Farewell to Fours

Ok, I think I can emotionally blog about my baby leaving preschool and heading off to kindergarten next year without crying. Probably because I have now been home with him for 3 days by myself and if school started tomorrow, I would take him with a big smile on my face! He is so hard to keep occupied. I love weekday preschool with a passion, but the only downside of it is they don't ever have to play by themselves, so when he is home alone, I am his playmate. I have played Shutes and Ladders and  Candy Land 20 times, been to the park, library, church and still he's been bored. It will be better when the boys are done with school next week, I think.

We don't do a graduation from preschool at UBC, we do a Farewell to Fours. They sing some sweet songs and this year received a medal around their necks and then the sappy but beautiful power point of pictures from the year. I imagined myself crying through the whole thing, but I did pretty well, until... my husband prayed a blessing over the kids. Lost it! Just hearing the man I love praying for the sweet ones to have courage, strength, and protection as they grow and claiming the promises that God has for them was more than I could take. And then the power point started, so I cried through part of that. But then I got it together.

The past four years have gone by in a flash. I was looking at pictures and videos of him today and I just can't believe it has gone so fast. He is so funny, smart, and such a leader. At our parent teacher conference his teachers said he will either be a CEO or teacher when he grows up and they would love for me to find them in 20 years and tell them where he is. He'll be 5 in August and I constantly have people ask me if I'm holding him back and waiting a year. Have you met my child? He's so ready, I guess from having two big brothers to keep up with.  And he's so excited to go! I know he'll be like the other two and just walk right in without looking back. And I may or may not cry when w drop him off. Who am I kidding. Its not if I'll cry, its can I hold it back until I get in the car.

Here are some of my favorite pictures I found today. There are too many to post, he's such a cutie!

 

 

 

 

 

Redeemed

This is one of our newest Trades of Hope products and one of my most favorites. Its called the Redeemed Necklace.

 



This beautiful necklace is made by women in California who have come out of prostitution. They are part of a ministry called Cherished where they are being healed physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. The colors are representing them coming out of darkness into light! And each one is initialed on the back by the sweet woman who made it. Its on a long black cord which you can shorten or take the pendant off and put on a different necklace.

I can't imagine the heartache these ladies have experienced but they are working hard to change their lives and are working towards a future full of joy and peace. You can help them by ordering online, www.mytradesofhope.com/ChristyGadman. What a great feeling to be redeemed!

Gift of Music

Campbell and I finished up UBC Weekday this week. He will be going to kindergarten in the fall, but my feelings about that are another post for another day. Before I forget my feelings this week, I want to talk about my year in weekday as the music teacher for the younger preschoolers. I have been serving in weekday for 10 years now, since Cooper was a baby. I have done all kinds of jobs, from being an infant teacher, substitute, spiritual curriculum coordinator and even assistant director. I never imagined that I would lead music or even more that I would enjoy it as much as I did.

I had the joy of leading babies, ones and twos twice a week in singing some preschool classics, teaching them some new fun songs and most importantly, leading them in learning how to worship God. At the beginning of the year, most of the children looked at me like I was crazy with a mix of curiosity. As the year went on, they began to open up, would actually smile at me and pay attention for more than a few seconds. And as spring arrived, they finally joined me in singing and doing hand motions. I tried to incorporate sign language in the songs when I could, so I loved seeing them nod their fists with "Jesus loves me, yes, yes, yes" and making cat whiskers with "Hear God's World".

Some of my favorite memories were specific children that hopefully I will never forget. One sweet baby boy would come up to my lap in the middle of song and just give me a hug and say "bye bye" when I left. Another sweet baby girl who spend most of the fall crying would smile so big when I came in the spring and finally the last week was able to do some of the hand motions. In the one year old class, one sweet boy wanted to tell me how to do music. If he didn't like my song, he would take my hand and make me walk over to my CD player and then "tell me" with words I couldn't understand what song I needed to be doing. I could finally understand "bus" and "bubbles", two of his favorites.

One of my favorite classes was the two year olds, who would scream in delight when I came in. My friend Laura who does the older preschool music said its kind of like we are preschool rock stars. So cool! They loved to do the hand motions and sometimes would get so giggly they couldn't stop laughing while I'm trying to sing, which of course made me laugh. There were a few quiet girls that for most of the fall didn't sing with me, but their momma's would tell me they sang lots of the songs at home. One sweet little one is from China and couldn't speak English when school started, but this last week was screaming (and I do mean screaming) the words to some of the songs. One week we were singing songs about God's creation and I brought our Dream Light animal, turned off the classroom lights and sang songs about the stars. One little boy said "That was awesome!" which makes me laugh to hear a two year old say that.

