Asher at overnight camp- the end

Benjamin took Asher's hand and stuck to his side

We got Asher today after 25 days apart. In his absence, we received 1 letter from him (he says it was 2, one was sent to Mommy & Daddy, one to Benjamin & Charlotte, and they said the exact same thing), so what he had done for 3.5 weeks was a complete mystery to us. We assumed he was having fun since he'd been too busy to write, and we hadn't received a single phone call from the camp about any problems.

We were so excited to drive up there and pick him up! My tummy had nervous butterflies as we got close because I couldn't wait to see him. When we pulled into the camp, he was standing on the porch of his cabin waiting for us, and he dashed down to greet us at the car. He started crying, and I teared up, too. I thought he must have really missed us! Finally he choked out that he had so much fun at camp, and didn't want to go home.

Asher with his counselors and CIT

Asher was completely packed, and we loaded up his bags, and he gave us a tour of his cabin and the camp. Benjamin and Charlotte were so excited to see him, and they wouldn't step away from his side. He showed us around the campus, and told us about what they did in the different areas. He seemed to love the traditions and the rituals. Asher said all of his bunkmates were nice, and everyone got along. He knew 2 of the boys from his Hebrew school class already, and made good friends with another boy. Pretty quickly after getting to the camp and seeing how much Asher loved it, Benjamin said he wanted to go next year. I am not sure how I will survive with both of my boys gone next year, but I have 48 weeks to prepare. And of course Charlotte is already counting down the years until she can go, too.

When we drove away from the camp, we headed to a Phillies game. The ride was about 1 hour and 40 minutes, and Asher talked the whole way about his adventures at camp. Charlotte would periodically interrupt him and say, "Asher, are you still talking?" We heard about his trip to the state park, to Dorney Park, the color wars they had in camp, what kind of food they served in the dining hall, the night they snuck out of the cabin, and so on.

Sunny at the baseball game

We saw the Phillies play the San Diego Padres, and had thought it would be cool and cloudy. Wrong! Hot and sunny. Eric made us leave in the 7th inning because he was getting overheated. I have to go back again another day, without him, so I can stay. Also without Charlotte, who whined nonstop.

She won't let go of him!

We welcomed him home with Eric's homemade pizza, and a cake I had baked. Asher said he was happy to sleep in his own bed, but I think he missed all his friends and his counselors. He said he was glad to have gotten a vacation from his little sister, but that vacation is over now- she won't leave him alone! We had to peel her off of him tonight at bedtime.

I have very mixed feelings myself- on the one hand, I am delighted that he had such an overwhelmingly positive experience, and that he feels a part of a special place in a way I never have. I could not have asked for a better overnight camp experience for him. On the other hand, it is very hard for him to have an entire part of his life that I will never be a part of. I know that this is how it goes, and as he gets older, he will have more and more of his own places and things, but this is the first. I have always been a part of his school and known his teachers, met his friends and hosted them at our house, but he now has a group of friends I will probably never know, and an important piece of his life that I will never experience. It is one more milestone in watching him grow up- these milestones seem to creep up but then fly past.

Asher at overnight camp

The boy in his bunk

This is out of sequence- we took Asher to overnight camp 10 days after we returned from our trip to France- but I wanted to write about the experience before he comes home.

Asher asked to go to overnight camp around January, I think. Prior to him asking, I had been sure that it wasn't going to happen in our family. I didn't really like overnight camp as a child; my first experience was 4 nights at a girl scout camp in Texas, and I had hated every single minute of it (cold showers, bugs, dirty mattresses, terrible food, incessant homesickness). Eric had never gone. But in the area where we live, it is pretty common for kids over 8 to go away for at least three weeks, and I had simply been burying my head in the sand. So Asher asked, and I asked if he would prefer a Jewish overnight camp, or a non-religious one. He said a Jewish camp, and so it was a done deal- we would find a way to make it happen.

I was anxious for days before Asher's departure, and didn't sleep much in the nights leading up to it. There was such extensive preparation, with buying things and labeling things and sorting things and packing things. Finally we were ready to go, and on June 27, I drove Asher up, along with family friends whose daughter was also attending. I thought I would certainly cry, and just wanted to hold it together so that he wouldn't see me.

We arrived, and after a temperature check and a lice check for him, we proceeded to his cabin and unpacked his belongings. While I was unpacking he ran outside and started to play Gaga with some of his bunkmates and counselors, and I had to pull him back in to show him where I had stored all of his belongings. He was eager to return to playing, and gave me a really quick hug and kiss goodbye, and that was it- he wasn't sad at all. His comfort at being left with friends helped me feel comfortable in walking away.

The first week wasn't bad. After leaving Asher at camp, I had a full day of work and then Eric and I flew out to California. We came home and it was the July 4 holiday, and time raced by. But he's now been gone almost 3 weeks, and I miss him painfully.

Our whole family seems off-balance. Charlotte and Benjamin don't get along too well. She tries to boss him around, and he is moody and tries to tattle on her whenever he can. He is suffering from insomnia and won't stay in bed at bedtime, getting up with a rotating list of complaints (I'm afraid of the dark, the air conditioner wakes me up, I am itchy, etc.). Everything seems to be a little low-energy. I went to Trader Joe's yesterday, and had a powerful pang of missing him. Benjamin wrote him a letter and said, "Dear Asher, you must miss me, since I really miss you." and drew a picture of himself parachuting into Asher's cabin to join him at camp.

I write him about every-other-day, and we have received one letter in return, 2 weeks ago. It was 3 sentences long. He said: Camp is amazing, I swim in the lake, I like woodworking, and I am trying new foods. We haven't heard anything else! I am hoping that it means he is so busy having fun with his friends that he doesn't have time to write. We can see pictures online and he seems occupied and happy.

The countdown is on- less than a week until he returns. I dreamed about him last night, I am missing him so much. For his homecoming Charlotte wants to decorate the house, and I want to bake him a big cake. And of course, smother him with hugs and kisses. This separation has been difficult on our end, and I am very eager to hear what it was like for him.

Charlotte's pre-k graduation

The graduate and her teachers

On June 6, Charlotte graduated from pre-k for the 2nd and last time. She was in a kindergarten curriculum this year, and is more than prepared for public school kindergarten in the fall. She is full-on reading and is very proud of her abilities.

Her graduation ceremony was short and sweet. Unlike last year, where she clammed up and said nothing, she did all of her parts loudly and proudly.

Walking into preschool for the last time 

The graduates assembled on the stage

Between two of her friends

Accepting her diploma

Taking a bow

 Charlotte was excited and eager to reach the big day, and was happy up until I told her it was time to go, and it appeared to sink in that she wouldn't be seeing everyone again the next day. Once again she was in a class full of good friends, and everyone seemed to love each other (and everyone seemed to especially love Charlotte). When we started to leave, she began to cry, and cried all the way home. I am happy that all of our children had such a warm and loving experience at their preschool, and it is hard to believe that our 6 years there are now over.  From her graduation, we left immediately for our next adventure- 10 days in France.

June 2018

The family in France

I am so overdue on so many posts. June was a wild month.  Our main events were:

• Charlotte's graduation from preschool 
• 10 days in France and the wildest wedding we ever attended
• Asher's departure for 3.5 weeks at overnight
• My trip to California with Eric 

I will go through these things 1 by 1, but I wanted to let anyone who reads this blog know that I am not in fact dead, but simply busy.