Three Weeks, Two Weeks, Two Weeks

Three weeks - Becca to Camp Louise took a lot of work.  All her anxiety, worries, fears... some of them normal for children, most of them not but for her all part of her daily life.  So many people worked with us to prepare her for these 3 weeks at sleep away camp. And what an experience it was for her, for the first time in a long time she got to be "normal" and not our "normal" but what most consider "normal".  Becca spent 3 weeks doing what other 11 year olds do,  meeting new friends, playing with them, listening to music, making things in arts and crafts all while NOT helping with treatments, wondering what nurse is coming today/night to take care of her brother, listening to machines go off (all part of her "normal"). She gained so much from her time at camp, most of what she/we have yet to learn but are looking forward to learning over time.  She left one child and came back another. Until next summer....Camp Louise....21719.

Two weeks -  Ian's time at Camp Simcha Special, one of the most magical places around. This was his 2nd year going, and it was just as wonderful as the 1st. He did things he has never done as well as things we never thought he would do again all the while getting all the care he needed and much more. He got to go swimming (he used to be a fish but has since become afraid of the water), he played baseball, he made a candle...all things "normal" kids do at camp. He had color war...oh wait he got to do things not "normal" kids do at camp, a helicopter ride, welcoming all the bike riders from Bike4Chai cross the finish line....he left one child and came back another. Until next summer....Camp Simcha Special.....12737.

Two weeks - Brian and my time without children....a very special time....one we will cherish over the year and will begin planning for ....Until next summer....where will we go.

While at camp one of the post from the director of Camp Louise: "The Middah for that week was finding contentment with what you have. Some people think it is hard to change how you think and feel, but brain scientists have proven that it is actually not hard. Just by repeating a phrase or an idea over and over again, we can re-write our brains to believe and feel differently. No matter what you have or what you get, try repeating the phrase, 'I have enough' over and over again. You'll soon come to believe it and feel more content with what you have." 

Thank you to everyone who helped make the last three weeks, two weeks, two weeks possible and reminding us to treasure, dream and live.