Vacation Bible School!

Wicked fun. This week has been a crazy, exhausting, hard working week in the Goldsmith household--it is VBS week at Lutheran Church of the Resurrection. Amanda is teaching the 3rd and 4th grade kids, and I am sort of the "emcee" of the whole shebang, creating opening and closing sessions, discussions, and songs for each day. It is right up our alley, as both of us love teaching. It has also been a really great experience for Amanda and I growing together, as each night, from out 9-10, we sit at the dining room table planning our lessons and presentations for the following day--we share ideas and just have a great time. And, each day, Callum comes along with us, as the "unofficial mascot" of VBS, running around like a madman, since he is so excited about seeing all the kids and all his friends (he is still too young to "officially" do VBS).

Here's teen helper Elizabeth, Lisa, Amanda, and her teen helper Siena. Oh, and Callum. They're hanging out before VBS starts for the day....

Yesterday was a special day, as a woman from the church brought her llamas for the kids to see. They were "therapy llamas" (whatever that means). I wonder the severity of one's disease or disorder if their condition goes past that comforted by a mere therapy "dog," and must necessitate something larger. Like a llama. At any rate, Callum was NOT impressed. I kind of dont blame him. Kind of weird looking things. Plus, you can neither look them in the eye, nor touch their face. What the heck? How am I supposed to have therapy if I can't even look my therapist in the eye? I mean, there has to be a trust factor. Plus, when I am getting therapy, I really like to touch faces. It makes me feel better.
Did you know llamas are related to camels? And did you know that llama poop does not smell? Did you know that? Did you?
There will be more VBS pictures forthcoming as people forward them to us.

But this afternoon, we did something really neat: We went out to friends Dave and Muriel's house in Smithfield to visit and see chickens! Dave, as we have written about before, is our bike guy at Mathieu's cycle...AND he is our egg-man. That is how Callum associates him at any rate--"Dave....bikes and eggs..." We've been very lucky to become friends with such a great guy, and we've been talking about getting out to his house so Callum could see his chickens. Today was the day, and he had a blast. And so did we. Dave and Muriel are such interesting people; Muriel is an English professor at nearby Thomas college, and she is really into gardening. They built a trail through their woods, and we took a little walk (Callum LOVES getting into the woods). Then, we just hung out and had some delicious strawberries. Here are Dave and Callum assessing the chicken situation....
Chickens--unknown to me--actually have pretty rich personalities. And they make some really interesting noises....kind of beautiful noises actually. I was surprised. Dave has Buff Orfingtons, New Hampshire Reds, and a different breed I can't remember! haha....

Callum LOVES chickens. He kept asking to go into the little house Dave had built for them.
VBS ends tomorrow...but Amanda's vacation is just beginning!