My Nightmare

It would be a nightmare for any adult, I think. But for Seth, it was a dream come true, an experience he had been waiting for for a long time.

The Early Morning Wake Up Call. Coveted by all members of the Tech Room (4th and 5th grade Sunday School), each one hoping against hope that perhaps their turn would be this week. Several months ago I asked Pastor Michael, the children's pastor, if there was any way he could make this happen for Seth before we moved. Two Sundays ago he caught me in the hall and asked me if we could do it the next week.

And so it was that last Tuesday morning I was up at 5:45 a.m., dressing and making myself presentable in order to open the door for Pastor Michael and Matt, his very able and equally gifted sidekick, to enter and sneak up the stairs to the boys' room. They arrived a little after six, with a dozen Krispy Kreme donuts, chocolate milk, and a video camera. They left the donuts and milk in the kitchen and crept up the stairs to wake Seth up, with a video camera in his face.

"S-e-t-h, S-E-T-H..." they called, video taping all the while. He slowly woke up and realized what was happening. He told me later that he couldn't figure it out at first. He thought Scott was calling him, but then remembered that Scott was in China. As he came out of his sleepy fog, a big grin spread across his face. It's the Early Morning Wake Up Call! I got it! It's happening to me!

Pastor Michael and Matt gave Seth a minute to dress, and then he came down to the kitchen and the waiting donuts. But he knew the drill~ no donuts until you do two things. First, you have to do something crazy. Second, you have to thank God for the donuts.

Something crazy.... hmmm. Crazy things that will be video taped... hmmm. Seth first went to the trampoline and did a few minutes of flips and jumps. Then he grabbed a scooter out of the garage and rode around and around in circles. Next he played a few of his new violin pieces... not exactly crazy, but definitely entertaining. Last he threw some little lights around, put them in his ear, coughed them up, and bounced them off the ground. (This sequence is one of his most fun magic tricks... I would tell you how he does it, but I'm sworn to secrecy.)

Then it was time for donuts and chocolate milk. After Seth prayed a blessing on the breakfast, Pastor Michael continued to videotape. He asked Seth questions about China and moving. He asked about Seth's magic tricks. Sometime during the donuts and conversation, Caleb joined us in the kitchen. Pastor Michael offered Seth a part in a skit at Kids' Camp (where Seth is now, as I write this.) They talked a bit about what the part would entail, and then Seth was doing more magic tricks, and then Matt showed us all some really cool card tricks, and before I knew it an hour and a half had passed since they arrived.

And then they were gone, and we were left to relive it all. We talked about what parts of it they would show on the video they would make to show in the Tech Room on Sunday, and was Seth really surprised, and "Mom, did you know they were coming?" It was a most satisfactory start to the day.

If you're a kid, that is.