Another reason why I homeschool

So Marky is going to a boys' outdoor camp this week that goes from 8 to 4 everyday. He's never been gone from us for a whole day like that. The couple of things he's done have been 1/2 day things. I had to wake him up early this morning while the others slept and get him fed and dressed and his lunch packed and swim suit, towel, water bottles, etc. packed in his backpack and he was on his way with Daddy. Both Marc and I were a bit sad about the whole thing- even though Marky was beside himself with excitement over getting to do boys' outdoor stuff (and he did swim and shoot BB guns and sing praise songs- the whole Christian camp experience).

It's just that I love having him here- with me. And I can't imagine doing this everyday. It's funny b/c he used to go preschool and of course we tried a 1/2 day kindergarten for one semester, but it seems to me that the more we are together the more we like each other and are used to each other. The more he is gone- the more jolting it is for both of us when he comes back. And to see the reaction of his siblings when he wasn't here this morning- it was pitiful. Julia said, "let's go get Marky now", and I said, "he's going to be gone all day today" and she said, "BUT I LOVE HIM SO MUCH!"

I took the two little ones to the McWane center and noticed Tucker kept walking up to boys about Marc's size and tried to play with them. Those boys didn't understand why the 2-year-old with the paci wanted to play with them, but Tuck Tuck is used to his gentle, patient brother taking care of him and showing him things. (Good thing Sissy is ultra-attentive to him and never leaves his little side or he would have had his feelings hurt). I'm so happy for Marky getting to have this boys time and do the archery, canoeing and rock-wall climbing that he longs for, but I could never have this be our everyday schedule. I like eating breakfast casually with all my babies and reading stories all together and teaching them myself. I really think it builds on itself- the more we are together, the more we want to be together. So bottom line- we are pitiful without big brother and need him here.

In other sweet news, on the way to camp Big Marc was telling little Marc a story about St. Michael coming to the aid of a soldier in the Korean war when the soldier was up against communists. Marc said that Marky loved it (he loves St. Michael) and said, "now was this in North Korea or South Korea?" (So they had to have the "how Korea became divided conversation). He also said, "oh I know about the communists- they are in my book about the space race", and Marky explained the space race to Marc using terms Marc said he'd never heard. Then they prayed a decade of the rosary together and Marky talked about why he'd never want to live in a communist country. I said to Marc, "How many people had that conversation with their 7-year-old on the way to the Baptist church camp this morning, do you think?" :)