So, the last day of VBS (aka SBO at Grace Church) Happy Girl came down with a fever and we had to stay home. Can't figure out what was behind all that but me and the happy kiddos had a quiet day at home.
The week overall went so well and was so much fun. If you live in the Overland Park, KS area and have children grade 1 thru 6 I highly recommend this VBS program. Our group of leaders/creators do such a fabulous job of teaching God's word to the children in a fun, exciting and interactive way. I just don't have enough good words to say about all that they do. They create their own curriculum each year and each year I am blown away.
Today we had the kids who attended sing on stage during worship and share what they learned each day. It was so much fun. Here is a clip from the practice on Friday:I wasn't able to get a video or pics from this morning because I was trying to corral the kids on and off the stage but this gives you a bit of an idea.IT WAS A BLAST!In other news, since we were isolated at home for the entire day on Friday Happy Boy decided to be like Indiana Jones and try to excavate in the back yard. Here he is with one of his prized findings:
That my friends is the scull of a dead bird that he dug up from the back yard. I now have a display in a plastic bottle of tiny little bird bones. Yes, he found all of that birds bones and then some and they are now proudly displayed in my home. He had generously offered to turn our home into a museum for all 6 year old boys to visit and enjoy. I'm thrilled and oh so proud.
Well, the fasting for Compassion International went very well today. It wasn't easy though, but very sweet indeed.
I had VBS today which meant putting out a lot of energy without fueling my body. It also meant that while the kids ate their yummy breakfast in the classroom I had the opportunity to pray for all the kids who do not have the opportunity to eat breakfast. And while we handed out snacks to our classroom of rice cakes, M&Ms, skittles and what have you, again I was able to pray for all the people in the world who aren't as fortunate in being able to eat breakfast much less a mid-morning snack.
When lunch came around and I smelled the yummy Taco salad being served to all the VBS volunteers I once again had the opportunity to pray for all those less fortunate and thank God for all the blessing in my life.
Then tonight we had a birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. Yes, it was tough to sit and watch everyone eat their pizza and cake. But it was sweet to sit and thank God for blessing all of my best friends with food and blessing us by allowing us to live is such a bountiful country.
The hunger I felt through this day is nothing compared to what so many people are feeling on a daily basis. I am blessed in that I had the option not to eat. All day I was given the opportunity for free and delicious meals. It brakes my heart that so many people starve because they have no choice. They struggle and work very hard to make ends meet.
What a blessed life I lead.
I pray that God will provide for the many people who have so little.
Tomorrow Compassion is fasting and praying for the children they sponsor, for their families and for the local staff and church partners in the developing world. My family will also be praying specifically for Daniela, our sponsor child who lives in El Salvador.
Compassion is fasting and praying because the global food crisis is devastating millions of lives around the world. Please take a minute to read what their site shares regarding this food crisis.
It's an act of faith. Will you join in?
So Happy Boy had his Jedi Training Camp last week through The Culture House and on Friday night we had a final performance to display all that they learned. You can tell from the photo below that he didn't have much fun. No? You're right - he had a blast!
At the end of the performance they gave Dad's and siblings the chance to combat with the trained Jedi:They couldn't get enough and it continued off stage.
Here is a clip of Happy Boy during his stage combat scene:
The high five was his little addition. heh.
Some of life's smallest lessons are life's biggest learnings.
I remember as a young child walking out of a hardware store with my mother when she noticed that I was playing with a small nail in my hand. I had picked it up when in the store and was just fidgeting with it and mindlessly walked out of the store. She scolded me and told me that I had just "stole" the nail and that I needed to walk right back in and return it and apologize. I was crying and all a mess because that had not been my intention. I remember the man at the counter must have thought that my mom was crazy for making me return a little nail. I grew up making such fun of my mom for such a silly little lesson, but the fact of the matter was - I never had the desire to steal again. Never. That was a small lesson with big learning.
A couple of years ago I had visited the doctors office at a local medical plaza. The parking lot had decorative rocks on the ground instead of grass. While walking back to the car Happy Girl picked up a rock and asked if she could take it home. I said no and we hopped in the car. When we were almost home I looked in the back seat and saw her playing with the rock. I was furious, because not only did she disobey, she stole. I remembered the life lesson my mom had taught me and new this was a perfect opportunity. I explain to her that not only did she disobey but she stole and we were going to have a talk that night.
