This morning Bob and I took Zachary to basketball camp up the hill at Anderson High School, a four day coaching for kids from second to ninth grade. We gave Zach, Danny, and K.K. the choice of an activity camp as a Christmas present and K.K. and Danny made predictable choices, a special dance show with her favorite teachers for K.K. and Sea Camp in Corpus for Danny. Zach, who loves balls and all things athletic, chose basketball camp.

The camp is just up the hill from our house, a long walk or a very short car ride, so it makes sense for Zach to live at our house during camp. We went and got him at his house before bed last night, and basketball shorts and shoes packed in the soutcase, he was very much ready to come. His big brother and sister helped him pack his suitcase. When we got home we put Zachary quickly to bed on the couch so he would have plenty of sleep before an intense eight hour physical day. It was absolutely precious that Liam, still up after an active Father's Day with his parents, helped tuck his big cousin in and gave him good night kisses - so nurturing and Zach was dear with Liam too, patting his back and just being generally loving.

I'm so glad I got up this morning to take Zachary. usually sleep in on my Mondays off and Bob had offered to do the morning routine himself, but my sleepy brain perked to enough to realize that this first time was the only first time that is ever going to be for Zach and sports camp. I was so impressed by our boy. Not only did he get up and dressed and fed independently and quickly, but he looked great, very much the young athlete with the short buzzed hair cut he prefers and his strong lean little body in shiny red basketball shorts and a sleeveless uniform like shirt. More important though, he seemed completely in his element in the gym with all the other kids, many much bigger. After he followed the coach's instructions about where to put his lunch, he grabbed a ball and dribbled out into the court and started practicing shooting at the regulation height hoop which looks pretty hight to me. He missed a few shots, as did most of the guys, but then hit one and a bit later, to Bob's surprise, hit a free throw from the free throw line. I was so happy that he seemed so comfortable and comptetent and happy. We did wave good-bye and I think he noticed, but he was clearly in his own world, exactly as he should be.