Our church had a lock-in last night for 3rd-5th graders to give them a taste of summer camp.  Grace was excited to go, but when it was time to go she started to get a little anxious and asked if I could stay for a bit.  I assured her I would.  Then when we walked into the building and she saw many of the camp counselors from last summer, she turned into a completely different Grace.  She was loud and chatty, pointing at people and recalling events with them from last summer.  She was sarcastic and goofy.  She was confident.  I’m not sure that’s a word I’ve ever used to describe Grace, but last night that’s exactly what she was.  She was confident.  She was in her element and could not wait for the fun to begin.  She was telling other kids who weren’t familiar with camp all about it.  She was like a walking advertisement.  Then when it was time for her to head back with her counselor, she grabbed her bag from me and said good-bye.  I asked if she wanted me to go back with her and she said no.  I paused for a moment because this was an entirely new scenario for me and I wasn’t sure how to respond!  I hugged her, told her I was proud of her, and told her to have fun.  And off she went!

This morning I went to pick her up, and when the first grown-up saw me she just laughed.  Uh-oh.  “She hasn’t slept at all!”  Fabulous.  There she was, throwing her pillow, yelling, still having a blast eleven hours later.  We got in the car, took a friend home, and she was asleep by the next stoplight.  She was up for a bit at home, then slept for 4 1/2 hours.

I’m SO proud of her.  I need to tuck this one away to reassure her in anxious moments.  You can do this – remember the lock-in?  It seems like that’s a big part of parenting Grace, building on the last accomplishment.[subscribe2]