Caroline is going to sleep away camp this Thursday. I am torn between sheer excitement and utter terror. She will be attending the same camp that I went to and loved which was the same camp that my mom went to and loved. Many of the current directors were there when I was. Each time I call, I hear a familiar voice on the other end of the line. Apparently, these people were either way younger than I thought they were at the time or the place has some strange fountain of youth. Either way, I know Caroline will be in good hands which is helping to ease the worries on my part.

While Caroline knows all of this, will be attending with the daughter of a dear camp friend of mine and has looked at oodles of pictures of all the fun being had, she is still understandably nervous. We began to pack yesterday which I think really brought the fears front and center. Yesterday was full of questions, concerns and a few tears.

Last night, these worries were expressed beautifully in Caroline’s choice of bedtime reading. We always choose a few picture books to read as a preview to our chapter book reading. Last night, Caroline chose Kevin Henke’s genius work, Wemberly Worried.

At least the child is transparent.

And through literature, as we’ve done so many times in the past, we were able to talk about being worried and then about feeling better.

Thank you Wemberly. Give Petal a hug for me…