Dress rehersal

Matthew is going to summer camp this year. WHOA. Not sure that I am ready for him to be gone for a week. A few weeks ago Ken and Matthew started talking about a regular camp out with his Boy Scout troop. Ken wouldn't be staying overnight, but Matthew would - 2 NIGHTS. I wasn't too thrilled about the idea, but Matthew was really excited about the idea and Ken thought he would be fine. (Ken has many wonderful Boy Scout memories of course.)

Matthew did go and had a great time. Ken took Joel and Anna out to the campgrounds for a quick visit on Saturday and brought the scouts 'smore ingredients. Ken picked him up Sunday morning and they met me in the church parking lot. Matthew was filthy and wearing very "non-church" clothes that were very dirty, but the last Mass started in 10 minutes. I thought he would be coming home in his scout shirt that had only been worn "to" camp and not "at" camp, but it was dirty too. We had to settle for the only clean things in his pack, still not church clothes, but at least clean....lesson learned for next time. Matthew had to go into the men's room and scrub the dirt (and 'smores) off his face. He had a great time, earning his award that allows him to use a pocket knife at scouting events, starting fires and playing capture the flag. (hmmmm let's see he played with knives (and saws/hatchets etc) and fire....I think I would have been REALLY scared if I had know the camp-out agenda)

In retrospect, I think this was camp-out was a great idea, to prep us both for the week he will be gone to scout camp!