Evergreen 4

David got his first experience with camp this summer.  We did Pine Cove in the City at a local church.  It is a day camp but gave him a glimpse of the summer camp experience.  I had heard great things about Pine Cove and this day experience was equally as quality.  

Our first experience was driving up to the church with counselors jumping up and down and chanting on either side of the drive.  The heat combined with the energy spent made me exhausted just watching.  

There were large cabins set up in the sanctuary.  Each had a different woodland tree name.  David was in Evergreen 4.  (PS remember that; it will be important later).  All counselors take on nicknames. His was Quesonada.  

While David was on his own all day, I got a glimpse of the fun activities through pictures that were constantly posted.  The kids had praise time and then generally did some sort of water activity outside.  They were most often combined with large inflatables.  There was also a mini-bungee jumping as well as rock climbing, laser tag, and kickball.  Lots of active time.  The kids learned lots of chants and goofy camp traditions.  

We learned a couple of important things from this week at camp.  1.  David is not really huge camp kid.  He wasn't crazy about the more structured parts of the camp.  2.  This was probably particularly because he kept getting sent to the "high counselor" for discipline.  One time he wasn't paying attention when told to get back in line.  Another time he used a word deemed inappropriate (not a word we taught him but also not a cuss word).  I was totally ok with the strict adherence to high standards.  I think David probably got a bad rap but I also think it was good for him and gave us opportunity to talk over the important lessons he did need to learn.  He was just frustrated--more with himself and the system than anyone else.  Remember he is my filing cabinet boy and he just said with extreme frustration one day that he just couldn't remember all the rules.  They just all kept coming out of his head.  Accurate representation of my son: rarely intentionally rebellious but often thoughtless or just in another world.  3.  Another accurate representation was the character qualities that his counselor spoke over David--sympathetic, transparent, and confident.  4.  Finally, confirmed what we already knew:  David has never been so great remembering people or their names.  There were only 7 boys in his cabin, including himself.  Two weeks ago, we were in the church library.  David saw a kid wearing a "Pine Cove in the City" t-shirt and here is the conversation:

D: "Oh, I went to Pine Cove in the City!"

Boy's mom:  "Yes, he went too at Northwest Bible Church.  What church did you go to?"  

David: "I went to Northwest Bible too.  What cabin were you in?  Were you in Evergreen?"  

Me (said very skeptically):  "Hah!  There were dozens of cabins."  to his mom- "Even if they had been the same age and in the same cabin, David isn't so good with names, he probably still wouldn't have remembered..."

The kid: "Yes, I was in Evergreen 4 with Quesanada!"  

Enough said!  I love my scatter-brained, affectionate son! (PS, notice him upside down in several pictures??? ;) )