Truer Words Were Never Spoken

When I got the email last week asking me to help teach Maddie's class during church, I didn't hesitate to agree. After all, I have volunteered to help fill in several times, and had no problem. I was sure that I would simply be the assistant. You know, help write names, put some stickers on a sheet of paper, and make sure the right child went home with the right parent.

Then, I got a phone call later that day, asking if Justin could be my assistant. I answered for him and said that it wouldn't be a problem.

Suddenly, the pressure was on. I was no longer the assistant, I was the teacher.

I looked over the lesson plan. Easy enough.

I prepared the crafts. No problem.

I was determined to be ready.

Nothing can prepare you for going from 1 four year old to 16 four year olds.

Nothing.

When the last child left, Justin and I looked at each other.

"Wow- that was one crazy hour." I said, to break the silence.

"You know, there are certain people that are called to do this and are truly gifted. We aren't them." Justin quietly said.

I'm calling the church tomorrow and asking if I can be a substitute in the baby room. Or a greeter. Or on the notes and cards team. Or, well, anything but teaching in the four year old room.

Unless I'm with someone who knows what they are doing and I can just be there. For moral support, you know.

The Big One

Maddie is going through a stage right now. It's the I'm right, you're wrong, I'm going to argue about everything with you, not listen, and disobey at every opportunity- stage. Most of the times she does really well, but when she gets in one of her moods, watch out.

We went to our church's picnic today. It was at an awesome park and was the perfect day for it. BBQ, potato salad, baked beans, and sweet tea.

After we ate and visited with friends, Maddie was hot and sweaty from playing on the inflatables, so we decided to walk to the river. It is really shallow, and lots of kids were playing in it.

We kicked off our shoes and started to walk on the rocks.

"We saw a snake." A little girl said. Justin and I thought she must have meant a tadpole or that she saw a snake at a different time. In a different river.

We kept walking. The rocks were slippery and I was having a hard time holding onto Maddie's hand. I told her that we needed to head back to the picnic.

"But I wanna see the snake!" She whined.

"There isn't a snake." I replied.

A voice came from behind me, "Actually, it came out a few minutes ago and went back under that rock." It was the girl's dad. OMG GETOUTOFTHEWATER!

Maddie wanted to see the snake. I wasn't having it.

She took a step back into the river.

"Maddie- if you take another step, we have to leave the picnic."

The stinker took two steps. Right onto the rock where the snake was supposedly hiding.

I picked her up- screaming and crying- and we started saying our goodbyes and gathering our stuff.

She claimed that she forgot. Yeah- in the two seconds after I told you not to do it.

She claimed that it was an accident. I'm sure it was, now that you know we are leaving.

She cried. She whined. And, when we were almost to the car, she told the biggest lie that I think she's ever told. . .

"Mommy? Do you know the real reason I disobeyed you?" Finally- she's going to admit that she just wanted to keep having fun and maybe see the snake. I can work with that.

"Why?"

"Well- I was hot and sweaty. I was ready to go home."

I sincerely hope that that's not the truth.

If it is, I walked right into her trap and she got just what she wanted.