Just say ya-ya-ya-yes to Va-Va-Va- VBS

Last week, after years of Mommy working on Lifeway's VBS curriculum, Small Fry got to experience the magic first hand. We signed him up for Amazing Wonders Aviation at a nearby church. This worked out especially well because, as he was cruising around the world, stopping at all the natural wonders like the Grand Canyon and Paricutin (which I learned to spell last year since I had to draw it three times) I was at home working on next year's production.

Small Fry was totally hooked and I got to see some of my craft and song illustrations come to life.

I particularly remember working on this one after midnight one night, caffeinated with Mello Yello and Snow Patrol:

I remember redoing the sketch below several times just to get the ages and expressions of the characters right:

During family night at Judson Baptist, the kids put on a show of all the songs they had learned during the week. Over the years I have drawn reams and reams of hand choreography, sign language motions and various poses set to music. Pages of art suggestions and lyrics cover the floor as I twist my hands in front of my mirror trying to create exactly how this looks on a 7 year old. Watching the kids bounce through the actual songs, I couldn't help but laugh at myself thinking how many times I've wondered, "ok, does the left or right hand go first? is it up and then down? then up again??"

By the time the kids got to the final number I was holding a squirmy Sprout and didn't get any video, but I did get this shot:

100 kids singing along! No wonder I do so many music drawings.

Besides the cool factor of seeing my work, it was also the first time I've seen the full scope of every designed, illustrated, and printed piece. Even I had no idea there was that much....my work is one island on a huge planet! I have extra respect for the folks I work with at Lifeway that they are able to direct so many different parts and have them all come out stellar. Walking around the halls at Judson you could see how everyone's effort really put the kids in the moment. In the pick-up line on the first day, Fry said "Mommy I want to go back tomorrow!"

Fry and Sprout are looking forward to starting VBS at our church this week. It's not my work this time, but I can't argue with something that makes my kids get excited about going to church. And while they are swimming around the ocean I'll be working on the top of my to-do list: "work on 2013 craft sketches"