Many of you might have heard the saying that “camp is for the counselors” but I want to add another one to that which is “camp is for the parents” of the campers. This is the third year now that our daughters have attended a four-week away camp in northern Wisconsin. Fours weeks seemed like such a long time to have them away. I worried about them, but soon realized that I was just avoiding the feelings I was having about being alone for four weeks with my husband for the first time in over ten years! It soon became apparent how much we let the kids be a distraction for the two of us in the normal course of our days and weeks. We work on having dates and making time to be alone together, but having a long chunk like this of “just us” I see how much we divide and conquer on weekends and do a lot separately with the girls. These past weeks we have had so much fun and have really created our own “camp” experience – working and playing and talking and other fun couple activities! I have mixed feelings about them coming home. I am really excited to see them and be a full family again, but I am also sad to have the alone time with my husband end. It will be our job to consciously create the time together and make sure it happens even amidst the adventure of family life!