VBS Recovery

This is what VBS does to your home:

After a long morning of singing and acting, I am greeted by this when I come in the door.

Yes, I see you, portfolios waiting to be organized. I see you, desk that has no surface. I see you, last homework assignment that still needs grading for two English classes!

Stop calling me, Red Mammoth couch! I can't take a nap on you right now. Small dog, I know you haven't seen us and have forgotten what we look like.

Here sit the drums after the night at the bar. They're such a fun addition to the decor. Himself walks by and nudges them with his foot, as if that will magically transport them upstairs.

And here is the dreaded PS2, already spewing games all over the floor.

We've since made progress; the portfolios are done! Laundry is almost caught up! I've made dinner for my family!

VBS Day 4

After years of keeping it away, a Play Station 2 has entered my home.

Tyler told me that's one of the things he was going to get when he turned 18. It was such a funny day as I tried to discourage him from buying one all during VBS. I reminded him of how well we've done without one and how happy he's been.

"Play Station will make me happy, my life will be complete."

I thought his friends would confess that video games take up too much of their time, cost too much, didn't make them as happy or their lives complete, etc. Paul chipped in with, "I was always happy before I had video games. Then I got a video game, and I was much happier." :-D

So, we went into the "den of sin" and he bought the PS2. He got a really good deal, some games, blah blah blah. He was giddy! He couldn't wait to get home to set it up, but then he had to go to work.

John pretended to be yelling about his horrible choice from his office while Tyler was showing it to him. "Son! How could you! This is awful!" However, I was close enough to the office to also hear him say quietly, "Sweet! Let me check it out, dude!"

The girls made sure they got their comments in as well. We were teasing Ty about how he was going to hell in a handbasket. Hard rock music, staying up all hours, playing at a bar (another story), buying a PS2 were all sure signs of his demise. Kelly piped in with, "Mom, Dad, would this be a good time to tell you Tyler has a girlfriend?"

We all laughed so hard!

He doesn't.

At least, I don't think he does.

No.

He doesn't.

I think.

Tomorrow's the LAST day of VBS! I woke up this morning so tired and so DONE with VBS. I just didn't want to play anymore, know what I mean? Thursday is always the hardest. The kids are used to the routine of VBS and are harder to handle. Everyone's exhausted. It's also the day they hear the gospel message, which explains why it's so rough on everyone. As far as we know, 10 children wanted to know more about Christ and pray. That really makes it all worth it!

Still, I'll be glad when tomorrow is over and I can get some serious sleeping in, laundry, and cleaning done. I also need to do the dreaded school portfolios, due Monday, so I can vacation at last!

Actually, I need to get Tyler enrolled for fall semester at Valencia. THEN I can relax.

VBS Day 3

First off, I want to give a shout out to a famous (in my mind) and award winning film maker in New York. I always liked you, you know! Good thing your family never broke your habit of not living in the real world, I say! ;-) He-man, anyone?

Today's VBS went well, but it was pretty hard. It's supposed to be for kids from 4 years old to 6th grade, but all these teens (and adults) keep showing up to "help." Problem is, we can't have just anyone working with the kids because of insurance, liability, and needing to do background checks on everyone. Anyone who shows up has to be approved and screened first, which needs to be done ahead of time and not on Monday, the CRAZIEST day of VBS registration. Pastor Ron had to tell the teens that if they have not been approved, they can't come. :-( I wish I could just let them all stay with me, but that was given the "no," too. Not only do they eat the food put out for the kids, but it becomes more of a "youth" event and we really want to focus and love on those younger ages.

SO, do you hear me, you terrific teens??? Register early next year and get checked out! Come to the meetings so you know what we're doing and hear all the rules! Ok? That will make it all better, I guarantee!

Highlights today, but also from yesterday -- an aspiring drummer, age 11, came up to Ty for advice. Tyler ended up taking his broken kick drum home, fixing it, and showing him how to tighten things properly.

Paul sat in on guitar since Jeremy had to work. He did such a GREAT job! Now I know, Paul. . . . I'll be calling on you in the future!

Kelly took over Jake's group and had such a blast. She just LOVED tuning in to those kids and lovin' on 'em. She was made for stuff like that.

There were no major sound meltdowns, and I actually remembered the skit!

