Five things I’ve got going on

 In no particular order.

1. A wedding. 

I just ordered the groomsmen’s and groom’s suits; we have a fitting party planned for April for them to try them on and hopefully get any needed alternations done.

I’ve ordered my daughters’ bridesmaid dresses and decided on my own dress.

We’re still working on rehearsal dinner catering and Jason’s clothes and shoes for everybody. We’re also helping Jed figure out how to financially leave and cleave: talking about things like a car title transfer, health insurance, his PCP, car insurance…

2. Our church Easter program, which I find myself co-directing. A friend of mine came to the recruiting table this week to sign up and led with, “I’ve never helped with this before” and I said, “neither have I, yet here we are.” I’m figuring it out as I go; so far it’s heaps easier than VBS—and with far fewer volunteer needs; in fact, much of the recruiting is already done. We still need costume makers and set decorators and live animal actors, however.

3. VBS season has more or less kicked off, in that we had our initial leadership meeting to set training dates and deadlines and to prepare to move forward.

4. Sunday school. 

We’ve almost completely decided to not do elementary Sunday school as a large group this summer, as we’ve done for years immemorial. Doing it that way gives the teachers a break, as the children’s director, her assistant and I take on the burden of preparing and teaching the lessons and the other volunteers just show up and help the kids participate. But the combination of preparing for VBS and the seeming demon possession that is affecting the staff computers tipped us toward instead recruiting new teachers to take over the regular classrooms this summer.

In the meantime, I’m officially shirking my Sunday school duties this spring by sneaking out of the children’s wing starting this Sunday, to attend a combined youth-and-parent class on Holy Sexuality. I’m looking forward to a break from my regular Sunday morning responsibilities and to hanging out with grown-ups and teenagers for a change.

5. School, of course. It is my day job, after all. 

We’re trying to work ahead because we have a visit with my parents coming up, closely followed by a retreat I’m attending for three days—and we would like to finish this school year at some point.

I’m also starting to think about next year…when Lizzy will start high school and Caleb will be in eighth grade. How many online classes should I sign them up for? What level is the appropriate level of challenge for them? And do I want to just teach high school history myself? These are the questions rolling around in my head.