Firsts

Tonight was Mikie's first night of AWANAS. We've been talking about it for over a week now and trying to get him excited for it to no avail. I think what was really making him anxious was that they are required to wear a vest where they can display the patches they earn for memorizing scripture. He won't even wear a jacket when it is cold outside, so a vest to him was pure torture. We put it on at home before we left and he threw a huge fit and so we took it off in order to get him into the car. I was so nervous that the entire night was going to go horribly and that he would be kicked out for being disobedient. I began praying that God would ease both of our fears and that he would have a great time. All day long it has been overcast with a steady drizzle of rain. As we are walking to the church Mikie keeps saying "This is a bad, bad day." I know he is referring to both "the rain" and "Awanas". When we get to his room (204 the second story of the church...how exciting!) I contemplate putting his vest on again and risking another tantrum. I quietly tell the teacher that he is really reluctant to putting it on and she says that's ok for the first time. I explain to Mikie that just this once his vest will get to stay in his bag...he seems ok with that but will not join the group of children on the floor and prefers to sit and color at a table by himself. I leave...happy that he's not crying...but expecting to be called out of service to pick him up. An hour passes and I'm still in church...God has answered my prayers! When I arrive in his classroom he is playing with the other children and has marker all over his hands and face (a sure sign of participation!) The teachers tell me that he is a very smart little boy and only showed defiance once when asked to stand for the pledge but then did finally obey. As we were walking out he was smiling, happy, and chattering on about making an Ern E Elephant puppet, and that there was a story with Luv E Lamb and a zebra. I am so relieved that it went so well and he even said next time he would wear the vest (I'll believe that when I see it!).

Here he is with his teacher, Miss Freida and his cubbie bag (but no vest).The last week in July, Mikie went to his first day camp. For 3 1/2 hours each day he was at the Stafford Parks and Rec Camp Discovery. The first day was hard for him to transition away from me. I was in the hall listening to him scream and my friend, Kim, had to help calm him down (thanks so much!!!). The next day went smoothly and on the third he cried again but this time for only a few minutes. The 4th day ended up being his last since we had to fly home to Iowa for my grandmother's funeral. This was a really big step for him to be away from me for so long and I'm so proud of him for getting through it with only a few melt downs. It helped a lot that his 2 good friends, Lenny and Jacob, were in the camp as well. Here he is with his camp shirt on. He wouldn't stand next to his bag so I could get a good picture and Zachary was screaming in the car so I didn't realize that Mikie's eyes were closed until I uploaded it days later.