L started her first day of vacation bible school today. Normally, I'd run shrieking from VBS, or torch it into oblivion, but I had to restrain myself from my impulses and let her experience it in a safe, Mommy-approved environment. This means the husband and in-laws' church where the girls were also baptized. In any case, L was thrilled that my mother-in-law was going to be there as a teacher too, and I dropped her off on time and lost her immediately to a sea of new friends. E was jealous that she couldn't stay, but I eased that by taking her to the bookstore. ;)
My experiences with VBS were pretty rotten as a child. First, they forced "religious education" on us in a mobile trailer that they put across the street from the elementary school. We were required to go every week unless our parents opted us out. I tried to opt out of it in 4th grade but my parents told me to just go, get along with everyone. It was awful, I hated that "class." Separation of church and state? Hello? I was too young to know that one. The actual summer VBS was always held in the elementary school, and my memories of it consist of singing songs in a large group, making yarn pinwheels, and being told that I was going to hell because I thought all of this stuff was a crock of $hit. This kind of attitude is one of the reasons why I don't think I could ever live back where I grew up again.
I picked up L after lunch and she was so happy. She'd made friends, she learned lots about different countries and activities (thank goodness for Unitarian churches!!!), and was honestly curious about the things she'd learned and wants to go back tomorrow to learn more. I'm so glad she's having a better experience than I ever did.
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