Sib Camp

Eli and Maddux attended a 36-hour camp this weekend. Camp Sunshine is a great resource for families going through childhood cancer. There are events throughout the year, family camps, and sibling camps. We hope to attend a family camp next fall, since Ruby was unable to attend this year during her treatment. A few weeks ago, Maddux and Eli were signed up to go away for two nights during the sibling camp. This camp is only for siblings (age 7-18) of kids with cancer. The focus is totally on the siblings...giving them time and attention and something fun that is just about them (and not about the hospital or sickness).

I dropped the kids off at the the Camp Sunshine house on Friday night. They rode a charter bus about an hour away to the campsite with other kids from the metro area. Once they arrived (per both Maddux and Eli), the fun started and didn't stop until I picked them up first thing this morning.

Maddux said she and the other six girls in her cabin stayed up late giggling. Perfect. She loved her counselors and she thought it was so cool that she got to pick her activities without any restrictions. She mostly did arts & crafts and fishing, but she dabbled in magic and archery as well. When I picked her up she gave at least two other girls hugs, and waved good-bye to everyone she saw.

Eli said his cabin was allowed to stay up until 11:45 the first night. He opted to play in the gym that whole time: basketball and dodge ball. For his activities, he picked sports, magic and drums. While he had a great time, I didn't see any hugs from him, and I doubt Eli stayed up late giggling. He is super excited about the magic though, and has shown me magic tricks constantly since he got home.