Grass Skirts, Red Noses, Shadows & More

It’s 7:12am. (You always know when I’m going to chronicle my day when I start with the time.)

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Actually, it’s 7:23am. Now 24 hours later than when I wrote the above sentence. I’ve been at a Performing Arts Camp and Vacation Bible School all week. And getting the kids up and ready and out the door by 7:30am has got me bamboozled? kerflumped? I dunno…how about just straight up irritated. This morning Lydia did not want to come downstairs because she could not find her guitar shaped silly bandz AND because her cousin had on shoes with no socks, she wants to wear shoes with no socks today. My daughter is four, isn’t she?!

After waving good-bye to my daughter (who could care less that she’s leaving me as long as her cousin is within an arms length of her) at VBS and leaving my son in the capable hands of the nursery workers (not that he knows or cares, he cries the entire time) I join ten elementary school students and lead them through their Performing Arts Camp classes. Well, actually Staci and I are teaching four classes. Would you care to know what they are? Bible? Nope. Crafts? Uh-huh. Games? I wish.

Staci and I are leading the following classes (I have given a description for your pleasure):

1st Period: CLOWNING.
We lead four kids into applying clown makeup and putting on costumes to perform a clown walk, dance and several clown gags in front of an audence.

2nd Period: HULA
Teach 5 girls a hula inspired dance AND a synchronized swimming-inspired swim-noodle choreographed dance WHILE leading a boy to do a silent and accompanying comedy routine.

3rd Period: SHADOW PUPPETRY
Design, make several shadow puppets. Teach 5 young kids to perform a shadow puppetry song. While standing on a wobbly bench behind a stage.

4th Period: HOLD ON FOR DEAR LIFE
Teach four crazy, climbing the walls tweens dramatic moves to a song.

You didn’t know I was so talented did you? Sadly, I *am* qualified to teach all those classes except Hula. Hula is not even on my radar. Of course, those four classes don’t even cover eat-lunch-with-ten-kids, playground-monitor, on-stage-rehearsal and crazy-indoor-games that I also help lead the children through.

My mom has been putting on a Performing Arts Camp for several years—I’ve taught puppetry, cheerleading and other crazy classes. But it is a very cool event. Kids spend from 9am-3pm each day working on classes that cover even more than I mentioned above and then perform a full-length musical for their parents on Friday tonight (ACK! TONIGHT!).

Yesterday afternoon, as I was painting on clown make-up for one destined-to-be-geeky little boy, he said with glee and wistfulness, “I love this.” I saw him come alive and feel huge amounts of self-worth as he performed and got thumbs up and applause from the leaders. I pray this one event will be significant to him and the way he views himself—even if it was spurred on by clowns!

OK. The kids’ breakfast is almost done. And I’m 9 minutes late.  Bye!