Thankful Thursday!

When I was a kid, the kids who lived three houses down went to AWANA at their Church. I used to beg my Mom to let me go with them since our Church didn't have AWANA or VBS. She wouldn't go for it. (Since the Church was non-denominational, I think Mom was afraid what they might teach us...)

Meggie was too old for AWANA when we joined our current Church. We enrolled Carson when he first came home from China...it was a disaster. He didn't grasp the language enough to get the concepts and was incredibly distracting to the other kids. We pulled him out and figured we'd wait until he was ready.

This past school year, we decided it was time for both Carson and Molly to start the AWANA journey. Once we figured out the system (memorize Bible verses every week for prizes), the kids got VERY into it! Molly especially just soaks up the messages and weekly verses and has become the family Jesus freak. (Hence the occasional feature on the blog entitled "Preach It, Little Sister.")

In addition to AWANA, the Littles also joined the Kidz Choir. So every Wednesday, for 30 minutes before AWANA started, they would head to the choir room with Miss Lisa and Miss Angie to learn songs and hand motions for the Spring performance.
The show this year was called "Cross Country" and was themed around a foot race.
Carson and Molly were both in the choir...but each of them stood out for very different reasons.
Molly is our busy-body, for sure. She did OK when the kids were up and shaking pom-poms or doing hand gestures. But when they had to sit down (for the main characters to do their lines), she got bored. And a bored Molly becomes a nosy Molly. Since she was sitting dangerously close to the microphone, at one point she nearly knocked it over as she played with the power cord. Ugghhh!

Carson, on the other hand...
...channeled his sit-down-for-the-main-characters boredom into nap time. (See him, second from the end on the right?) Makes a Mommy proud...

Molly struggled with some of the songs, for some reason (which is very unlike her), so I told her if she got lost in the song, she should look at Miss Lisa (who was directing the show) and she would help Molly get back on track.

Carson responded that, if he got lost, he was gonna dance. And dance he did! He boogied his little self throughout every choir number and was the talk of the show when it ended. That boy has some MOVES!!

But back to my Thankful Thursday theme...

Besides being incredibly appreciative of the awesome volunteers who staff Children's Church, Sunday School, AWANA, VBS and Kidz choir, I also appreciate...
...when big sisters and their boyfriends come to Kidz Choir performances, because their presence makes the event feel so much "cooler" to the Littles.

I'm also thankful that the messages the kids are getting at Church are sinking in and making a difference. They have been begging me to buy them Bibles for weeks now. So, we headed to the bookstore earlier this week and found Bibles and cases...
...for both of them. As we were heading to pay at the bookstore, Molly said, "I'm so excited! I wish it was Sunday RIGHT NOW!" Love that!

So for the past few days, they have been asking permission to read their Bibles (the answer is always "YES!"when they ask that one) and treating their Bibles with the appropriate respect. (We had a LONG talk about how you treat a Bible and they took it seriously.)

As excited as they were to get their new Bibles, what really hits me is when Carson walks through the house, serious look on this face, telling everyone he needs quiet so he can read his Bible.

Now that DEFINITELY makes a Mommy proud!!