Penny wars

Mars is big into campaigning and raising money for clean water, and for making sure that the community around us has their needs met too.  They usually do Coats for Burton, so that kids aren't cold in the winter and we fill up grocery bags full of things so they can have a nice meal too.

One way they raise money for clean water is obviously through 20liters but their elementary also does a penny war.  This is Dude's first time in the elementary wing and he was so excited about the idea of the penny war. This is one of the first times that it's been a competitive thing that didn't just relate directly to him.  He did a really good job finding pennies though and asking people for some to donate.  We thought we missed the last Sunday to put some in but we didn't and he had a blast putting them in and seeing what the other grades columns looked like!







He was pleased as punch to know that kindergarten won!  And they raised a TON of money.  They got an ice cream and cake party which he was so thrilled about.  I was glad that he was able to associate trying to help others and be so excited about it.  :)

JVG

Yellow 2's

In the summer time at church they ask for other volunteers to help lead rooms and be helpers to give the regular volunteers a break.  My favorite age is babies... because.... who doesn't love to snuggle a baby?!  But, there was a need for two year old's and since Norah moved up to that wing they asked if we would be willing to help.  It's definitely was something I was not interested in, as that age isn't my favorite.  It's that age where they know just enough to give you sass and trouble but not enough to communicate and be helpful/rational.  The way that Mars tries to split their rooms up is by age... so we are in the room that the kids just turn two, and then there are other rooms where kids are just about to turn three.  Which, is a BIG difference in that one year.

G actually volunteered first, because, well, he's awesome, and I took some serious time and consideration into it before agreeing to help as well.  They needed a female volunteer because they can't just have a male in the room, for safety sake, so I volunteered as well.  This way they could open up a whole new room and help the littles who are just graduating out of baby bay ease into the curriculum of 2's.  Since I have room lead before in babies they made me the room leader of Yellow 2's and I have to say, I've really enjoyed it.  There are some awesome kids that I've gotten to know and love and there are some that are a bit more high maintenance, let's say.






The goal of the yellow room is to have a smaller group of kids so help the transition but the summer has been so busy that we have been at capacity all but one or two weeks.  It's been crazy, but I think we're doing a good job!  So, when we actually have only yellow 2 kids in our room its amazing!





We've been able to do every Sunday except one or two and it's hard because if one of us is gone then the room really can't be open.  It makes it a little harder because they go down to one service in the summer so that means we don't get to go to service... but they do podcast and I should be better about listening to them on my own time.  It gives me a HUGE appreciation for the volunteers that do this all year long.  I've only done this for the summer and it's been quite the commitment.

Thank you volunteers for loving our kiddos and sharing God's love with them!

JVG

Korean church

We haven't been to Grand Rapids during the weekend for the past two weekends because we have been so busy!  The one Saturday Gaetan was picking up the treadmill and then Jane and I went on our Mom Date... so the next morning instead of driving to Mars we tried out Jane and John's church.  They go to a Korean CRC which has a lot of first generation Korean people who have moved from Korea to this area.  Its a much much smaller and intimate setting... it was a little different than we are used too!  We went to drop the kids off at Sunday School and we are used to getting arm bands with numbers and signing them in, and we totally didn't even have to do any of that.  John just introduced us and the kids to the Sunday School teacher and all was well.  Dude and Lucy were just fine being in the room together and eventually Gaetan and Norah ended up there, but it was just a different pace than we are used too.

It was a bit more traditional so we got the kids all dressed up.

I just thought this picture of Goose was very endearing.  All dressed up with her backpack on... ready to go!

The actual service was in Korean.  Most everybody there speaks Korean, and everything was written in Korean as well.  During the actual service I put in headphones and there was a translator in the back going over the message in English.  It was quite the set up!  Norah wasn't having much of it so that's when Gaetan took her back to Sunday school.  After church they had a lunch together where they had Korean food... yum yum!  I do miss that aspect of knowing everybody and having a meal with them after church, but I am really happy with Mars.  It was a nice change of pace to try something new, and to be immersed in Korean culture, but I wasn't really down with what the pastor had to say.  I'm thinking we are a bit too liberal for them... but the congregation was super friendly and very welcoming!  Dude said that he liked Mars better but wishes Ms Cheryl (who is his room leader) had food like they had at the Min's church.  He went to town on the seaweed soup they served!

All the kiddos in Sunday school

It was very sweet of the Mins to invite us to their church and I'm glad that we got to see what part of their weekly routine is.

JVG

Nursery time

Our sweet Norah has been in the nursery now for about a month.  The first time she was dropped off she wasn't thrilled, but I didn't get paged back during the service and they said she did really well!  Ever since that when I drop her off she doesn't get upset at all.  The transition goes well when I can nurse her before hand, so we get to church a little earlier so I can get that done.  It was always a dilemma when we should start her but she was getting more mobile and wanted to be doing things, so I wasn't able to listen to the message, so we thought we'd give it a try.  Now all the kiddos are in the back doing Sunday School or nursery.  Yikes... they're growing up to fast!




Along those lines since Norah has been eating more and more baby food she has actually been refusing to nurse.  :(  For those of you who know me well, know that I enjoy my time with the kids while they nurse.  And now, Miss Norah is getting so independent and all grown up that she only does it at night time or right before a nap (which she has also cut down on as well.)  It is partially nice because that means Gaetan will be able to feed her and appease her if I'm not around, but it's also sad because this Momma loves her snug time with her babes.  Le sigh.  I know that they have to grow up sometime and I enjoy the different stages as they come, but knowing she's my last is a little bitter sweet.

JVG

Serve 3

I have to say that I love the church we attend.  It is everything that we have been looking for, and I look forward to going every week.  If we ended up moving away I would still listen to their podcasts because I love what they have to say that much... and its how they say it... they ask more questions than give answers and it forces you to think for yourself.  I love it.

I also love their children's ministry... and with a church of that magnitude I wonder how they make it run so smoothly and so successfully.  Lucy is now in a different wing... she is out of the baby bay.  She is now in Dude's wing, but different class rooms.  When that happens the children's ministry asks that each parent serves 3.  Which is a Sunday once a month for three months... this way it gives them more volunteers and it allows them to see what is being taught and how their classes are taught.  I think it's brilliant.

This past Sunday was my first Serve 3.  I wasn't in Lucy's room or Dude's, because they needed me in the 4-5 year olds, which was just fine.  It was probably better that way!  I did get to be in the 'big room' with Dude, so I got to see him then, but other than that I was in a completely different pod.  It was nice to see how they set things up... what their schedule is like and what they allow to go on in the classes.  I had a bit of a feeling for it already since Gaetan had volunteered before when we were trying to get Tristan used to the idea of Sunday school, but it was nice to experience it for myself.

Lucy is much better about Sunday school because we started her earlier but Dude loves it and has friends that he sees every week.  :)  I am interested to see how the next serve 3 goes!

JVG