Karina Helped Them Practice for the Youth Service at Church

Sunday was our annual youth service at my church, where the youth group members lead almost the entire service.  We assigned roles a few weeks ago, and practiced the week before Mother's Day.  Sunday morning, we met at church at 8am to practice again before the single 10am service.  Since no one was in the nursery yet, Karina got to hang out with us while we practiced.  Kelly (my friend and fellow youth advisor) had her two children with her, too; the older one was drawing (he's 4) and the younger one was being tended by StephQ--a former youth, now college student who often babysits for Kelly's boys and Karina.  Karina is between their ages and was so excited by everything that was going on.  She had fun watching the kids singing, watching Erik and Linda play the guitar and piano, and most especially playing on the three steps at the front of the church. 

She had her banana in a plastic bag (half eaten already) and she just carried it around.  She would periodically set it down on one of the steps, or throw it onto another section of the floor, or hand it to one of the kids.  She was underfoot and in the middle of things the whole time!  Then towards the end of practice, she took off her shoes and thought that was hysterical.  Then she took off out one door, went down the hall past the nursery, around the corner to the hall behind the sanctuary, around the next corner, back into the sanctuary, and around again.  She thought this was the most fun game she'd ever played.  Finally, she had to go into the nursery because the real service was starting, and although she didn't like that part, she had a good day overall.

 (She is "helping" them bring up the offering plates.)