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Saturday, May 16, 2009

Baby Steps

Kate is away this weekend,
on a retreat with her Confirmation class. 

I realized that this is the first time
she has gone somewhere alone,
that wasn't either with family
or with a close friend, having a sleepover.

I have wondered many times over the weekend
how she is doing, if she is having fun.
We miss her.

But, this is good practice and preparation
for us all.
She will be going to sleepaway camp for the first time this summer for two weeks.
(Each week runs Sunday-Friday.)

When she starts high school in the Fall,
they also take a two or three day retreat.
And, I hope that when she is in high school,
she will want to go on Mission Trips 
and work camps like a I did as a teen.

Each of these are little baby steps
on the road to separating ourselves
as she takes on new responsibility 
and direction for her own life.

I hope that I have taught her well thus far
and that she feels confident and strong 
making her way out in the world.
She has amazing leadership skills,
and is tenacious and creative and compassionate.

Have fun, Kate.
Go fly.
But always know that you have a nest to come home to.

1 comment:

CarolinaMomOf5 said...

Awwww. We took those same baby steps a couple of weeks ago - Haley's first youth group retreat. It was her first time being gone for more than one night and going somewhere other than a sleepover at a friend's. We thought about her, missed her, and worried about her. It was fine, though. Of course it was fine. It was good for her. It's hard to let them grow up, isn't it?