Sleepover: The Musical

Ok, not really.

But could you imagine if someone did make a musical of a sleepover? It would be awesome! And I could play the part of the Killjoy Chaparone, the one who has to get up and go to work the next day, and insists that her charges at least be quiet enough that she can get some rest.

Ok. Rant over.

We had (as Anna Marie put it) SO much fun Wednesday night! Two dozen girls under the age of 12 running around the house all night - what could be better?

When I told someone about it the next day, they said, "I can just imagine all the giggling that went on." Oh, my, goodness. NO you couldn't. Because there was much giggling, and screaming, and general horseplay among the girls.

(Oh, and also their Missionettes advancement, because, after all, that was the reason we were there.)

I walked in that house basically knowing no one - but I found out that when you spend the night with folks, you get to know them REAL fast. Everyone was really great - Ms. Jeannie, the homeowner; her daughter, Maria (seven months pregnant with her FOURTH child, and she's younger than I am!), and another mom named Jessie - we were the brave souls who stayed the night. Another pregnant mom (also her fourth child, though not nearly so far along and not quite as young either) stayed until about 10 p.m., as did another mom (who said the MOST amazing thing to me, but more on that later.)

There was lots of food out for us to nosh on, lots of healthy food - thank God, because I was grabbing a bite every time I walked through the kitchen. The church had ordered pizza, but it was an hour late getting there. Apparently, a problem on Domino's end, not ours. I did have a few bites of that as well.

(Strangely enough, I don't think Anna Marie ate anything at all Wednesday night - she was too busy playing in the bedrooms upstairs.)

The girls were all advised to bring dress-up clothes and put on a fabulous fashion show. Anna Marie had picked out a white dress, and even though it was over her street clothes, she still complained that it was itchy. She took the dress off at the last moment, and when she came down the stairs, was just holding a pair of pom poms.

She then advised me to get my camera and video this:


Untitled from turnermel on Vimeo.

Sorry it's sideways - it's pretty short, so you can just turn your head. You'll manage!

Later, the girls all gathered on the stairs and we got pictures of them with their sashes. Anna Marie doesn't have any badges yet, but she's pretty excited at the prospect!



Much, much later (like, about 11 p.m.) there was a coloring contest. Anna Marie takes her coloring contests very seriously.








We finally got the girls settled down about 1 a.m. I took the extra room the host had fixed for her granddaughter (and when I say fixed, this lady knows how to make a little girl's fantasy come to life!) and slept on the daybed. I ended up with two girls, neither of which was my own. She preferred to sleep downstairs with some of the other girls. There was another couple in the grandsons' room, and a slew of girls in the master bedroom upstairs.

Unfortunately, one of the girls in my room was terrified of the dark, and we had to sleep with a lamp on. I managed - I've slept like that before, for instance, after watching Seven in college - and I got a few hours sleep before we had to leave and I had to get to work.

And, Anna Marie woke up the next morning, surprisingly bright-eyed and bushy tailed, but ready to get home nonetheless.



Thankfully, Ms. Jeannie is a wise woman and had a pot of coffee ready first thing - God bless her!

I've even agreed to be Ms. Jeannie's helper on Wednesday nights! She teaches the Prims (first and second grade girls) class, the one that Anna Marie will be moving in to, and she said she had 14 girls last week! By herself! How could I not help?

Ok - let me tell you what Tracy, another mom said. We'd attended Cornerstone about six years ago, when Anna Marie was a toddler and we'd first moved to Mississippi - and I was 90 pounds heavier. Several people are still at the church that I remember, but I don't say much because I don't know if they recognize me. A few have, but I think they recognize Jason or Anna Marie first.

Tracy and I were talking Wednesday night, and she asked how long we'd been at the church. I said, "Since around Easter." She started looking at me quizzically, asked if I'd gone there before. "Yes, about six years ago - but I was 90 pounds heavier and looked much different!"

She said she thought she recognized me, around the eyes, and Anna Marie. She kept the nursery next to the one that Amanda and I had worked when we went there before. She said, "I thought I recogzined you, but how do you ask someone if they used to be a lot bigger?"

She also remembered my mad fashion skillz - I used to be such a diva at church, and wore lots of scarves and such. It's amazing that even as my body has changed, my fashion style has changed, and I just don't feel the need to dress up that much anymore.

(Also - back then I was still wearing clothes from my "old life" as a minister's wife in South Carolina, when everyone was very conscious of what we wore, and as I've replaced my wardrobe, I've mainly bought stuff I could wear to either church or work. It helps that I can wear either a dress or capris to Cornerstone, and no one cares either way!)

We did have a good time - an exhausting good time! Hopefully the next time around, I'll be able to take the whole day off, and not have to go in on a deadline!