Spreading Christmas Cheer?

Our adorable Lukie had a preschool performance this morning at the church that houses his preschool.  I thought I had been to a Lutheran Church before, but maybe this was the first time.  It was an interesting experience.  I definitely believed in what they taught but I had a hard time feeling the Spirit with the loud guitars and drums.  I guess I'm just not a modern worship type of gal.  However, I am SO pleased with the preschool.  I love the thought of Luke attending a religious preschool.  I went to one when I was a kid and I have memories of being in the Christmas program. 

SO, today was Luke's big debut.  I didn't have high expectations.  Luke is anything but outgoing.  He is still very clingy to me and has a hard time parting from me when it is time for school.  He gets "nervous" and so I knew that he would not be the shining star of the program.  I had a long talk with him at home and promised to buy him everything that he finds irrisitable on the planet if he would just put on his costume and stand with the other children.  He kindly declined anything that I offered.  He has been declaring, daily, that he was NOT going to sing in front of any people, so I didn't push the singing issue.  By the time we got there he was holding my hand so tightly and being so defiant that I told him that if he put on the costume he could just sit with me and watch.

When we got into the classroom, little Lukie went right into the back corner and I can only guess that his little spirit was floating above him because it seemed to be just a body with nothing inside to respond to whatever I  (or anyone else) said or did.  He did come alive for a moment to protest the costume, but somehow I convinced/forced him to let me turn him into a shepherd anyway.  And, although all the others were sitting and watching the Little Mermaid, Luke stood like a statue in the same spot.

Isn't he just glowing :0)

I decided to leave the room for a minute and I  hid out in the hall.  I really thought he was just going to end up staying in that spot when they all left the room and that a teacher would have to come tell me to go get him.

But guess what?  I peeked in and Luke wasn't in the corner!  The kids were lining up and he was with them!  I hurried and sat in the church with Barrington and the other boys.  There was an introduction and then a prayer.  The kids proceeded to walk down the aisle in front of A LOT of people.  They lined up in front of the congregation.  Luke was with them!

He wasn't happy or even smiling.  He didn't sing a note or do one hand gesture and he MAY have looked like he was going to deck his friend who stood next to him because he elbowed him every time he made the hand gesture for We Wish You a Merry Christmas.  But, he did it!  He stood there through Away in a Manger, Go Tell it on the Mountain AND We Wish You a Merry Christmas.  He got up in front of all those people and stood there.  I couldn't have been more proud.  I know how hard that was for him.  Then those little guys sat together in the congregation for the rest of a very LONG meeting.  When it was over and I looked for him, he had a HUGE smile on his face and I just knew that he was proud of himself.  And what more could a mom want?

This is a little snippet of the kids singing.  Luke is the third child from the left on he back row.  You may need to view it full screen because I didn't have zoom capability.  You'll be able to identify him because he is the one not moving or singing.




He was willing to allow me to record him at home practicing his songs.  Here is the real Lukie, unfettered by anxiety:


Merry Christmas!

The first day of school

I was so torn when the summer ceased this year.  I really enjoyed hanging out with my boys this summer.  We did all kinds of fun outdoor activities and they love going to the child care center at the gym together.  Grant is getting older and I could sneak in a few moments to enjoy for myself while we were out and about without being constantly on alert.  (But not too many, as evidenced by the 5 minutes I lost Grant at the pool.  THAT was terrifying.)

However, the day came that I had to send Jackson off to third grade and Luke to preschool.  All summer long Jackson prayed to get his old kindergarten teacher as his third grade teacher as she was jumping up a few grades.  He didn't get his wish, though, so he was disappointed as he headed off.  We've all got to learn to deal with disappointment, don't we?  It is bittersweet to me because he is definitely not in the baby grades again.  I feel like this is the year when kids get meaner and the real work begins.  It is a good thing he has a great group of good kids at his school.

Apparently, a summer with me did nothing for his getting to know me better (as evidenced by this note he left for us on Curriculum Night.)

To translate: 
"Dear Mom and Dad,  Thank you for coming tonight.  This year we are going to learn about crayfish.  Did you see my journal with my name?  I love you guys.  You are extreme.  Thank you."

Do you see the bottom of the page, with the drawing?  That is where he was supposed to write about what mom and dad do all day while he is at school.  You will see that Daddy is doing push ups, because he works out.  And, me?  What is that circle that I am holding?  It is a doughnut, because I "eat doughuts" all day!  What?

Anyway, Luke was excited to begin school...until we arrived.  He grasped my hand with all of his might the minute we walked through the door.   As brilliant as I am, I had set up play dates during the summer with a little girl who I knew was going to be in his class.  It's a good thing, too, because when she arrived and ran to him to build blocks together, he gave me a peace sign and I knew all would be well.  

 I choose the school because it is only a block or so away from Jackson's school and it reminds me of the preschool I attended as a child.  We did a Christmas pageant, and so do they.  That (combined with the great feeling I got when I visited) was enough for me. Luke has done far better than I expected as he has a very difficult time separating from me.  He goes three mornings a week and he has only had trouble on two occasions.

I've come to enjoy the routine (and having only one child three mornings a week).  Both boys are happy and doing well.