drumming

Our Mission Week of Giving is at the same time as the Arts Alive Camp which is our church's version of Vacation Bible School. There is art, music and of course Bible lessons.

Last year, the Jr. High youth saw the younger kids learning African drumming. They asked why they didn't get to do that. I didn't realize they would want to, so I didn't ask.

I asked this year.

Yesterday we ended the day with drumming and dancing. The youth didn't realize we'd be dancing.

It was so much fun.

I love African drumming/music. I feel it deep within. Like it's in my core. Like we all came from a place where drumming and music wasn't taught, it was known.

I cannot drum.

I played the flute in marching band, pep band and concert band.

I can march to the beat of any drum.

Today we just had drumming lessons. It was a different director and he took care to give us clear instructions. We actually sounded good today. Yesterday we were just loud.

We will not drum tomorrow. We will watch a group drum instead. I think it will be most impressive.

let's volunteer

It's our Jr. High Mission Week of Giving.

I picked a short title. It's easier for everyone to remember.

We worked with various local non-profit groups last year. I don't want/like to repeat activities for a number of reasons. One of which is that, at this age specifically, they will remember what they did and how they felt last time. If it's different, which we all know it will be, and they don't like it there is no coming back from that. So if I just do something different, I don't have to deal with obstinance.

I've learned a lot over the years.

The other main reason we do different things is because it shows them how many different agencies there are just in our city.

This week we are working with the tutoring program that is at one of the local GRPS elementary schools. The tutoring program is run through our church. We staff it, we send the majority of the volunteers, we support it financially. When I asked Jer (the woman in charge) what we the Jr. High could do to help, I think she almost cried.

Today, before lunch, nine youth unpacked, counted, and "stuffed" 135 pencil boxes. Each box has two pencils (which two girls spent time sharpening), two pencil top erasers, a pencil sharpener, scissors and a box of crayons.

It took them less than two hours.

Our next task is wrapping book covers for the tutoring program's book writing activity. Fortunately, there is no specific number. They also need to be neat. It should take up tomorrow and Wednesday's time.

I can't brag about these kids enough. It gives me great encouragement to know that our future is in their hands. They will go far and do well. For that, I am very thankful.

The flora and fauna

I just watered the flowers and realized it's time for an update. The last time I posted pictures was here, on June 24th. I guess it was time for some recent photos.

The flowers, they have grown.

 The petunia is really happy. This is just from one plant!

 The overall front garden, from the driveway. 

 Osteospermum.

 The lavender is blooming!

 Here's the front garden from a different perspective.

 Let's see... there are four petunias, a dahlia and bee balm in there. 

 An artistic shot of the daisy.

And here's the back bed. The dahlia is blooming! Again, that is only one petunia. Those things are really happy this year.

Run, Emily, Run

I signed up to run a 5k.

What was I thinking?

I know what I was thinking, I've been running that distance since last summer. I may as well go for it and make it official. I'll get the sticker to put on the car and maybe even a t-shirt!

It's also for a very good cause. It's to raise money for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy which is the same cause as the .1k we "run". If you click the link above, you'll go to the race page. Once there, click on "Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy" and you can donate directly to them. I don't have a fundraising page. You can send me money if you feel moved. But I'm not doing it to raise money, that's what our team for the .1k is for. This is really just for me to run a 5k. I picked one that means something to our family.

I'll let you know how it goes.

Gulp.

tacos, topiaries, and Tiffany

We had tacos for dinner. Actually we had nachos. But that doesn't work for alliteration.

We had shredded chicken, avocado, garlic cheese sauce, lettuce, tomato, homemade salsa, more shredded cheese, lime juice, sour cream…

They were loaded nachos.

We took a walk after dinner.

Earlier, I was with Nancy in Kalamazoo. There is a topiary display throughout the city. It just went up today. We noticed a couple of them and walked around looking for more. I have pictures… they'll get posted later. They're not just ordinary topiaries. I'll leave you in suspense.

The real reason I went to see Nancy was to go to the K.I.A. (Kalamazoo Institute of Art, which by the way when googled comes up with Kia, the car. I was just telling Bill and was saying that art institutes have to be easier to find and that you don't need the periods. The example I then gave was Chicago Institute of Art. Or CIA. Sure, google that one…!)

I digress. We went to the K.I.A. to see the Tiffany exhibit. Louis Comfort Tiffany. There was a painting, lots of lamps, vases, and jewelry. It was impressive. I mentioned it in Wednesday's post. Unfortunately they did not allow photography. The lamps were incredible.

Those are the things I'm thankful for today.