Yes, VBS has come and gone, once again! It's funny, because it's a week that I really look forward to, but I also really dread. There have been few things in my life that have been so exhausting to me . . . both physically and mentally!
This year the theme was J.P.'s Water Park and Amber and I taught the kindergarten class (Emma and Karis' class) We had a really great group of kids. (Of course there are always one or two . . . how should I say it? Nevermind . . . you get the idea.) We had 16 total, most of them being boys. Here is our crew . . .
Blake and Bekah (my niece and nephew) were able to join us this year. Blake was in my class and he and Emma were joined at the hip. It was very cute to see them going everywhere together, saving spots for each other, running around holding hands . . . very sweet. Blake also acquired a new nickname this week, which needs no explanation for those who know him . . . he is our little MacGyver. He cracked me up when he wanted to save his spoon after eating his snow cone . . . no doubt he had plans to use it to build a rocket!
L-R: Cullen, Jodi, Amber and Justin all sporting the infamous "Jodi chin" Very Cute! Cullen was our crazy guy who walked around all week squirting the kids with water guns and asking "Is it water day yet?" The kids LOVED him and loved yelling "water day is Friday, Cullen." Jodi was our music director and did a fabulous job! Justin was our teen helper for the week and was awesome!
Here's a glimpse into our classroom time
It really is amazing to me how well it all went . . . by God's grace many of the things that I had imagined as being disastrous went off without a hitch. On Thursday we practiced for parents night and several of the teachers were standing around looking at each other and thinking, "You have got to be kidding me . . . this is going to be a big huge complicated mess!!" In an effort to not discourage Jodi, I kept my mouth shut. It all went off on Thursday night without a hitch! I was completely amazed!
Friday was water day. We spent most of the day outside with all of the kids out at the same time. I was once again imagining disaster. I knew it would be hot outside and I knew there would be over 100 children running around who were supposed to be organized at different stations . . . either playing water relay games, eating snow cones or going down the water slide. I could hear it all in my head. "Do you want to create a disaster of astronomic proportions? It's as easy as 1-2-3! Just take a big huge parking lot that is covered with steaming hot black asphalt, add about 100 kids. Next you need a large group of teachers who have just had their lives sucked out of them by a full week of VBS. But that's not all! No! There's more . . . now add water balloons, water guns, buckets, hoses and a 20 foot water slide! A sure-fire disaster! Money back guarenteed!"
Well, I am thrilled to report that I was SO wrong!! It was a very fun day. It was hot outside, but I got over that once the 2nd bucket of water was dumped over my head (Thanks Zachary!) The kids did great, the water slide was a hit (with the teachers as well as the kids), and the children were picked up by their parents outside, so we didn't have to haul in any wet ones.
This morning I woke up and my entire body hurt! It was a great week, but I think I need another week to recover!
Tonight we officially took down the crib. Meg and Julie are now enjoying their first night in their new bunkbed. They were both very excited about this change . . . but with that change comes training : ) Yep, little Julie is now learning that she must stay in bed. (My trick is that I put Walmart bags on the floor next to her bed, and I keep a monitor in her room. That way I can hear her as soon as her foot touches the floor and deal with it accordingly.)
