That's My Baby!

I've mentioned before that we have six kids. Matt and Steph are twenty months apart, Luke came three years later, Paul came three years after that, then Paul and Joel are eighteen months (and one day) apart and Joel and Nicky are twenty months apart. For the longest time we've kind of mentally grouped them into the "older" kids and the "younger" kids. Luke's been one of the older kids ever since he joined the youth group. That was three years ago. It was hard to see our little boy start hanging out with the teenagers, even though he was a teen himself.
But he's grown and we've let him go. He's fifteen now. At our last youth service, Luke was the song leader for the entire congregation. The teens leave for camp on Monday, and this will be his third year. I worried some about how he would do, but he absolutely loved it. Especially last year when he walked around talking with a British accent the entire week.
So I've had three years to get used to Luke being a teenager. (I still can't get used to the fact that the two oldest are out of high school!) But guess who's going into the youth group now?
It's one of the "younger" kids. Paul turned twelve, and he will be going into the seventh grade in the fall. He had his first youth outing this past week. And he's leaving for camp on Monday.

I don't think I can take this.

Paul is quieter and more shy than Luke. And I worry that he's not quite ready for camp. Not that I have a choice. He's very excited about it and looking forward to it. And there's nothing I can do to stop him.
Oh, I know I'm supposed to embrace this. After all, we raise them to grow up and become adults. I don't want them to stay kids the rest of their lives.

But couldn't they stay kids for just a little while longer? For those of you that know us personally, I"m sure you wavering back and forth between amusement and sympathy. Well let me knock your socks off. Guess who's going in the youth group next year?

Joel.

Now you see what I mean. I'm suffering. Can anyone help?