All Packed Up

This morning Sadie and Josie left home.

Headed for a week-long camp/Bible School two states away, they were beyond excited. They had looked forward to this moment for an entire year.

Their mother (that would be me), on the other hand, was not quite so excited.

Even though they will be under the supervision of their grandma (along with various aunts, uncles and other friends), that still doesn’t calm my mommy-induced paranoia. I won’t see them for a whole week! That’s a long time!

On Monday I procured a packing list from my ultra-organized sister-in-law and then I spent the rest of the week getting everything washed, folded, sorted and packed into as few bags as possible. I ended up with one green suitcase containing:

7 outfits each. (Josie makes me match up outfits before I pack things now, thanks to a little “incident” we had once while visiting family in NC when I inadvertently horrified her by including no matching pants for any of her shirts.)

2 extra shirts. (because who knows what spaghetti sauce lurks in the campus cafeteria? And if something stains, my girls will spill it. That’s just how it is.)

3 dresses, because my girls would wear a dress for any occasion – tea party, tree climbing, creek wading… doesn’t matter.

2 pairs of pants, a long-sleeved shirt and a light jacket. Usually it’s really hot at camp; if I didn't pack these, it would be freezing.

Beach bag with a swimsuit, a giant towel, a hat, flip-flops, sunscreen and bug spray.

Shower basket with shampoo, baby wash, wash cloths, tooth brushes, tooth paste, flossers, hairbrush and hair bows.

Various other things: Pillows, fans, extension cords, a love note from me, tote bags, water bottles, hand sanitizer, tissues, Benadryl itch sticks.

Activity bag – this one took me the longest to pack. Coloring books, crayons, mazes, magnet puzzles, Etch-a-Sketch, Invisible Ink books, silly putty, notebooks, travel bingo, card games, peanuts, yogurt bites, Craisins, gum, Starburst candies… you name it, I put it in there.

After all of that packing, all we had to put in the car this morning were ourselves, Sadie’s special Snoopy dog and Josie’s special “Crunchy” pink blankie. Then there was a short discussion over our fast-food breakfast restaurant of choice:

“No, Adelaide,” corrected Josie, “say BUR. Now say GER. BUR-GER.” Adelaide: “BUR. GER. BOOGER. Booger King.”

They gobbled up their cinnamon rolls and egg croissants. As soon as their grandma’s car parked next to us, they sprung out of the van, threw their luggage in her trunk and commenced to setting up the back seat just how they wanted it. Then they gave hugs and kisses to their little sister and brother and buckled up.

I hugged them and breathed them in one last time. I stared into their little faces – Josie’s smattering of freckles and mischievous grin, Sadie’s sweet smile and knowing eyes – and I managed to hold it together as they drove away. They were so busy getting settled in they didn’t even wave goodbye as the car pulled onto the street toward the highway.

They certainly didn’t have any time to cry.

I’m so proud of my girls. I’m glad that they are confident and that they don’t cry and hang on to my leg when they are going somewhere without me. I’m happy that they are learning to take care of themselves – and each other.

But, in all honesty, I wouldn’t have minded one little “I’ll miss you, Mommy!” either.