Water Balloons for Jesus

So, last Sunday, our precious preschool director Laura, asked me if I would volunteer my family to serve during Soakfest; our church's outreach thingy for the Brighton area. Sure, love to help out I told her. "Great!" she replied, "Would you be willing to blow up this 100 count pack of water balloons?"

"Anything for you Mrs. Laura," I answered, "But I can do more than one pack."

"Thanks a bunch. Here's two," she said.

I took them thinking, "I could have taken more but whatever!"

I go about my week.

Then Friday night it hit me. I've got Soakfest tomorrow and I haven't blown up a SINGLE water balloon. OHMYGOSH!!!

So, I begin blowing up balloons. I got very wet and so did my kitchen. And my living room. I got about half of the balloons done.

Got up Saturday. Blew up another 60 or so before lunch.

After lunch I filled up the rest.

All this time I am putting the balloons in a rolling laundry basket with a trash bag inside. Wasn't that smart? I thought so.

So when I am finished filling the laundry basket I roll it out to my van. It is heavy but I figure..."it's only water, right?"

Water is very heavy I discovered!

I couldn't lift the balloons into my car. Kurtis had gone on an impromptu camping trip with Grant and my neighbor wasn't home either. So, Paige and I took each balloon from the rolling laundry basket and put it in a Rubbermaid tub so that I could lift the rolling laundry basket into the car and safely transport them to this outreach event.

When we got enough of the balloons out of the basket so that we could lift the rolling laundry basket into the car we went for it.

We decided we would just lift the other Rubbermaid tub in the car and move them once we got to the Mill Pond in Brighton.

As I drove I seemed to hit every speed bump and pothole and had to make a couple of quick stops. I kept hearing little "pops" in the back of the van.

My precious little balloons were being assaulted by the Michigan roads. I blame the governor. We need better roads in Michigan. But I don't want construction when I have to go somewhere. That's another rant I guess.

Anyway, I get to Soakfest. We had to park a couple of blocks away but at least I had my balloons in a rolling laundry basket right? I lift the balloons out of the car and head toward downtown Brighton.

Paige and I are walking to the Mill Pond and crossing Grand River. (Okies, this is like crossing Robinson or Lindsay in Norman) All of a sudden in the middle of the crosswalk I loose a wheel and it goes rolling down Grand River. Stunned and confused as to what to do, (I mean do I leave it? Do I grab it and cause all traffic to stop on this busy street and leave my almost 9 year old standing in the middle of the crosswalk?)

Thank you Lord, I car drove by and bumped in my direction. I grab it and off I went now dragging the rolling laundry basket through the fair part of Summerfest looking for my 242 Soakfest crew.

When I located them and delivered my precious balloons I was thankful my duty was over. I had filled my balloons. I had delivered them.

And then I watched as my 200 (well more like 150 by the time I got there!) balloons were destroyed in under 2 minutes. It took me two days and I lost a laundry basket in the process but I was ever so thankful that Mrs. Laura didn't give me more balloons to fill and was hopeful that a little life was touched, even though briefly, with my water balloons.

Harry Potter Mania!!-no spoilers here!

I'm a nerd. I know it. I embrace it.

Last night when I was still awake at 11:30 I thought to myself, "Self, I should go up to Wal-Mart and purchase that book."

Well, I'm not that big of a nerd.

So, I went to sleep. At 4:00 I woke up and thought to myself, "Self, I should go up to Wal-Mart and purchase that book."

Couldn't do it then either.

But then I woke up at 8:00, had breakfast, leisurely got dressed and went to Wal-Mart to purchase that book.

By 10:30 I was reading it as fast as I could take it all in. Here it is 5:15 and I have made it to chapter 10 and am totally into it.

I think it is really nerdy of me to be this into a book. I can't remember a time in my life time that such a book as engrossed the world. Literally, the world!!!

It is amazing to me!!

And I was one of them. I have come a long way since passing the books around in a brown paper bag at church hoping no one would see and risking being ridiculed for my interest in something so many were criticizing and hadn't even read.

I have to say. I will be sorry to see the books come to end. But am glad they all reside on my shelf ready to be recreated in my mind as often as I like.

I got to go to Mall of America!!!

For real!!!! I did!!!!

I thought Lib was going to laugh at me until she threw up when I said I wanted to go to Mall of America. But come on!!! Who goes to Minneapolis/St. Paul without going!! Really people!!!!

I know she lives there and everything and I think she hid most of the time so that she wasn't seen by anyone she knew (ok, not really) but we did go and she did ride the roller coaster I might add!!

Mindy was much more gracious. She made me feel better by saying, "Henry has never been to MOA either! It will be his first time too!" Thanks Min!

We did have a great time and we thank our hosts Zac and Lib for all the GREAT food and fun we had last weekend. You are missed!!!!

More Vacation Pics

Thanks Kurtis!!

When I came home on Friday from a month in Oklahoma with the kids, I found the living room clean, kitchen clean and a heap (well maybe MOUND!) of clean laundry on the couch waiting to be folded. Kurtis did all the laundry while I was gone. He washed it, dried it, and piled it right on the couch. He also didn't sort it, read the labels for washing instructions or think to keep the loads to our washer's capacity. Isn't that thougthful!!

Choir robes and everything!

Check it out...
Skip to about 1/2 way through I think.
http://www.shbc-okc.org/video.asp