Skating.. I hadn't skated in awhile. How fun! This time I was referred to as the old one. Ha! OLD! I am pleased to say that I was one of only maybe three host home old people on the floor. And those three didn't stay on the floor near as long as I did. I love to skate! I would ice skate or roller skate until I ache if allowed to. (I ached a little Saturday night, but so did the college kids, hee hee)Oh, and guess what? I can still skate backwards!
It was fun skating with the boys, mine and my adopted bunch. They were impressed. I was too!
Then on toward home we went. IT was a beautiful afternoon, the sun was shining and it was about 68. We set up tables and grilled burgers and hotdogs. The kids had chips galore and a cake to eat too! They continued to play manhunt and some other games involving cap guns. In no time they were stuffed to the gills and ready to head back to church for another group time.
Since we got there early the boys learned how to play silent football. Its neat! The kids sit in a circle and use hand signals to throw the ball, block the ball, catch it & something else. I didn't pay huge attention. Remember Im going on little to no sleep. I was just glad they were being quiet, having fun and not bothering me.
THe next game we involved 7th grade boys. Some sort of sheep bomb game. Basically you have to be in a big circle and wrap your lips around your teeth so no teeth show. Then one person starts by saying "sheep" to the one to his right. (without laughing) That person can either turn to the next person and say "sheep" or look back at the original person and say "Sheep bomb" which means now they go in the opposite direction. WHen someone is talking and can't use their teeth it sounds so funny. When you laugh and show your teeth, you start by shaking one hand, if you get caught doing it again, you now have to shake both hands, if a third time you shake your head. By this point everyone is laughing and it is just a big mess.
The boys loved both games and I knew I would be hearing "sheep bomb" many times in the days ahead. And I have.
Once the singing and the speaker finished, most of the boys were nodding off. They drug their sleepy bodies into the various cars and we went home. Upon arriving at the house, they had re-energized. They bounded out of the cars and out into the backyard, squealing all the way. Mind you it is after 10:30pm.
When I come into the house one of the leaders tells me that the band is on the way to the house to pick up one of the college leaders. Okay, no biggie. The band came in from Virginia beach, VA.
The band shows up around 11ish. They are ready to go until they see I have a piano and drums and well, long story short, guitars come out and we have a grand time praising Jesus! The windows were open and the neighbors got an earful, but I stood in the yard to see how bad it was, and it wasn't. So beautiful! The light wrapped around these precious young people as the music poured out the windows, their love for their Savior poured out too! My heart was filled to overflowing!
That overflow lasted until they left and the kids just kept singing. Nate, our Highschool senior pulled the kids away from music so they could have a final devotion time together. It was bittersweet as the kids realized the weekend was coming to a close.
It is now past midnight. There are three kids that ask if they can go to bed! (Again I send up a prayer of thankfulness to Jesus). The rest want to stay up to watch a movie. We get the kids divided up and they settle in to watch the movie. Most didn't make it to the end. I tried to sleep, but have a hard time when there are little people I'm ultimately responsible for. Why wasn't sweetie in on this? Well, he had to work, so it was my deal! The last kid fell out around 2ish.He was still fighting to stay awake. I had enough and told him the TV was off and he was going to bed. He asked if he could still watch it. I said,"no,and I would be glad to cut off all electricity". He smiled and laid down. At this point I figured if I could sleep by 3 then I could sleep for almost 4 hours as I didn't have to have the kids up until 6:45am.
6:30am I came downstairs and prayed for each of the kids, I had grown fond of their little quirks. Then I played some praise and worship music with a beat, and as the kids got up I prepared them for the morning schedule.Half were to shower, while those were showering, the others got their belongings together. I wanted everything out on my porch by 730am. This worked well. (Ya know you have to give boys one command at a time as anything more would be overload..)
The kids did well, and we headed for church at 815am, they were eating breakfast by 830 and we all sat together for church service. It was rather fun. The best part was when our pastor was about midway through his sermon. Those little heads were nodding! hee hee! I know a couple fell asleep. They had to be the best kids ever at home that afternoon evening as I know they slept like a rock!
I will make up my sleep over the next few days. An investment in children, of any age, is storing up treasure, and shaping our future generation.
I'm commiting today to pray for the kids we will host next year. I loved it!
Ya know, I think I know what I will do one day..be an active volunteer in a childrens home. I support them now, but hope that my home, and my life is never absent of the sound of children's laughter.
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