Monday, September 18, 2006

the kids are all right

i've visited with some of my old youth group kids. in fact, it only took about 5 minutes for one of them to express a desire to punch me in the face. he really meant, it's good to see you again. being the midst of their hyperactivity is shocking but in a good way. it's fun to see how they've grown over the past 3 years.

played freeze tag for the first time in who knows how long when i babysat my friend's 2 boys. i thought i broke one of them when he asked me to launch him in the air off my shoulder. some things are best only attempted in the swimming pool. his younger brother kyle resisted brushing his teeth before bed with an act of civil disobedience; he curled up into a ball on the floor. i had exhausted my reserve of threats and cajoling, garrett offered to help. bending down close to his ear, he said, "kyle if you brush your teeth, i'll give you... money." kyle was off like a shot. garrett looked up at me, shook his head, and said with all the wisdom a 7 year old could muster, "works every time." after kyle rinsed, garrett forked over 6 cents. at bedtime, after i had wrestled them both through baths, i read them stories on the couch. sitting there reading "cloudy with a chance of meatballs" with two freshly scrubbed heads resting on my shoulders was a tranquilly perfect moment.

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