VBS

A few weeks ago, I enrolled my kids in Vacation Bible School at a church that Matt and I have visited a few times and we really like but we haven't made up our minds about.
They had a VBS program centered around the Veggie Tales and it was running from 6-8:30 every night this week. What can be bad about that?
Enter my newly five-year old son.
(I will write about his amazing birthday tour later)
But he is not the best about transitions or "new" things. I know that might come as a shock to many of you because he is so social. But any time I drop him off ANYWHERE, he acts as though I am the worst mom in the world and as though this is his idea of social tortue. I have no idea why he does this or how to make this better.
But I have tried everything I know how to do.
So the night before, I tried to give him lots of warning that we were going to VBS and it was going to be fun and instead he cried the whole day prior.
At the time when I had to leave; he bawled like most 18-month old toddlers.
Of course when I picked them up, he asked if they could come back the next day.

Last night, I decided there would be little to no talk of VBS just dropping them off as quick as a wink. Not a lot of hugging or build up just to see what the reaction would be. He still welled up, but moved on. His teacher told me that he stuck close to her the whole night and did everything but had a hard time warming up. She even used the phrase "unique" to describe him. As in:
"He sure is a 'unique' child."

Note to all people doing anything with children everywhere:
Do not use this phrase with mothers.
I was awake from 3-5:30 this morning obsessively worrying about how kindergarten was going to go based on these two little Vacation Bible School days. I worried over riding the school bus, the cafeteria, etc. I was reading websites, what books we should be reading, etc. I became a nut job.
Thanks to my "unique child."

And he is unique. He is just a slow starter. Now that he is warming up, I am sure he is going to own VBS and they are going to wish for him to be shy again.

But besides that, VBS is the greatest gift known to man. Matt and I dropped the kids off and went for run, ate dinner together at home and then went to Lowes. Is this what life is like with kids when you live with family in town? It was so lovely and quiet. We thoroughly enjoyed the "normalness" of something so simple. It is so rare that I can hardly believe it.
I can't wait to drop my kids off again tonight.
Also, they are singing the memory verse all day long:
"I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." So so sweet.

Church

For the last year and a half, we have had a hard time going to church. We LOVE our church. We love the people that go to our church, our pastor, the music-almost everything! EXCEPT, there is no nursery. All of the kids of the church just are in church throughout the service. Which can be great. Except when you have a kid as busy as Asher is. I mean, he can not sit still for two minutes. We have been working on it and two minutes is the limit.

We have had some discussions with our pastor and with several friends and we have come up with a solution. We have come up with child watch co-op. Our dear friends the Knauers (this is Natalie's picture), took the rotation this morning. They watched their little boy, Bennett along with Asher and Lucy. Next week, we are going to do it. After that, we are going to ask a few other friends to volunteer for the duty. That way, we could sit in church without our kids, our kids can all play with each other and we don't have to worry! Also, it doesn't seem that hard to take care of a bunch of kids once a month.

This morning was the first time since Asher was born that we really got to hear about the Shorter Catechism and the sermon. We actually got to stand during the hymns! It was great! I am so thankful that we have friends that we can trust our kids with and friends that our kids love being around. It is such a blessing and I am truly thankful! Anyone out there want to volunteer for the first weekend in March or anytime thereafter???