Off to camp! Lacey was such a trooper. She did 99.9% of her packing for camp. That is partially explained by the fact that our days have been so busy. Part of it is she is old enough to know what she needs and what she wants to take. Gone are the days of "mom- made journals", zip lock bags packed with daily MATCHING outfits, special surprises for each day and the all important request for the mid-week phone call from the counselor to make sure our camper is A-OK!

Her trunk has held up pretty well for the past 8 years. It's lid lid reads like a sticker road map acknowledging various locales or showcasing other special meanings. Once it gets to camp it is part clothes trunk, part bench and part stepping stool to the preferred top bunk.

Lacey will see many familiar faces at camp, but the 3 beds closest to her are special camp friends who go way back to early St. Vincent school days through current school days. It seems we can pretty much count on one of two things when we make the camper drop...either scorching hot temps or rain. Today it was rain and the girls were wading through the mud in their stylin' boots. My contribution at the last minute was an umbrella on the ride down. Something tells me it will be well worth ever one of the five hundred pennies!!

I am so happy camp has been a part of our kids lives. It was such a fond memory in my own childhood. And now...for the next week I will wonder just how our Lacey-Lace is doing...send her camper e-mails faithfully...pour over the posted online photos...and pray good health, safety and a darn good time down the gravely drive to G3.