Is this what camp feels like?

Perhaps I experienced a little of what my dad felt about 23 years ago when he dropped me off at The Cove in NC for a week of sports camp. I very vividly remember my excitement as we travelled up to NC but I had no idea the emotions my dad was feeling. He was sad to drop me off even though he knew the experience was going to be good for me. I was going with a friend from school and boy was I stoked. If I remember correctly it was not my first camp expereince but for some reason that drive up made my dad emotional. He did not want to leave me and make the relatively short drive back down 26 to Columbia, but he did.

This could be a stretch but in my feable mind I don't consider it too much of a stretch. This morning I said good-bye to my beloved Chloe for a short while. Ok, so she is a dog, but she is my child and I love her with every part of my being. My heart, my mind, my soul. There is nothing I would not do for that dog. When I rescued her from the shelter I committed to love her and protect her. She is going to live for a month with mom and dad while I figure out a solution to the fighting problem between she and Mable. All that I read indicates that their days of playing together are over and that is ok. I can live with that but what I cannot live with is the absence of my dog. She has only been gone since 7:30 but I have already called four times to check on her. Is this what my dad felt? A hole in your gut? A feeling that you have temporarily lost control over something you love? Sometimes I am amazed at my insanity over my dogs but then I realize that this is a blessing from God. He has blessed me with a tender heart to care for animals, his creatures.
So today I can relate to my earthly Father letting me go to camp for a week and to the pain of our Heavenly Father who allows us to make choices, right or wrong, but is always there to pick us up and bring us home. One day soon I pray Chloe will return to me. Return to a loving home where she is desperately wanted and needed. I pray that when she does return life will not be chaotic. I pray that a solution is iminent and that the Lord will show me that solution very clearly. I believe in prayer and unfortunately do not always pray as I should. I so vividly remember the power of prayer when my father was experiencing open heart surgery. I could literally feel God's presence every second of the day. I know He was there and He was getting us through and showing us His plan. His perfect plan. I know pray fervently for a solution and I am not embarrassed to pray for my dog.