Drills

Basketballs.

Fire.


Nothing in common? Think again.

Tuesday morning my brother, Will, texted me to see if I could sing in the morning service. Which started in less than an hour. Fortunately, I had a couple songs prepared and, with the help of my amazing pianist, Kristen, we picked the song Bow the Knee.

After a quick breakfast, everyone headed downstairs for the service.

My solo was right before the speaker, Mike Fisher. Everything was great up until the end of the second verse.

As I started the chorus of the second verse, a loud, high-pitched wail started.

I couldn't tell if it was a cellphone (which the guys were not supposed to have with them), or if it was something else. I kept singing. After a few seconds of ear-piercing wails, the lights on the fire alarm boxes began flashing.

What we learned later was that the construction crew across the hall had managed to trigger the fire alarm wires.

I finished my song, singing a little louder to be heard over the sirens, then the decision was made to move everyone to the gym for the service. Some of the guys asked for me to sing the song again, so in the after-lunch service, I sang again. Sans fire-alarms.

Every morning after the service and a time with the counselors, the guys have "gym time." A majority of this time is spent doing drills. By the second day of drills, everyone was groaning and moaning. The second morning in particular, I found most of the guys coming into the gym, and instead of grabbing a ball as soon as they could hit the court, most of them laid down on the floor in a desperate attempt to capture any possible amount of extra sleep they could.

One drill in particular, the first one they learned on Tuesday morning, has been a particular source of soreness. I believe it's called "Skating." The basic idea is: going the length of the court, hopping from one foot to another, swinging arms from side to side, land on the toes of one lower extremity and pull the other leg up and behind. The purpose of the drill is balance and toe-strengthening. And apparently, it is stretching hitherto un-stretched muscles.

Updated List of Injuries:
Sprained ankles
Jammed fingers
Jammed thumb
Bruised knees
Sore backs/shoulders
Strained shoulder
Bloody nose
Lack of sleep

Life is falling into a pleasant pattern. Of sorts.

At least until Friday, when I am told the "Field Time" which is new in the schedule will include football and water balloons.

Bring on the injuries!
:)