Vacation Bible School!

Over an hour ago, I dropped off my son at his first ever vacation bible school! I felt like I was dropping him off at real school for the first time. He has never been to daycare or anywhere where I had to leave him with someone we just met and then completely leave the building.

I was nervous and excited for him! I had been prepping him for it. For months now, actually. There were other vacation bible schools at other churches I was interested in, but the timing was off. After we got home from Portland, I searched to see if we missed all the vacation bible schools or not. I found that there was still one going on this week at a large church that is only 1/2 mile from my house! Perfect. Very close by, convenient, and reputable. And the theme is Rev it up: Full throttle for God. Kavi LOVES cars and any kind of vehicle, so I knew this could be extra fun for him.

So I called the church last week and a nice lady on the phone told me that we didn't need to pre-register. We could just show up today at 8:45 and I could register him then, and that "they had room for everyone!". And I started talking about it every day to Kavi. He left off the vacation part and just calls it "Bible School". He said yes he wants to go. We practiced what school might be like, with me playing teacher. And it cracked me up because his whole demeanor changed during our play school time. He would sit properly and treat me like a teacher instead of just mommy. I think he is a good kid anyway, but he was extra extra good during fake class time! hah. We did it for about five days in a row and he would ask to play school.

Here he is, trying to copy his name. He has already done it before, but I keep repeating the exercise with him. He is a lefty. (neither me or my husband are lefties, but my Italian grandfather was, until they forced him to try to be right handed at his school in the old days, kooky to force such a thing.)
So after all that practice, playing school time, I felt better about bringing him today. Yesterday we told him that if he goes and stays, I will take him for ice cream after I pick him up.

So anyway...
This morning I got up earlier than usual, showered, made some coffee and food, and then woke up Kavi. I reminded him that today he was going to bible school! He acted excited and kept acting questions in between bites of food."It's so close to our house?"; "Today I'm going to bible school?!"; "I'm not going to cry and I get ice cream later?".

I got him all ready and we drove to the church. I had pointed out the church to him during the past week saying that's where it will be! We pass it a lot because it's on a main road we take all the time. We parked and he says "this is not the church buildin', this is the doctor's place." I said, "no silly, this is the church building and vacation bible school! yay!" He finally believed me and we walked towards the church gym.

We walked inside, and he looked a little overwhelmed since it's a big room and there were kids and parents scattered around at tables. I said "are you feeling ok? isn't this cool!?" and he just nodded a little. I signed him up, me being nervous as well, and talked to a nice lady at the table. I put Kavi's name tag sticker on him and then walked him behind the table to the 3 year olds room! He wanted to hold my hand and we peeked into the open door. There was a child gate up so the kids couldn't just walk out(I was glad about that). Kavi shyly stood there with me looking in and the "teacher" of the group came and said hi to Kavi, asked his name, and invited him inside. She picked him up over the gate and immediately got a cute car puzzle to distract him. I only partially said bye to him at that point. I stayed outside the room for a few mins, seeing how it went. I didn't want to just walk away. He looked like such a big boy, and content but also shy, as he sat in a chair at the table with his activity. Now he was really experiencing a school-like thing! I got his attention as he looked around the room and waved bye and blew him a kiss. He waved bye back and sat nicely. He had another little boy sit next to him and was looking at him, so then I left.

So, it looks like we are getting ice cream later on! :D

And I actually had some tears in my eyes on the way home. It's a very short drive, and actually we could walk there in about 10 minutes(too hot!). I was just so relieved that he didn't cry. I was so happy that he was going to have a fun day. And he looked like such a big boy! I am glad this first real "say bye to mommy" challenge went so well. I kept wondering if I'd get a phone call that he is crying and won't stop. But I haven't. I truly pray he is having so much fun right at this moment!! I will pick him up at noon. :)silly time with 3D glasses and "rockstyle hair", as he calls it