A change of pace

We have a weird life. We are not teachers, professors, or students but we still live by semesters. We work with a campus ministry. And we love it. Still. Even though we are getting kind of up there in age. The semester has ended which means we have a change of pace. Our schedule changes. Our phone doesn't ring as much. As much as I love the students, I appreciate the opportunity to focus fully on my family because I can tend to feel pretty stretched during the school year.

This year we had some really special experiences that highlight some perks of our job for our family. They all have to do with parties. Tate had 5 little boys over for a birthday sleepover back in November. During the party he had a surprise visit from 4 college guys and recent graduates. They came bearing gifts and then retreated to the basement for a massive nerf gun fight, light saber dueling...
and tickle fest...
It was easily the highlight of the night...
Emmie's birthday party was a Dance party. Our two female interns came to help me as the dance instructor and DJ...
The girls had their own choreographed number to perform when the parents came to pick them up...
It was the kind of party that people go into debt for...and these women helped me for free. I especially loved the way all the little girls responded to Becky and Daley who showered them with love and attention...
And finally, how many 8 and 6 year old kids go to Frat parties? Mine do! Here they are trying their hands as DeeJay's...
In case you are concerned, it was a philanthropy, not the kind of Frat party that children should not be allowed anywhere near.

But it's not always fun and games. In fact, there was another dance party that didn't go over so well this year. Every year our students have a formal and Bill and I have never gone in the past for various reasons. This year we decided to go and I learned a valuable lesson. While I don't think we are too old for college ministry, I do believe we are too old for college parties. I felt like such a poser. I'm 38 and I'm at a party with 18-22 year olds. Not that I don't love them, but I have never felt so old in my life. I was miserable. Bill on the other hand, was unfazed. He was a "maniac, a maniac on the floor". Here's a picture that captured our different experiences that night...
I think we'll be staying home next year and going to bed at 9:30pm like normal middle-aged people.