PAS

When I met with Heather last week, she asked if I could cover for her at Pathfinders After School. Since I'm all about more opportunities for hanging out with the kids, I said yes. I'm bummed that I haven't been able to be there this whole year but I had previously committed to HW Club on Monday afternoons so this was my first (but hopefully not last) PAS.

PAS is basically just an afternoon drop-in where the kids from the area can come and hang out, play video games, eat lots of sweets and hot chocolate, bring friends, play ping-pong, etc. Katie, Bex and Charlotte arrived first and the three of us ate sweets and chatted for a good whole. Eventually we made up some hot chocolate using real milk and I sat with Anthony and Bex while they played Sega PlayStation (I opted out since I'm absolute rubbish when it comes to any sort of video game. Kate and I later played some worship songs- me on piano, and her on guitar, including teaching her "Everlasting", one of my favorites. That led to a High School Musical session so I headed over to the ping-pong table to play with Ben and Ed. Both of them, and Arthur, who had already left, attend Magdalen School and let me just say they look absolutely adorable in their uniforms. Blue pants and blazer, light blue shirt, dark blue sweater vest and blue and red tie. They were so sweet, I wanted to squeeze them but they're Year 8s and not keen on that. By the time we were playing mad skills ping-pong, they were down to their shirt and trousers with their ties and blazers in a rumbled pile on the floor. Eventually it was just the girls and Ed and we did silly hairstyles, including giving Ed a ponytail with his fringe. His forehead was WHITE compared for his tanned and freckled face and we teased him, good-naturedly of course. He was very so much fun to chat with, especially since he was the only boy with me, Charlotte, Kate and Matilda.

I am SUCH a fan of these kids- I am so blessed that I got involved in St. Andrews and Pathfinders. I don't want my relationship with these kids to end- I really hope that everything works out with the job and the visa and I'm able to come back- I'm really going to miss them and their enthusiasm, their vernacular, their laughter and their smiles. Such sweethearts!