It's Awfully Quiet Over There

You may have noticed that I haven't had any Joel stories or Joelisms this week. I know you're probably thinking that I've done something rash like sold him to the gypsies, or let him intern with the Schwan man for a week or so.

Well, nothing quite so exciting. He's just gone at church camp this week. It's been blissfully quiet with just the one boy gone, but the one boy causes about 90% of the uproar around here. Someday I know that big brain full of ideas will take him to amazing places, but this week his big brain full of ideas was someone else's responsibility. To be specific, the responsibility of two pastors from our church (we'll call them P and C), who are both bunking in Joel's cabin (and who will probably never speak to us again after this week).

It was nice being friends with them up to this point.

Anyway, he had some hesitation the day before he was to leave and told me he wasn't sure anymore if he wanted to go. I looked at him and said, "Oh, you're going. We've already paid for it, and you're going." I wasn't trying to be harsh, I just wasn't even going to open up a conversation about the possibility of his not attending. We then had a long talk about how much fun I had at church camp and Alexx (17) told him how much fun he had, etc.

So he went with reserve, but was feeling much better about it once he knew he had P and C in such close proximity. Well, we sent paper and stamped, addressed envelopes with him so he could write home - and I've anxiously checked the mailbox each day. Nothing. Why are boys like that?!

We pick him up tomorrow morning, and we finally got a letter from him this afternoon in the mail. My heart soared.

Here's what it says:

Dear Mom and Dad,

The first day of camp was a blast except I sprang my ankle (of course). You were probably expecting me to get hurt on the first day, but I love camp! You were right. I've already made two major friends, Cole and Mark.

Love, Joel

And now we get his big brain with all the ideas back tomorrow. Yipee!