Let thy Children Go

oh its been awhile. But I'm reopening the Crazy Neighbor lady files.
Now you'll start reading my blog again now won't you?!

Did I mention neighbor lady had a baby? Yeah back in October. Another boy. she has 3 now. Poor lady.

So her oldest son is the one that drives us all crazy because he's really immature and whines about needing his mom and its enough to make you question his age. But yet he's over 5"5' and weighs probably as much as a full grown adult. he's a big kid. His dad is tall so he was bound to be tall anyway.

Anyway, Noah will be off to camp this summer like he was last year and neighbor lady was discussing with us about him going to camp. When did we discuss this? Oh I'm so glad you asked. See her kids came to Noah's birthday party which was held at my dad's house. But because they didn't know my dad they didn't feel comfortable leaving their kids with us and originally weren't going to let them come. Well word is they prayed about it (yes, they prayed about this) and I guess God gave them the clearance they needed to let the kids come. So they were dropped off, but neighbor lady and husband showed back up about 40min later and proceeded to park themselves near the kids with us.
*Sigh*
Whatever though.
I didn't have to watch the kids swimming now which was a plus. I wasn't really watching them anyway.
Back to the camp story.
So somehow camp came up and hubby and I were raving on and on about how great Camp Gilead is and how much fun Noah had....basically making it out to be the best thing for a kid. Here is how the conversation went:
Neighbor lady: "so can you call the kids or stop by?"
Me: " noo....its camp. Its only a week."
Neighbor lady: "well I don't think I could handle that. That's a long time to not speak to your kids."
Me: "well, its good for the kids."
Neighbor lady: "I just don't think I could do it. I would need to talk to them."
Me: "you can't call them. They have rules about this. It makes the kids feel homesick if you are calling them. Only emergency calls only."
Neighbor lady: "I don't know..."

Me (in my head) "Are you kidding me? this is CAMP! Let the kids go have a good time w/out you! What the heck would you need to talk to them about anyway?? Let the kids live and be KIDS!?"

Conversation was pretty much over after that because I was a little disgusted. No wonder the oldest kid is so needy and whiny - she feeds that to him! Bleech.
And hubby can't figure out why I won't go have dinner with them. Hello?! I don't want to watch a 12 yr old be treated like a 12month old. No thanks. Not my type of parent. It took everything in me to not comment about how it was "time to cut the cord." That would be just plain mean. I understand its rough to let your kids go away to things like camp or whatever, but honestly Noah is a better kid and WAY more well rounded because we DO let him go. AND its good for me and Hubby. We need time away from him for goodness sake. I'd go crazy if I couldn't have my alone time away from him and Noah would go crazy if I was smothering him.
Noah looks forward to go away and be a kid and be around a ton of kids. He loves it and honestly I love letting him Go.
Last year we had no concerns about leaving him at a camp where he knew no one and we had never even heard of Camp Gilead. But I knew God was all over that camp and had such a peace about it that we had no concerns. And we burned rubber OUT of the camp!! hahahaha -- no joke either. No sense in giving room for him to change his mind! He didn't by the way. He was having too much fun to even think about us!
And in the end when we went to pick him up and they did a little video and a praise and worship presentation of all the songs they knew with hand movements -- just broke my heart (in a good way) to see all those kids having a BLAST and sing their hearts out for God. This IS a great thing we can let our kids do.
There is nothing better then seeing about 50 kids worshipping and trying to sing louder then their neighbor....its like Balm to the soul...
sort of like the name Gilead:

*In the Bible "Gilead" means hill of testimony or mound of witness.

Come On - that is awesome! Who wouldn't want their kid to experience that?? Neighbor lady - heed the call from Moses, "let my people go!" So let your kids go and enjoy camp - any camp!