Changing Normal

That is where I was this week!! LOL It has been one CrAzY week!! But fun, too... Monday, I got to church a little later than planned (about 3:00 instead of 2:30) and hadn't been to Wal-Mart yet, like I had planned. Okay, no big deal, right?!?! NOT!! LOL BIG DEAL!! LOL I wanted Princess to get her nap in, so as I waited "patiently" for that, precious minutes were slipping by...Anyways, I never would've made it if it weren't for some pre-teens/early teenagers there to help with the signs, the little cards that needed laminated, and a "window frame" for a train that someone painted for the "Crafts Depot" (not in pic, but VERY cute!! :) I'll have to find a pic of that) Anyways, it was supposed to start at 5:30-6 as registration time, and kids sitting in the sanctuary (as you can tell, the sanctuary is a big multi-purpose room.) Well, thankfully, no one was there, yet, and I flashed out my handy-dandy roll of duct tape!! LOL That, my friends, along with prayer, is what held VBS together this week!! LOL Everywhere you looked, there was something held together with duct tape!! LOL It was pretty funny...

Anyways, after the mad dash of Monday night (oh, and another funny thing...I had gotten all this cardboard at the last minute from Lowe's on Sunday (because I ran out of it Sunday morning, and was desperate, so I called them.) Anyways, I had all this cardboard. Our theme was "Arctic Edge: Where Adventure Meets Courage" so everything was supposed to be very big bear lodgey...While at Wal-Mart on Saturday afternoon, I found this contact paper that was wood grained (not textured, just the pattern), and had a great idea instead of painting a bunch of cardboard like wood, I could just peel & stick this stuff onto cardboard (and hold it together with the duct tape on the back if need be!! LOL) WOW, was that a timesaver... Anyways, Monday night I had these "peices of wood" that I wanted to have framing the doorway as people came in through the sanctuary doors, and it was NOT up at 5:20p.m., and as people were walking in, I told them to grab a piece of duct tape and stick some cardboard together!! LOL I guess you had to be there LOL).

Monday night was the worst...then Tuesday night went a *little* smoother than Monday, but here's our dilema...Our church has a daycare, and they use the multipurpose room ALL THE TIME....Well, we had cleared it with the director that they could have their kids out of there by 4:30-5p.m. so we could start setting up the sanctuary for VBS...Tuesday night, it WAS 5p.m. when I went into the sanctuary & "kicked them out"!! LOL They had all their toys still out there, and it was a mess!! So, Tuesday night was kinda a mad dash...Then, Wednesday, it was AWESOME!! LOL I got there about 4:30ish, 4:45ish & just had to set up my scenery & when the head director got there, she had her hooligans (she's watching a few kids from church this summer) got there, they arranged the Bible study areas for us...SO nice to have some kids there & to have something that simple for them to do so they are 1. Doing something constructive and 2. Out of your way!! LOL All the kids were so very willing & great helps this week.

So, those were just my logistics reports...Our mission offering for the week was 101 & some odd cents (going to the American Baptist Affiliated Missionaries), and I know that there were LOTS of seeds planted this week!! The music was actually pretty cool & not *too* lame (you know what I mean!! LOL). There was a DVD drama instead of half-hearted actors from the church to watch (which made life that much simpler this week!! LOL), and we had a "mascot"...our Youth Minister got a moose get-up :) He didn't really have a name for himself, but the kids started calling him "Moose Head Ed" LOL :) Lots of fun :) And, there was a contest between the boys & girls for the missions offering, and I kinda volunteered him to get a water-balooned :) LOL The winning team got an extra water baloon!! Boys ended up winning, after the girls dominated every night but Friday...

On Tuesday night, we took home 2 extra kiddos...overnight...They live with their grandparents & their Grandma had a shoulder re-replacement (this is like, her 3rd surgery this year or something), and they wanted/needed 24/7 care for the kids this week. So, when the Hugs lady called me (Hugs is a ministry in our church that helps when one of our families is faced with a crisis situation/emergency situation & provides meals, running errands, and this time, short-term childcare for families in the church. There's a list of volunteers that the lady in charge of it gets to contact others & asks for help for our families during those times...) Anyways, I'm starting to wonder if this family is taking advantage a little of this Hugs service...Granted, they're older people & don't have a lot of family around here, except their church family...It's just starting to look that way...Anyways, so, they came home with us on Tuesday, and we had them until right before VBS Wednesday night (5p.m. their Aunt came & picked them up & was taking them to KI on Thursday)...Then, I picked them BACK up on Friday morning around 10a.m. They didn't leave until 10:30a.m.ish on Saturday for their next stop along the Hugs list :) LOL They weren't bad, and thankfully, we had VBS to keep them occupied on Tuesday & Friday night!! Friday during the day, they just had to come with me for my girly luncheon at Carebear's house :)

This morning during church, the kids who came to VBS sang 2 songs for the congregation & I had all the helpers/workers stand up for some much needed applause!! Everyone was just so great & when VBSHeadDirector & I said to jump, they all asked how high!! LOL :) Very good group of willing workers this week (what a blessing!!).

So, that was my week in a nutshell...there are so many stories to share, still, and I promise I will try & share them as they come to me this week...

Speaking of this week....Guess where we're going tomorrow night?!?! The Ohio State Fair to see Steven Curtis Chapman!! :) YAY!! :) Then, on Wednesday, we're going to the Columbus Zoo (free child's admission!!)!! YAY!! :) So, I won't officially get to crash until Tuesday!! LOL Although, I pretty much crashed already when we got home from church & lunch :)

Talk to ya'll later :)