After a scolding conversation with her, Hubby drove her back to the medical building and made her return the rock to the front desk. The lady at the desk was obviously a mom and picked up on the life lesson. When Happy Girl apologized for stealing the rock she wisely answered, "Honey, thank you so much for returning our rock! If every little kid took a rock with them we wouldn't have any rocks left to decorate our parking lot." It was a blessing. I don't think Happy Girl has ever had the desire to steal since.
This weekend was Happy Boy's turn to learn this life lesson. We had visited a store where he found a lens to a pair of broken sunglasses. He asked if he could have it and I said no because it belonged to the store. We walked out of the store and he showed me that he still had it. Yep - we had the talk and Dad and Happy Boy had to walk back to the store to return it and apologize. I hope this lesson has a life-long impact.
Update: Yes, Happy Green Boy won one of the best in his camp for team spirit!
So, last Thursday was the final swim class. The Happy Kiddos had such a blast! They even got to jump off the diving board in the deep end! Most kids just walked to the end of the board and jumped off to their teacher. Not Happy Boy, he shot off running as fast as he could...hence why there is no picture of his great feat - I just wasn't fast enough on the clicking. On his last jump he even did a twist off the board. The boy was a complete maniac, he was. Here are a couple of pics:
Then, this week Happy Boy is attending Jedi Training Camp! Yes, you heard right. It is a stage stunt camp at a local theatre academy. His first day was phenomenal and he was extremely pumped. Today is team spirit day and he went all out. Check it out!
Yes, friends! That is green food dye on his lips and tongue. I guess mom enjoys these days a little too much. heh.
This summer has shot off with a huge bang! It has been a whirlwind of fun.
Last week the kiddos began swim lessons, Monday thru Thursday every night for 2 weeks. They have done such a great job! They have improved significantly since they began. Tomorrow will be there last lesson. And I don't have a picture yet...can you believe it?!! I'm planning to take my camera for the last lesson and try to photograph it.
Last Saturday we headed to Worlds of Fun compliments of my hubby's employer. Here I am with the kiddos in our "banana" shirts. heh. They were compliments of the employer as well.
Then yesterday we visited the KC Zoo with our favorite people in the world. My niece and nephew were there, Moe and Curly, and all the Spice Girls. It was fun! Here are a couple of pics of that fun:
Finally, today began our SBO Jr. This is a vacation Bible school that my church offers for preschoolers thru kindergarteners. I'm helping teach in Happy Boy's class. Happy Girl is volunteering this week and helping lead the worship segment along with being a classroom helper with me.
Last week also began a summer study that I'm leading for my church's women's ministry. I'm teaching a basic course on How to Study the Bible. It has been a great opportunity to meet some of the women at Grace that I don't know so well and also has sparked Happy Girl's interest in studying the Bible. She may even be joining me in one of the classes - we'll see how it goes.
So, that in a nutshell is what has been spinning around at the Happy Home so far this summer. We're off to a great start!!!
I'm so disappointed with Dish TV. I'm too annoyed to list every reason but I will give you my top reason I can't stand them:
No reception during severe storms.
That stinks.
That stinks BIG!!!!
Especially when the news anchors have everyone all worked up about this being the worst storm since 1974 and THE SKY IS FALLING!!!!!!!
Yea. Stinks. I'm just sitting here looking at a TV screen that says "Satellite signal has been lost."
The end of the world could be coming and I can't even watch it on the news as it happens. Poop.
I know, it's been a while since I've posted but there has been so much going on that I haven't put this on the top of the list.
Kids are now officially out of school and summer has started with a bang!
We're getting ready for our VBS at church and Happy Girl and Happy Boy have been helping me distribute prayer bracelets these past couple of Sundays and we'll continue through the end of June. We're offering bracelets that have the name of a registered camper for the congregation to take and pray over that child leading up to the various camps and during the camps. It is pretty awesome to see the camps get bathed in prayer. And for those individuals who wish to volunteer but aren't able to can still participate by prayer. Pretty cool!
Last week the kiddos went to my mom's for the week so that I could get away with two of my favorite gals in the world. It was so much fun. All I have to say about that trip is what happens in St. Louis stays in St. Louis!
This week Happy Kiddos are going to start swim lessons. I'm afraid I put them in the wrong class...they may be a little more advanced than I gave them credit for. We'll see how it goes tomorrow night, we may have to switch classes. Who knows.
Off to get ready for church. Later.
