two long days

We're doing vacation bible school this week.

It's been two days, with three more to go.

It's fun. I'm exhausted, but that's okay. The exhaustion is something else--something is wrong lately where I lack energy, and it's more noticeable at bible school. I suppose it's because I have to get up early and can't go lie down, and my arms hurt when we have to wave them around on those annoying bible school songs. Plus there's no coffee or diet coke available.

But whatever. I'm sure I'll live.

t.c. has been coming with us, slept over last night. It's so fun to spend time with him like that--continuous days of time. It's very quiet, and he's conversational in a way he isn't during a short visit.

Last night in the bathtub, he yelled, "WATCH THIS!" and did some move where he leaped in the air over the water and then splashed down, face first underwater. After Julia stopped screaming, then she started laughing, which is just about as painful to the ears.

He said, "That was wild!" Yes. It was. And his head was just a couple inches from the faucet. I was relieved we weren't dealing with a big gash. Time to get out of the tub. (While we're still in one piece.)


His parents said to take him to the bathroom when we went to bed, so about 11 we wandered down to where the kids were sleeping and it was too late. He was confused about why we were waking him up, but he went with Grandpa to the bathroom to change while I changed the sheets.

I could hear Jay talking quietly to him in the bathroom off the bedroom, "It's okay, buddy. I'll help you." Being grandparents with Jay is a very touching thing, his extra tenderness and patience. All the stuff we've been through together, now we get to do THIS, and neither of us imagined how much it would mean to us.

Anyway, t.c. wanted his stuffed animals and Grandpa to lie down with him, so I went upstairs to start the laundry. Before I was even done, Jay was back, said he was asleep and I should go kiss him too. He was pale and rosy on the pillow, his spiky reddish hair all damp and warm, eyelashes shadows on his cheeks. I whispered to his ear, "I love you."

Tim and Julia were all tangled up in their own blankets, tired kids. I kissed them too.

Bible school's the usual wild, sweaty time. There are annoying songs and games like Ships Across the Sea, crafts. A childhood friend says the week she spent at bible school with my sister and me was THE most important spiritual experience of her childhood.

????

I didn't even remember her coming with, and I don't remember bible school being particularly religious or spiritual either. It didn't feel serious or deep to me. She says it was the first time she connected with the idea that God could be personal. Too bad I can't remember anything about it.



So anyway, that's why we do bible school. In the ruckus and all, you never know what someone might be getting out of it. love, Val