So, Sunday June 22nd our U-Haul pulled in after church (and so emotional goodbyes) and we started to pack up the house in Parkton. (My Parents and sister Jess came to help.) The kids were quite impressed with the size of the truck and enjoyed playing in it.
After a LOOONNGGG day of packing Rob and I headed over to Youth Unplugged to say one last goodbye. It was the best too... Glen had by chance found a Wendy's gift card for $10 at his house and said anyone who wanted a shot at it should come forward and break dance. Then the whole crowd would vote by applause and the winner takes it. It was hysterical! I could hardly breathe I was laughing so hard. Four boys came forward and the three older ones looked half injured as they jerked around the floor but usually shy 9 year old Jesse was off the hook! It was a great way to end the night! So funny!
Most of the kids hugged me and some just punched me in the arm (how boys say 'love you' in code). Before that night I couldn't have told you what color all of their eyes were but as they all individually said goodbye to me they made eye contact. And it was beautiful. Some eyes shimmered and twinkled and some were just sad. One person's eyes we so green and pretty - I had never noticed before... "The eyes are the window to the soul" it is said, and I find it's true. I remember after my brother died I couldn't make eye contact for years (because I was in so much pain). And it struck me that night as I said my farewells to the kids that they get more than we give them credit for. That night saying goodbye I knew that they understood the loss. They understood that I was going and wouldn't be around anymore and not just that but they understood that I loved them because I could read it in their eyes. I guess that's maybe a little weird or a rabbit trail of sorts but I felt it was significant... the eye contact was significant...
So anyway, we went home for more packing and a little sleep before we and the truck pulled out the next day. But late that night my sister went outside for something and said "Hey Christian. You better come outside. I think you've been forked."
Now, I wasn't going to blog about this but my Dad's been telling everyone about it anyway you may as well get the full story from me.
One day about a month ago, I mentioned to Taylor and Justin (two youth group kids) that I wanted to fork Craig and T's lawn (also from the youth group). (What this means is to buy hundreds of plastic forks and go in the middle of the night and put them all over ones lawn - just for fun - just because). So, anyway, I mentioned this to them and they wanted in on it. So I emailed their Moms, got their permission, and a week later (on the last day of school and during a power outage no less) I picked them up at 11pm and we did it. We forked T and Craig's lawn with 500 plastic forks. (Their Mom and I are close friends and I knew she'd think it was funny). Later that night I emailed them this photo with the tag line "you've been forked":
Ok, so Debbie (their Mom) woke up the next morning, walked out on the porch with a cup of coffee and said out loud "Wow. Someone really worked hard on this" and, as I said, thought it was funny and suspected me right away.Later that day, her boys wanted to "spread the love" so to speak and she suggested retaliation but the boys wanted to get someone different. So they picked a house close to theirs that was the home of two other boys who go to YU. Well, long story short they got caught in the act and had the cops called on them!!! (Since then everyone has found humor in the situation and there's no "bad blood".)
Of course I felt bad cause I started the whole thing. Rob thought it was great and was picking on the boys at Youth Unplugged the last night we were there so of course - they forked us. Which was AWESOME. It was the best going away present anyone gave me!
I was impressed with their creativity... loved the ones in my bike spokes...
.... I'll continue the story of my adventures soon...
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