handmade gifts from the counselors who he adores and idolizes.  I can't wait to hear all about the new adventures he had and the s'mores count from the sleepover.  

Thank you for teaching my boy so much this summer and being part of our forever family.

Signed,

Grady's mom