I wish I had some cute pictures to show. I'll have to wrestle the digital camera from Himself tomorrow.

VBS Day 2

What a blast! It seems like there were so many more kids there today. I actually made it through the skit with Shane and didn't forget any lines (the hardest part for me). Snyder was so good on bass today!

Highlights: I'd been complaining to the band about the tempos being too slow. One of the songs, they agreed, was "ridiculously" slow! We were ready to start a song in the afternoon and they purposely started it twice as slow as it's supposed to go, waiting for my reaction. :-D They should know better than to mess with my mind like that!

One of the JVers actually started asking me a question during the afternoon session (a BIG no-no and rule #1: Don't talk to Mrs. W once we start!). I looked at him and said, "You're TALKING to me???" The look of horror on his face when he realized what he was doing was so priceless! I proceeded to beat him with the papers in my hand and hollered out to his mother, "I'm killing your son!" He ran out of reach pretty quickly. [heh heh]

VBS Highlight, Day 1

Day One of VBS is always chaotic, but it wasn't so bad today. I kept telling the JV "STOP TALKING TO MEEEEEE!!!!" and they finally got the hint. There's so much for me to memorize and do that when all 40,000 JVers come up and ask the same question, it really wears me down. At the end of the day we regroup, I assure them that I love them, remind them of the rules, and off we go!

Today's highlights:

While I was in the craft/snack area, I looked over to see Zach sitting next to this little kid. The little kid was beaming like you wouldn't believe because the GUITAR PLAYER was actually talking to him! Zach's got such a great heart.

Josh Harris dressed like a sherriff and threw Tyler in jail. About 20 kids came running up to me with, "Mrs. Welsh! Mrs. Welsh! They threw Tyler in jail!" I finally decided to go over to the "jail" and added some teen-embarrassing drama to boot with, "No! Say it izn't so, son! Tell 'em! Tell 'em you didn't dew it . . . tell 'em yer innocent . . . . "
Tyler looked me square in the eye and said, "Lady, I've never seen you before in my life." :-D I love that kid!

I also found out I'm horribly out of shape. I was sweating like a pig up there! I feel sorry for Rebekah Rigel who has to hug me during a song, but she's such a sweetheart, she'd never say anything.

Stuff

Hooray! I'm getting some cleaning and laundry done today!

Yesterday was the first band practice for VBS. It went well, as far as first practices go. Beth Anne says they always sound horrible and then sound great at VBS time. True.

I got a little frustrated with the guys. I'm trying to talk and they're playing guitars. I'm trying to get them to listen to music and they're talking to each other. I finally got after them (I don't need to listen to the songs, THEY do! I already know them!) and they were better.

I appreciated Tyler so much! He kept the guys in line for me and kept things moving. He even offered me some comic relief that only I saw, which I'll treasure! I just feel the music this year is of the quality that we really could make it outstanding if they put effort into it. I pray they go home and listen and practice. We'll see. I'm so excited to have Kelly and Aleah helping with vocals! They're really listening to their parts and working to figure it out.

Graduation stuff: Really ready to ditch it all. It's not so bad, but I don't want to forget anything and let people down. I hate that more than anything. I feel like I'm spinning dishes on poles, or trying to keep six volleyballs underwater at once. I know something's going to get away from me and I'll have to chase it down. I can't wait to see my Dad and his wife, and I'm so looking forward to John's Mom being here!

AWANA

Last night was our last regular club night for AWANA. Now we just have the AWARDS night and that's it! I can start focusing on VBS.

I know that AWANA, unfortunately, will have to be an area I cut back next year. I will gladly participate as a leader, but if there's no Trek director, there will probably not be Trek. I won't do this again where I sign up as leader and I'm expected to do everything a director does. I feel so badly for the kids because I was only able to give them about a 70% effort! I didn't do half the things I usually do with them, such as a Lil' 500 night, Focus Dinner, and Church-In.

I suppose doing SOMETHING is better than doing nothing, but I know home schooling is my priority over AWANA and my home school year did not go well, either, especially for Glenna. She slid so far under the radar -- it will be interesting to see her test results this year!

Ty has his last Valencia final today at 1:00. He got up early to study but has crashed on the couch. I'll wake him up soon.