My week

• 5 days of regular 9-5 work
• 5 nights of 5:30-8:45 VBS
  
• 38 first graders
• 3 teachers (and a couple teen helpers)
• 3 songs including hand motions repeated and repeated and repeated until they are ingrained in your psyche
  
• Approximately 1.5 hours spent trying to get 38 first graders to form and/or stay in a line
• Approximately 100 minutes anxiously watching one particular child with hemophilia run around, get pelted with foam noodles and hose rockets, and play tug-of-war during recreation
• 3 Relay races
• 5 Repetitions of the Pledges of Allegiance to the United States of America, the Christian Flag and the Bible.
• One teacher blindly mouthing the words to the Pledge to the Christian Flag and the Bible in a incredible sad attempt to lead first graders on day 1 (okay, maybe day 2 as well, but I did know it by day 3. Come on, it has been years since I have been in Awanas. I don't remember the Christian Flag one and I have never even heard of the Pledge to the Bible)
  
• One stealing incident
• One lying incident - to cover up stealing incident
• One spilled kool-aid incident (that we had only one was in itself a miracle)
• The phrase "We do not put our hands around other people's throats"
• The phrase "Armpit farts are not allowed in church"
• The phrase "Hurry up in the bathroom girls, we need to make it to crafts on time" followed by the phrase "I'm pooping!"
  
• One giant kangaroo
  
• Plethora of small children who scream bloody murder non-stop whenever giant Kangaroo is within eyesight
• Plethora of small children who forgot all about forming a line and decide they need hugs whenever giant Kangaroo is within eyesight
  
• Numerous mean stares directed towards giant Kangaroo in an attempt to telepathically send him away
  
• 5 snacks and 4 "dinners" of VBS food including but not limited to chili cheese dogs, kool-aid, macaroni and cheese, pizza, cupcakes, chicken nuggets, cookies, popsicles, and candy.
  
• 2 vegetables - No, not per night, two vegetables the entire week.
  
• The result - one completely worn out 24-year old with a stomach-ache who is going to go home, sit and enjoy the quiet while eating every fruit and vegetable in her fridge before retiring early to her soft and comfy bed
  
• The payoff - Memories of 30 minutes of quiet first graders sitting around a circle listening to the ABCs of how to become a christian, listening to their ideas of how to serve others, listening to them tell how Jesus called the disciples "John and Steve" to follow him, listening to them go from singing Taylor Swift songs in the hallway on the first day to singing "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" on the last day and being given more hugs than I can count before the run off the last time - makes it all worthwhile!