Taking the Scenic Route

Church this morning went pretty well.  The service was sort of odd, but it was odd on purpose.  They were finishing up a series of sermons that explored different styles of worship and today’s was a Charasmatic Episcipalian…it was like a Charismatic mixed with Catholic.  Very unusual.  The incense in the air did make the rays of sunshine coming in from the stained glass windows a colorful glow though, although I was glad I wasn’t up there for the service because I was starting to feel sneezy just waiting for the children’s story so I could go downstairs with Zane to the Children’s church.  I guess I wouldn’t make a good Catholic.  lol.

I was VERY happy with the children’s service.  That was the main thing that we were struggling with the church we have been going to.  Zach and I both just loved the sermons and overall attitude of the congregation, but the children were jammed into a crowded basement in too small rooms.  They also had a rotation Sunday School model that meant Zane would change rooms every few weeks.  That just wasn’t a good situation for him.  This church has a more typical Sunday School setting where he will be in the same room for a few years before going to the next room.  The room itself is spacious, well designed, and the sound wasn’t bouncing all over the place. Next week, after talking to the Sunday School director this week, we plan on going to regular Sunday School too.  Now that I have a feel for the place I am much less nervous about that.

Zora was surprisingly clingy when we went to the nursery.  I finally left and took her into the congregation, where she hung on Daddy for a while.  Eventually she wanted down and he took her back to the nursery and dropped her off with no incident.  She played happily the whole time.

After the children’s church, we went back upstairs to join the congregation for the final bit of the service.  When I went back into the room with Zane to sit down with Zach, the person sitting next to him (who wasn’t there when we went downstairs) was the ST from Zane’s school (and had evaluated him) whom I got along with really well.  She sort of jumped when she saw me and almost forgot she was in church as she greeted me.  lol.  It was an amazing coincidence.  After the service we talked a bit.  Besides being an ST, she is also the mom of an older (I think adult age, but at least a teen) SN child and told me that this church was really great with nontypical kids.  One of the pastors kids was SN before passing away, and that pastor (who also happens to be one of the co-leaders of the parent’s association at the school Zane went to) had helped advocate for her son when he was having problems receiving services one time. She took me to introduce us to the pastor.

Now, let’s take the coincidences just a bit farther.  Waaaaaay back, in the late 80s when I was a high school/early college student I used to perform in churches, doing readings and playing flute.  I went to my aunt’s church fairly often because she was a professional organist and was happy to be my accompanist (so I didn’t have to drag my music teacher around as much because he was usually my accompanist).  The minister there was young, single, and cute  …something you don’t see a lot, so I remembered him.  The pastor at this church had the same name, but I wasn’t sure if it was the same guy.  I asked him if he used to be a pastor at Mac years ago, and he was.  I asked if he remembered my aunt…he did…I asked if he remembered her niece that used to come play flute.  He did.  lol.  He even remembered my hometown and my mom.  He had just talked to my aunt two weeks ago. How funny is that?!?  Such a small, small world sometimes.

We will definitely be back.  It will take some time to determine if it will be “home”, but it is certainly looking up right now.

Tonight we went to a birthday party for Robert’s wife who is turning 40.  As it turns out, there were a few people from her playgroup there, one of whom I had met before at Exploration place and I think at Bionic Squirrel’s house.  That was a surprise.  As we chatted, we realized we were all on the attachment parenting group for Wichita, but most of us had never shown up to a playdate (all chicken. lol).  So, I maybe found another group to hang out with there. 

 Finally, a few photos from the pumpkin carving

There were lot’s of yummy roasted pumpkin seeds the next day too.  We are thinking of getting another pumpkin so he can make an original design instead of just tracing something.  (plus, there will be more pumpkin seeds to roast.  hee hee)