A look back...

 You might be wondering why a post is being made at near 5am. Why am I up so early? The fact is, I haven't been to sleep yet. I started feeling a bit ill Sunday afternoon, I struggled through my work shift, got home around 10:30pm, took some meds for my stomach, and slept until around 2pm. Thus, my sleep schedule is totally screwed up, and I might need some melatonin tonight to get me back on track. Today is my last day of summer break. I guess that's another reason for my insomnia. I've been turning over in my mind the great experiences I've had this summer. 

First of all, I was able to work again at the local Boys & Girls Club with a fun group of upcoming 3rd graders. Yes, we had some challenging kids and some rough days, but that kind of comes with the territory when you're working with the kiddos. In those instances, we love them through it, and offer the kids some strategies in how to deal with these ever-changing emotions that come with growing up. We played games, did fun science experiments, made art projects, and went on field trips. It was a fun summer. My work shift was 12:00-5:30, so it gave my body a chance to sleep in, and have some time in the evening to run errands and get stuff done. Our summer program ended on July 23rd, so I've been off, and on "staycation" since then. I miss the kiddos, especially the ones who only come during the summertime, as I won't see them again until next June. 

I had the fun opportunity to be a camp counselor this summer. I took a week off from the club and took some kiddos to a Bible Camp near the state line. These kiddos attend another local church, and the boys needed a male sponsor to accompany them during the week. My name came up, the camp decision-makers asked me, and I jumped on it. I believe strongly in the camp ministry. When you get these kids  away from the city and busyness of daily life, they are better able to hear the voice of God. Many kids make life-changing decisions as camp, myself included. I still remember my fun days of attending Bible camp, and have served as a camp counselor for a number of camps over the past 30 years. Anyway, the boys and I knew each other, they are great kids, and we had a fun week. It rained every day, but through the raindrops we were able to have a great deal of fun. I'm hoping that they'll ask me again next year to attend camp. 

After a year's absence due to Covid closings, our church was able to bring back VBS. I like to call it VBF, Vacation Bible FUN. I had the opportunity to portray Moses, complete with long gray beard and robes. Every day was a re-enactment of a certain scenario that the Israelites encountered during their wanderings in the wilderness. In our VBS, the kids don't just hear the Bible story, we live it! We get involved. We re-enact (to the best of our ability) the Bible adventures, and the kids remember it. That's the goal. Every adventure had a Bible application the kids can use in their everyday lives. It was a lot of fun, but also a lot of work. However, seeing the kids get involved, laugh, and learn God's Word makes it all worth it. I'm already excited about next summer's VBS.   

 Now, it comes to an end. On Wednesday, we begin a week of inservice, meetings, and room set-up. Then, next Tuesday, it all begins. Ready or not, here they come! We'll welcome the kids back to another great school year. This will be my 20th year in the school district. After school, I'll kick off my 9th year working with the BGC. Tuesday will be a very busy, possibly chaotic day, we'll sleep well that night, but it will be so good to see the kids again. 

Am I ready to go back to school? Yes. Do I want summer to end? No. I can't have it both ways, can I? But time marches on. I will carry those summer memories with me for a very long time. What sweet days they were. Looking forward, we are a few short weeks away from the FAIR! That's a whole different ballgame. 

Thanks for hanging in with me while I walked down memory lane. Blogging has really helped me process how I'm feeling. What are your summer memories? I just hope they are as sweet as mine are. Have a great day. Thanks for reading, and God bless you! 

 

Looking ahead to the Kansas State Fair...

 It's crazy to think that in just one short month, the Kansas State Fair will take over our town by storm. Rumors were flying this past week that the fair would be cancelled again this year. The directors of the fair were on the radio this morning, and answered that rumor with a resounding "NO." In fact, they are predicting a record turnout this year. People missed it last year, and are going to make the extra effort to get to the fair this year.  I visited the fairgrounds this afternoon to finalize an issue with the cookies I am entering, and took the opportunity to take a walk around the grounds. I will be visiting weekly, posting pictures of things that you might find interesting, or info bits about things you might want to see. I plan to get you as much info as I can, and answer as many questions as I can. I can direct you to the cheapest soda, food, exhibits, and any question you might have. I have tried almost every food there is at the fair, and I can give you an honest review of the booth's service, value of food, and how it tastes. I can tell you what to look for in a food vendor to ensure you're getting a quality product. Please, if you have any questions relating to the KSF, please ask them in the comments or Messenger and I'll answer them as soon as I can. It's fun to be stopped at the fair by friends asking where something is. I've overheard conversations by fairgoers as they try to figure out where something is, and I'll tell them where it is. I sometime get weird stares, and sometimes a "Thank you."  

 This will be the 10th year of my State Fair blog. I can't believe it's been 10 years. In those 10 years, I may have missed 2 days of the fair, if even that. I just love the atmosphere of the fair, and seeing people. As we get closer and closer to the fair, I will create more blog posts with some of my favorites and info about the fair; more specifically, the fair in a Covid world, and how they will be doing things. 

 In years past, in the weeks leading up to the fair, I have posted "State Fair Flashbacks," pics and videos of activities in years past. I didn't do so much of that last year, as my heart wasn't really into it. Do you want some flashbacks this year? Let me know if this is something you want to see. 

Tickets this year are $10 at the gate. They considered raising it to $12, but then re-considered. The fair begins September 10. Up through September 9, you can get advance tickets for $7. Tickets can be purchased at the ticket office or at Dillons stores. Also, if you go to the fair's official website, you can take a gander at the schedule of daily events, and where they are happening. 

That is all I have for today. More posts will be coming in the weeks to come. Also take a peek at my facebook page for my "Today at the Fairgrounds..." feature that comes out weekly. If you have no interest in the fair, just scroll on by.     Thanks for reading, and God bless!