Mission Impossible... or May Madness?!?

Mission Impossible has become an annual event. Each year, in May (the hottest month - I'm not sure why they wait until May each year to do this??), it's two teams of kids against the adults to see who can complete their secret mission. Everyone usually dresses in dark colors, paints (or darkens their skin) by some method so that they can run around the Sahel Academy grounds in the dark, seeking clues, picking up "microfilm," safely taking microfilm to appointed drop-off points, avoiding the bad guys, finding bombs and trying to stay alive. It appears to mildly ressemble the games of Capture the Flag I used to play, many moons ago.

Each year, the kids come home dirty, sweaty and exhausted - but talking incessantly about the most recent M.I. -- and immediately anticipating the next one... the next year!

Here's a smattering of pictures from this year's M.I. - I'm late in getting the photos up because life has been so busy, but the kiddos will be glad that I finally have.

Adults preparing...

(This is how dark it really was.)!

Kids waiting...

...anxious to begin...

...strategizing... and showing-off...

...camoflauged...

...still waiting...

...hanging around....

...until the adults have their act together and the fun is ready to begin!

A quick run down of the rules...

... with everyone listening attentively!

Instead of the Men in Black, this year they had the Guys in White.

...and the game is almost ready to begin!

In the game, you are still alive if you have a string bracelet in your team's color still tied on your wrist...

You die when the "bad guys" rip that string off your wrist, at which point you return to a central locale where willing volunteers tie another string back on your arm, at which point you can initiate intrigue and strategy once again.

In years past, I've been one of those folks who ties strings on sweaty, grimy wrists. That is one reason why I know just how hot, sweaty and gross the kids tend to become over the course of the game. It is also why I know just how hot and sticky it is for everyone who is participating.

This year, I decided to spare M&M. I stayed home with the little ones while Tim took the school-aged crew to participate... and snapped photos.

Watch out for Mr. G!

Where's he heading? What's he hiding?

Finally, the game is over! While the scorers make their tabulations, the kids guzzle water and wait to find out who won, as well as who was the most "dangerous" adults.

Look at those Chamberlain boyz...

(Haven't we already seen this pose elsewhere?)

This is still my favorite picture - my "bad" girls! It also leads me to the second reason I know just how icky kids get in the course of this game... who do you think gets to help with all the grime removal?

However, my very favorite story from this year's M.I.? One of our friends drove up to pick up kids after everything was over, and found Victoria sitting outside with a very grumpy and angry expression on her face. When asked if she was upset because her team lost, Tori shook her head, and replied, "No. MY team finally WON. But... we didn't get a prize. What's the point of winning if you don't GET anything?!"

Guess we've got a bit of teaching still to do with that one, eh?