VBS

Gerrit was not too excited to go Backstage with the Bible this week at VBS. I was soo excited because the church a block away was doing Go Fish's curriculum and I have wanted Gerrit to be part of it. We even skipped swimming lessons this year so he could attend.

Monday morning came and he wasn't going to go. I pulled out the Go Fish t-shirt I had been saving until it fit him (still too big) and that helped a little. He refers to it as his "Jamie t-shirt" as well as all the music is "Jamie music" because he knows him. Anyways, Gerrit kept asking if he could take the pencils home after vacation Bible school - I think he was hung up on the word 'school' which reminded me of a backpack I had gotten free when I bought some books. So, I pulled that out and then he was ready and willing to go! (by 8:30 and it didn't start till 9)

I thought I'd do the mom thing and take a picture of him ready to go - like the first day of school:

That didn't go over too well, so I snuck one in while he couldn't see me. He wanted to ride his bike the first day which was fine, it was only a block up the street:

Needless to say, his excitement wore off by the time we got to the door of the school/church. He did not want me to leave him. We waited for his friend Abby and he even saw a former playmate from daycare that would be in his class. Still, he wasn't going to let me leave. But I did anyways, as he was screaming I bolted for the door. I did stick around long enough to make sure he stopped (I didn't want to leave the teachers with a screaming kid for 2+ hours!).

It was a great experience and he loved every minute of it. What I loved was the teachers are the preschool teachers for the school and they did such a great job of making him feel welcome and get his mind off of me leaving and joining in with the other kids. (He'll go to this preschool next year.) It only took 3 days for him to go through the whole crying bit as I left. Thursday and Friday were a breeze! He asked if he could line up with the other kids and everything! Made me so proud!!

Today they had a little program where they talked about what they learned each day and sang a few songs. Here are Abby (in the coral skirt, blond hair) and Gerrit waiting for the program to start - in their t-shirts they made this week:

Love the zoom lens and cheesy smile! (he's ready for school pictures)

Wait! Where's Gerrit? Oh ya, as the program began and the little kids sang their first song, Gerrit bolted for the pew and sat by me!

Look! He's back...ran back up front and sat down and even joined in a whole group song!

Missing again, we sat too close to the front - made it too easy for Gerrit to go back and forth!

And he reunites with the group again! He never did sing with his age group - just the large group:

And some times refused to join in and do the motions:

Sometimes he felt the spirit and joined the group with the motions, usually a little delayed. Lucky for him, he knew most of the songs as he listens to the CDs every night as he falls asleep. My favorite is the B-O-B-O-E (also knows to others as the BIBLE!) its so cute the way he says it!

And after a week going backstage with the BIBLE: