Caleb started preschool!

Caleb was awake and dressed and ready to go early this morning! He was more than excited about his first day of Preschool! I was so glad because with him, it really could go either way. I made his favorite breakfast--fried eggs--to get him off to a good start! (Not sure why Elijah has that facial expression.) ;)

We had to get the two school kids out the door before we could get him out. It was torture for him! He was walking around with his backpack on for about an hour asking, "how many more minutes Mom?" "47, Caleb...almost an hour." "38, Caleb, getting closer!" "Ok, the other two are gone, we've got about a half an hour now!" "10 minutes Caleb!" "Go ahead and get in the van now Caleb!" Yippee!!

Side note: That little thing he's doing with his hands is a part of Caleb. About 6 months ago, Joel noticed how he often holds his hands like that and now it's something we LOVE about our sweet boy. I'm so happy to get that in a photo on his very important day! Thank you Lord!

On the way there, he said he was feeling nervous, so I told him the story of Joshua & Caleb...Caleb...(certain now, that the Lord prepared my heart last week with Elijah for Caleb this week!) how they were scared and nervous to enter the promised land so God told them, "Be strong and courageous, for I, the Lord, am with you wherever you go!" We talked about how courage is doing something even though you're scared and nervous. We can have courage because God is with us when we go somewhere new, make new friends and try something new. He said, "we can trust God!" Oh how I love him and loved, loved, loved that short 10 minute conversation!

I wanted to get a picture or two of him in his classroom, but by then, he was feeling more nervous --there were a lot of people coming and going--and he was not into smiling for a picture. I snapped a few while he found something fun to play with on a table and asked if I could ask one of his teachers to take a picture of the both of us and he started sinking into the wall as close as he could saying, "I don't want you to leave." Oh, it just tugged on my heart strings! I tried to be brave for him but I gave in to tears too! Together we both said the promise from God that he could be strong and courageous because God is with him always.

Thankfully, Miss Bonni saw what was happening and came over to help. I told her how excited he'd been all morning and was just now having a hard time. I asked Caleb, "could you tell Miss Bonni what God told Caleb?!" and in tears, he said, "Be strong and courageous because I am with you always." Oh man, those are the moments that make a parent so, so, SO proud! Knowing how his heart was pounding and wanting to run the other way but knowing that he needed to stay and was choosing to trust God. Wow! Kids are just amazing and oh-so resilient!!

Miss Bonni asked him if he wanted to finger paint with her and then, noticing that he was starting to grab my leg, she scooped him into her arms as I made my exit. I turned around to smile one more time to see Caleb reaching out for me, saying, "I want to go!" Oh man...so hard and yet, so good...for both of us! I KNEW he would have a good time! I shed a few tears in the parking lot though.

He was beaming when I picked him up. Of course he was. He had a wonderful time and made a new friend and saw his other friend from church, Grant Moffat, at recess. He's in the other 4 year olds class. I asked if I could take his picture and he said, "Yep! I'm ready now!" Oh sweet boy! I'm so proud of him! Miss Bonni said he did great and after about a minute of finger painting said, "Can I be done now and go play with toys?" Good job bud!

On the drive home I asked him, "Did you really want me to stay?" He said, "No, I was just sad but I knew you couldn't stay." Oh, how I love hearing his heart! I am just so proud of him for facing a fear and trusting God to get him through it. That takes courage! Love you Caleb-bebalub!