Spaghetti tales

We just got back from a luncheon at church. I love luncheons. No cooking or cleaning. Yummy food. Keith, the Hunter and Gatherer, raided the church kitchen and came back with a vat of extra spaghetti sauce and three take-home trays of spaghetti. So, we'll feast again tonight!

Keri Lynn, Kristofer and Kathleen sang in the youth choir at church this morning. They had participated in the choir festival all weekend long and are now finally getting a chance to rest this afternoon before heading off to another youth program this evening, True Love Waits, that encourages kids to remain abstinent until marriage. I'm going to be attending the parents' workshop while Keith is home with the rest of the kids. At the end of the four-week program, there will be a ring ceremony where the Dad presents a purity ring to their child.

I worked on Friday helping a teacher who works with high functioning special needs high school kids. The morning class went to our local hospital for what's called "job site" where they wiped down hospital cafeteria tables, took out trash and did other general clean-up. Then, we were all fed some very delicious food from the hospital cafeteria -- fried catfish and some seriously delicious hush puppies. I helped bring them in and out of the building, but really they had the system wired. So I sat at one of the cafeteria tables and talked at great depths with the bus driver. I think we got each of our whole varied histories shared! The afternoon class was a boisterous group of kids that absolutely loved playing games. After they finished some workbook pages, I found a deck of Uno and we played some very lively games. They were VERY serious Uno players -- my kind of competitors. They played where you can put down not only a card that matches the color or number, but any runs or similar colors that you just put down. I could barely keep up!

The teacher that I worked with said that I did a good job, which was gratifying to hear. She said that the kids liked me, that I took the time to get to know them. A lot of subs didn't do that and were intimidated. Those subs the kids would run off. Eek! I could totally see some of those kids running off a sub. They can be intimidating, and they know it. But, some of the best advice I've gotten while on my quest to be a sub, has been that you've got to show that you care.

Keith got the van back on its feet again! Yippee! He changed the oil, added water, and changed the air filter. So now I'm good to go for Monday. The car sounds much better. Next, though, is a break change. Now that the car is running more smoothly, you can hear the breaks screeching.