SMAK 2

Well, this was our 2nd day of SMAK (it meets every Tuesday). It was fun, but very very HOT! We went to Eglin AFB to see a demonstration by the Canine Unit. It was pretty cool...but the bleachers that they had us sit in were right in the HOT, HOT sun. The humidity must have been 200% and everyone was getting rather faint, so I started passing ice water out in small cups to all the children and workers. Weirdly enough, one of the workers turned around and just kinda turned on me...started telling me that I didn't need to be passing out water, the kids did not need the water, they were fine. Shocked I looked at her and said "what do you mean? look at their faces" (All the children were red-cheeked, flushed, faint-looking...so were the adult workers for that matter). She continued to say that she was sitting in the hot sun too and she felt fine, the children did not need this water. I'm in complete shock at this point thinking to myself....we purposely brought a 5 gallon cooler with ice water & cups so that the kids would stay hydrated, why would I not pass this water out???? However, I said to her...
"Person's name...I don't see anything wrong with giving the kids this water and I'm going to continue to do so, they are going to faint from the heat if I don't." She turned around disgusted, then went up to the top of the bleachers and started scolding some of the kids. This, mind you, is all going on while the military guy is trying to explain how they use the dogs for sniffing out explosives in Iraq, etc. I'm getting a little embarrassed by E's behavior because she is making a huge scene out of what had been barely noticed (me quietly passing out water to the kids). And to top that one....I am the one in charge of this whole program....not her. {*sigh*}

There are a couple of other times when she's spouted off like this (twice this week and once last week)....I don't know what's going on with her!

All in all though it was a sweet time though. Learned alot about the Canine units....they are run by volunteers who work specifically with one dog. Those units (dog & human team) go ahead of the units in Iraq to sniff out the explosives and yet they keep the units volunteer....no special pay for what they do....sounds like the military needs to change that if you ask me. Also, the dogs sense of smell is amazing!! It's really pretty cool. They also gave us an agility demonstration...amazing, dogs climbing very steep inclines like nothing and sliding through tunnels half their size! Pretty cool! Sad living though...they stay in kennels (like at the pound)...but the kennels are air-conditioned. Also, the trainers take them out to play with them and you can tell....really love those dogs! Then when their working career is over they can be adopted by their trainers if wanted.

Then we came back to the church and the kids sang some, did a craft, sang somemore and had a devotion. Jenny, Deborah, Hannah & James helped today. Next week Fired Up is coming to do pottery with the kids. I don't have any pictures because all the pictures are on someone else's camera...but when I get some, I will post them.

That's it for now....I miss you guys--Vee & Chip!

SMAK

The first day of SMAK (Summer Music and Activities for Kids) was today! We had 33 kids signed up and 29 came. We had 7 adults and 4 youth as helpers/chaperones!! Yeah!!

It was really a sweet group of kids :-). We had the Heritage Museum come out and give the kids a little history lesson on the Crete Indians (Native Americans) and one other group of Indians (sorry--Native Americans) who were from our local area. The only thing about the story that was a little off was when she said that they were here in our area 12,000 years ago (oooppss!!). Well...the other lady made an attempt at correcting it later when she changed it to 4,000 years ago....hmmmmm....I wonder if they should be giving history lessons. LOL They did bring artifacts (replicas) of Indian (N.A.) tools, pottery, etc.....that was cool.

After our "history lesson" the kids all got a chunk of natural clay and were taught how to wet it and make a coil bowl. Some kids have talent here....some do not....but all the bowls were beautiful anyway!!

We had lunch together, Bible Lesson and then practiced the songs. Our theme is The Livin' Inside Out Club. So the Bible lesson this week was on letting Christ build character in your heart and then living out that character in our actions towards others. Then they practiced their songs that they will sing at the end of the 8 weeks in the musical performance/skit/play.

We ended a little early, so to kill some time we sang fun songs with them. One of those songs was the "Throw Up" song.....kinda goes like "I throw up....I throw up....I throw up my arms to praise Jesus....." It has several verses using "barf" type words that talk about ridding sin and turning to Jesus. Then we opened it up for them to make up their own verses....got some interesting stuff....boys in particular LOVE these kinds of songs. But, the girls were holding their own pretty good too! :-)

I'm so glad we only had 33 kids sign up...honestly, I was panicking a little when I thought there could be 100 kids. Yikes.....but God was good to only give us 33!

Jenny, Deborah, Ana, & Erika helped out....they did real good. Wish you would have been there, Vee!

Well, that was my day until 1:00 today....the rest was consumed with "office stuff" -- not quite as fun.

Tonight Jenny and I are watching a movie...maybe Charlie's Angels...I don't know yet. And tomorrow morning I don't have to go in to work, but I do have to clean and declutter my house!! I don't know where all the clutter comes from. Well, that's it for now....