SX18 - GWINNETT DAY ONE

So here we go, back to Summer Xtreme again, this time at a new campus at Gwinnett's Free Chapel in Suwannee.  We have well over two hundred kids for this go-round, so it was smaller than last week's, where we had something like 550 kids.   Still, it's pretty intense, and just look above at the auditorium where we were hosting - we had the main sanctuary, versus the larger rooms upstairs.  We had outgrown that, and I think we're going to keep growing in fact.

Our services are pretty identical to last week, with an entirely new audience - although there were a few like Madison who came last week as well.  It's still fun to play the games, see the videos and hear the messages.  Oh, and there's the "Heroes" video as well!

There's Lord Titan, our villain, about to show our Heroes a thing or two.  Hopefully they'll be able to overcome all adversity and save the day by the end of the week.  In fact, the ending is a little different from last week, as Josh is still editing his masterpiece.

The kids were loving it though, and the whole service as well.  You can see Madison, already wearing her Summer Xtreme hat and Summer Xtreme glasses from last week.  She had a great day.  Once service was over, we were back in the rooms eating Chick-Fil-A, and getting ready to go to the pool!

Here's Madison and her friends at West Gwinnett Aquatic Center, otherwise known as "the worst public pool to take your summer camp of kids to."  The people that run this place - just like last year - are just amazingly odd.  Let me give you my favorite example, and then we'll move on.  Before we could let 180 kids into the area, one guy is responsible for making sure that all 180 kids have either a swimsuit on, or they have one in a bag.  I have no idea why.  Apparently, you can't go into a pool area without a bathing suit?  I get not going into a pool unless you're wearing a bathing suit.  That makes sense, if only because you want people to wear bathing suits in pools.  And that's what the copious amount of whistle-blowing lifeguards are for, isn't it?  But this guy here stops everyone, and makes them line up in one group at a time, as if it is some sort of military inspection.  Madison was in a hot bus waiting all this time - it was over a half-hour later that all the kids finally got into the pool.  And that was just one restriction.  So, to recap, West Gwinnett Aquatic Center is not the best place.  In fact, I'd probably not want to ever go there again - just because of certain employees.  Last year, we had a less-than-stellar experience at this place.  So if you're considering going to West Gwinnett Aquatic Center, my recommendation is simply to consider again.  Or, at least consider some place else.

When we were in there, the kids had a great time.  Madison, considerably more brave this year, went on the water slide with her friends, and without any problems at all.  She had a great time!

This opens the door to other water slides in the future at more elaborate water parks, which could be lots of fun!  But while here, Madison was indoors at the diving board some, splashing everyone at one point - Daddy was in the pool with Pastor Lance and Chris and lots of kids, and we were in this one area that became this all-out splash war.  Nobody could see anything at all, because about twenty of us were all in this small area splashing away - I'm surprised we didn't get a whistle at that!  It was hilarious, really.  Madison loves splashing people, and that was pretty epic.  It all started out with us hiding by a wall and ambushing some of the others, and then it got crazy!

There's a lazy river there, and that was nice to sort of float along with, and the weather was so great today.  Rain all week, and even forecast for tomorrow.  But today, there was no threat at all.  It was timed perfectly, and to God be the glory for that.  The kids all had a great time!

We finished at the pool - you can see Madison above with a bunch of the others just before heading out.  We got back a little later due to the fact that we wanted the kids to stay longer in the pool because it took them so long to get into the pool.  

So the car line was a complete mess.  But that's okay, because the kids had a great time, a great start to their Gwinnett Summer Xtreme.

Of course, that wasn't it for the day - we had KidPak tonight at our Gainesville campus.  The staff was so tired, but we had a plan to show them last year's "Heroes" video in its entirety.  Which we did, while the rest of us worked hard on the next day at Summer Xtreme, tomorrow.  There's still plenty to do there.  Madison enjoyed service, and we got things done - and then we were all heading home, exhausted and happy at a great first day!