VBS

We've been going to VBS at Trinity UMC this week. I'm one of the teachers for S&A's class - we have 14 kids and 2 teachers plus a couple of youth helpers. It's absolutely exhausting, but a ton of fun. It's been great for me and for the girls; I really want us to get "plugged in" at our new church, and I think that's a hard thing to do. I guess because I grew up at Dauphin Way UMC and then went back there, it was easy for that to feel like "my" church. But here, we don't live in Homewood, we're not from Birmingham, we have no family ties to the church, so we really do have to work harder to play an active role in our church community rather than just sit in the pews on Sunday. A big part of that, for me, is getting Sarah and Abby to feel comfortable there. This week is helping a lot. We're finding our way around, making new friends, seeing familiar faces, and also having a blast. Tonight we were talking about the kids in their class, and they've both latched on to a little girl named Abby as a friend, plus there's a girl in their class who they know from Sunday School. It's great to see them laughing with new friends and not being shy. It makes me feel better about them starting kindergarten. On the flipside, one little boy in music class told Abby that he didn't like her, and he walked to the other side of the room. She hadn't even said anything to him! I was shocked, and so sad when I saw the tears welling up in her eyes. She's so sensitive, and I wish she could get tougher skin - but she's definitely my child.

This afternoon we picked up their school supplies that we had ordered through PTO. Sarah and I went through their supply list twice (at her request) checking off everything in the box and making sure we had it all. It's getting close now - only 16 days left before my babies go off to school. I still can't believe it.