"I'll be right back!"

Just the other day, my eldest was wondering out loud, "Do you think we had tails at one point?". And he went on to say, "If I had a tail, I'd use it to hang on to a tree -- to swing from one to another!".


I knew there was some reason why we parents sometimes refer to our children as monkeys! ;p 


Before long, Jon had swung his way to the scouts' summer camp -- one whole week, no phones allowed, and a 4h drive quite far away in the next state!

It was the longest time and furthest he'd stayed away from home. The hardest part for me was the no communications with him at all, unless you count the mass email that another parent there sent to let us know the campers were well. 

There was that empty feeling. Mealtimes I found myself doling out food and praying for this son to be eating well.  The hubby was stifling a laugh when I went, "This is torturous!" by midweek. Meimei also was asking for him, "Where's Jon? I miss him!". Younger brother, too, although not admitting it, said it was the most boring day ever -- even after I'd taken them out to play and play.


Kait helped me make a cute paper-plate snake card to mail to Jon, wishing him a SSSSSuper fun time at camp. Ben agreed that we should add, "Beware of snakes!" because of the roughing it out not just fun his brother was up for ;p.


"I'll be right back!"
Finally Day 7 came, and Jon returned -- tanned, tired, and thought he would win the "most injured camper" award! The Montana waters were terribly chilly, but that also did not stop him from giving the camp a 10/10!


Glad he did it, and really thank God for His protection. The hypothermia, and Jon also survived quite the bump on his head from a flying rock. He also slid and fell from a tree, and had other cuts and scrapes from more adventures we were excited to hear, not just eager to feed him dinner. 


He really enjoyed the different and more outdoor opportunities than he got to do on weekend campouts, "It was sweeeeeet! I swam, kayaked, shot rifles, climbed trees and went on nature hikes!". The summer campout was also not without more roughing it out (the toilet was in the bushes), and learning to take care of himself.  


The things to toughen our children up. And I guess us moms, too. There was Yan's reminder to "let go, let God" watch over them when we can't be there, and the support from you faraway friends, that helped me hang in there till Jon got back.  


Only then could I say, the week has flown by! ;p


("I'll be right back!" has got to be my fave phrase last week, of all the phrases my youngest has picked up from her two brothers.  And this one happened to be from Jon. The up-on-the-tree picture was from May.).