Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Kindergarten Blues

Do you know that kind of sick, sad feeling you get when your kids are really scared, upset or worried about something and there is nothing you can do about it? Today was Calvin's second full day of Kindergarten. When I asked him last night how his first day went, he said, "Awesome!" Then he did a little action dance with his fists pumping in the air. This morning I took him back and all of a sudden he couldn't let go of me. His eyes got all red with tears and his mouth turned down as he tried not to cry, telling me, "I'm going to miss you."

"I'm going to miss you to Calvin, but I'll see you as soon as school is over," I said.

He didn't miss a beat with his reply. "But I'm not going to get to sit by you." And the tears in his eyes swelled up into beads that threatened to roll out at any second. He lined up with his class, and I watched as he marched into the school using every bit of his willpower to keep himself from really crying. And I felt every bit of the anxiety that he felt - new kid, new school, new neighborhood.

I know that tonight he will tell me how much he loved school as he sits on my lap and gives me a trademarked Calvin "Huggy & Kissy." I also know that tomorrow morning we will carry the weight of his anxiety again. But it will be a little lighter.

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Bullet Point Update

My brain requires that data be aligned in a very organized fashion. I want my information to be clear, concise and to the point. I'm the guy who twirls his finger (Get to the point!) when a story goes too long. My motto is, "Efficiency or death (or at least mild discomfort)!" So, in the interest of effective communication I am going to sum up the last two months in a very efficient, very business like bullet-pointed report. Without further ado...
  • We moved from Lee's Summit, MO to Bloomington/Normal, IL.
  • The dog rode with me in the moving truck. No accidents, but lots of hair and licking.
  • We all spent the night packed into a smoky smelling hotel room that accepted pets. We learned that beggars can most definitely not be choosers. Echo, our dog, peed in front of the elevator on the second floor. Sorry, fellow travelers!
  • We unpacked the truck with the help of some wonderful new friends on a summer day that made me feel like I was wrapped in a hot towel all day. It may be great in first class on an international flight, but not when you're trying to pull a refrigerator up a flight of stairs.
  • We registered the kids at their new school. The girls are very excited. Calvin is very scared. Mark it down to Wii separation anxiety.
  • We went two weeks without the internet at home. I'm not going to lie...it was awful. How do the Amish live?!?
  • We spent some time missing our dear friends and family in Kansas City.
  • We started our new jobs. I work as the youth pastor at First Assembly of God and will be working with the staff to launch a second campus over the next two years. The team here is just amazing, and I can't believe how lucky I feel to be a part of it. Terri is working at Wilber & Associates (an incredible place to work!) in Banking and Support. What's interesting is that before we moved to Kansas City, she worked at the church while I worked at Wilber. It's like Freaky Friday except we aren't twins, we switched employers instead of bodies and Lindsay Lohan has absolutely nothing to do with it.
  • We are meeting wonderful new people and making some great new friends. Watch out Facebook...I'm about to blow you up!
In summary, we're back in Illinois and we love it. As our routines and schedules begin to solidify, life is beginning to settle into normalcy. It feels like home all over again.

PS. I have already mowed my yard here twice. Not bad. Not bad at all.