Camp Sewataro Begins!

The countdown has finally ended and Finley got to start day camp this week!! Since last summer when I visited and we decided to sign him up in the fall, we have been getting Finley psyched for camp.  He and Dan took a tour last month, but it was raining and hard to get a true sense of the place so July 13th couldn't come fast enough!  We managed to gather ALL the items on the packing list and fit almost all of them in his new backpack (only the yoga mat for picnic lunches had to be carried separately).  He was bursting the moment he woke up and barely ate anything for breakfast since he was so excited to go.

Parent drop off is a well oiled machine at Camp Sewataro where the counselors simply open the car door and escort the campers out -- so all teary-eyed moms and dads have to get their hugs and photos before leaving their driveways.

Here's our eager Delaware Tribe camper

 And his trusty sidekick who wanted to dress up for the occasion!

 We rolled up to camp and he happily popped out of the car (to a crowd of strangers, mind you) and waved bye.  He looked back once he sat down and this was the only photo I could manage.  He's just to the right of the counselor in the gray sweatpants.

 I was so so proud of him for taking on this new adventure without hesitation and I didn't cry until leaving the campground and realizing he was one his own.  He did tell me that afternoon that he was only sad for a minute after our car was out of view.

We dropped him off around 8:15am and the hours flew by until we went to meet him at the town bus top just after 4pm.  The bus pulled into the parking lot and I got goosebumps in anticipation of seeing him come off the bus like a big shot.

 He was just beaming! He and his buddy, Jack, who is a family friend and in an older tribe at camp were just grinning from ear to ear and Jack's mom and I probably hugged our boys far too tightly at the first chance we got!

Both boys politely answered all our countless camp questions over frozen yogurt across the street (while their little sisters simply focused on their desserts).  Finley talked about canoeing, free swim, dribbling soccer balls to the goal, and getting two cookies after the second swim session.  He also brought home his first camp pin since his tribe sang in front of the whole camp at the camp meeting.  Hooray for a great first day!

That night at dinner, after he again answered politely all of Dan's questions about his day, Finley asked if he could go to camp again next summer :)  

His second day of camp was a hit, too, filled with swim lessons, s'mores, and fishing. Let the fun continue!