Tonight’s blog is destined to be a short one, but I do want to share a little about our youngest two cabins.

Susie Ma’am and I both had Man Cave/Friendship Circle with the youngest boys/girls today.  The photo is from one of these gatherings moments before these girls (the “Mini Minions”) got their slushees.  Since I suspect that few of you have hosted a gathering of 6-8 years olds on your living room floor, please allow me to share a few observations.

• Size has NOTHING to do with volume level.  In fact, I suspect that the opposite is true.

• Based on what we saw today, I have developed a theory that everyone of us uses the same amount of energy, but when that energy is concentrated into a 4 foot package – WOW!

• A whole lot of slushees end up on the blankets.  Also, there is little you can do to avoid this.  Admonitions like “please notice where your slushee is so that you do not knock it over with your elbow” end up being less warning and more ‘foreshadowing’.

• Little guys are better with Legos than bigger guys (the 7-year-olds often build better models than the 10 or 14 year-olds)

• Giggles are contagious.

• A magic wallet that makes fire can really command the attention of 1^st graders.

• Being with groups of little ones simultaneously makes you feel young  . . . and old.

Perhaps one of the highpoints was when Leah Ma’am channeled her inner Tom Sawyer.

While the Minions were in Friendship Circle, they were all excited about Lucy – Leah Ma’am and Robbie Sir’s dog.  They were so excited, in fact, that they were drifting away from the thread of the conversation (such as it is with that age group).  She then declared, “I have a special treat for you!  You can go to your next activity OR you can go to the lake with some shampoo and give Lucy Ma’am a bath!!”

You would have thought they won the lottery.  I was three rooms over and the cheers were jarring.  I think ecstasy might actually be an understatement.

Of course, if I offer a similar opportunity to our children and our own dog, I am generally met with looks of confusion or refusal – certainly not elation.  But this group embraced this gift and had the best afternoon at camp!

Got to love that attitude!

Steve Sir