Weekend Trip to Maine

Marlee will be entering third grade this year, which means that it is time to look at sleep-away camps this summer and find one for next summer. Now this may seem like an easy thing to do, but it really is not. I have a special summer camp lady Ann Travis who has been helping me throughout the year. Last fall we discussed what type of camp I would like Marlee to go to. Our first phone conversation was all over the place. I did not know if I wanted all girls, co-ed, a 3-, 4-, 6- or 7-week camp. Did I want a pool or a lake or both. Did I want to be in Maine, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania or NY State. Did I want a uniform camp or not. Being the indecisive person that I am, I got brochures from all types of camps. I finally decided that we would look at an all-girls camp in Maine. Some were uniformed and some not. I decided to look at 3 camps that were 7 weeks and one camp that was either 4 or 8 weeks. I made hotel and flight arrangements and set up tours for all the camps back in February.

So the time has finally come for us to visit the camps. Our whole family flew up to Portland, ME. Dana was a trooper being dragged around all these camps and catnapping throughout the day. They were all beautiful camps on magnificent lakes. The difference between the camps was the campers, the facilities, the directors and just the overall feel that you get from the camp. We loved 2 of the camps that we visited. One is a 7-week and the other was the 4/8-week camp. It was a lot to see in just 2 days and a lot of driving. The second day there it poured and we all walked in the rain. Not exactly fun, but we had to decide on a camp because there was no way any of us was coming back up to Maine. Marlee enjoyed meeting the girls, and Bradley enjoyed walking in the lake with his sneakers on. The last camp we saw is the one we decided on. It is not a uniform camp but it was very relaxed, the girls were all having a lot of fun and the director was great.  We all decided that this is the camp for Marlee.

Now I just have to hope that no one from her school will choose this camp. I also have to hope that Marlee won’t change her mind and not want to go to sleep-away camp. I think it is a fabulous opportunity for her. She will learn to be more independent, meet great friends, have a lot of fun, play new sports and try lots of new activities.  She is so lucky to have this opportunity — I just hope she will feel the same way as I do.