Teen Camp 2018

"Mom, I want to go."

You cannot imagine the explosion that happened in my brain

when my new 12-year old told us this.

At the turn of the year, he heard our church youth group was going

to charter a commercial bus and drive 19+ hours

to The Wilds of North Carolina for teen camp this year,

and he determined in his mind that he was going because this

was the very first year he was eligible to go.

It did not matter to him that he is notorious for getting car sick

at least ONCE on long trips.

As long as he could take a bag with snacks and there were going to be

movies played on the trip.....he was IN!!

It did not matter to him that he is insanely allergic to poison ivy

and the last time he went to camp was pretty traumatized

when he came down with a mild case of it.

We would be sure to pack his prescription medication for it this time.

It did not matter to him that the price tag for a trip like this

was breathtakingly high, 

he was going to work for every penny of it.

The whole, entire spring and early summer this guy worked his tail
off mowing lawns, digging up rocks out of the neighbors yard,
washing cars, doing extra chores at home to earn all the money for the trip

plus a lot of spending money.

He marked off the dates on our kitchen calendar so we wouldn't forget.

He reminded me to start packing a full-week before the trip.

He even found his poison-ivy cream for me.

Even though this expensive bus did suffer a blow-out a couple hours from home

that delayed them for four hours, 

and even though he did indeed throw up all over himself

on the long ride home.....he had a blast!!

It was a process that no one in our family is likely to forget for a long time!!
Way to go, Garrett!!!!