I wish I could say their favorite songs were ones about God. But their favorite song was "Wheels on the Bus". If I dared not include it in my lesson plans, they would ask for it, so I learned to put it on the end of every CD I made just in case. And since it was always last, they learned it was the end of music, and would say "Bye bus. Bye Ms. Christy". I wish I could spell Christy the way they said it. I guess its a hard name to say. And some would blow me kisses as I left. I had a hard time on Thursday not tearing up when I was leaving. It was such a gift to me to lead them. Laura and I laugh because we should be the most creative and fun teachers, but we are two of the most Type A personalities there. But maybe that's why I loved it so much. It was out of my comfort zone and yet still used my spiritual gifts. So grateful for the opportunity!

Perfect Mother's Day Song

I had a great Mother's Day today starting with breakfast in bed by my sweet middle child, my first one ever that I can remember. Cereal and milk. I did give him directions for how to make my coffee and he did great. I got lots of homemade cards, my oldest made brownies for me all by himself, and my hubby bought me two CD's and a book I wanted. Dinner out and a nap all equals up to a great day.
One of the CD's was the new one by The Afters, Life is Beautiful. I was listening to my favorite song off of it tonight while taking the boys to Sonic for milkshakes (because nothing ends a great day quite as well as a Sonic milkshake) and thought what a great Mother's Day song it was.
You can listen HERE.

Every Good Thing
I tend to be busier than I should be
And I tend to think that time is gonna wait for me
Sometimes I forget and take for granted
That it's a beautiful life we live
I don't wanna miss the moments like this
This is a beautiful life You give

You're the reason for every good thing, every heartbeat
Every day we get to breathe
You're the reason for anything that lasts, every second chance
Every laugh, life is so sweet
You're the reason for every good thing, every good thing
Every good thing, every good thing...

There will be days that give me more than I can take
But I know that You always make beauty from my heartache
Don't wanna forget or take for granted
That it's a beautiful life we live
I'm not gonna miss the moments like this
This is a beautiful life You give

You're the reason for every good thing, every heartbeat
Every day we get to breathe
You're the reason for anything that lasts, every second chance
Every laugh, life is so sweet
You're the reason for every good thing, every good thing
Every good thing, every good thing...

It's our family, it's our friends
It's the feeling that I get when I see my children smile
You're the reason for this life, everything we love
It's You alive in us
You're alive in us

You're the reason for every good thing, every heartbeat
Every day we get to breathe
You're the reason for anything that lasts, every second chance
Every laugh, life is so sweet
You're the reason for every good thing, every good thing
Every good thing, every good thing...

You are, You are here in every moment,
And I know that You're every good thing
You are, You are here in every moment,
And I know that You're the reason for
Every good thing, every good thing...


I was listening to it as my middle one was reading to my younger one a story he had written, and I had to smile. I am so thankful for my husband, our sweet children, our calling in life and the journey that the Lord has brought us on, even the difficult parts. And I don't want to take it for granted.

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17.

 

Two funny stories from today... one is pretty racy!

First the sweet one. I heard Campbell talking to himself today. "Next up to bat, Jesus! Whack! Its a home run!" I love that. Good to know Jesus is a good baseball player. When Jason was Minister of Recreation at FBC Richardson, he had these little statues of Jesus playing sports. Very irreligious, except in a church gym. So funny.

The other story will be as racy as my blog will ever get. There was a knock on the door this morning right before I left to take Campbell to school. I just looked through my front window and the man said he was from the gas company and needed to look at my meter in the backyard. I have gotten to where I don't answer the door anymore because our neighborhood has break ins during the day. The people come to the front door and ring the bell to see if anyone is at home and if not, they go around back and break in. But he looked legit. When Campbell and I left a few minutes later, he was leaving our yard. I saw his gas truck and his name tag, so I apologized for not opening the door and explained the situation. He completely understood and obviously doesn't get to talk to people much because he proceeded to stand in my driveway and chat for the next ten minutes. He started telling me all these stories about people he encounters while he's trying to mind his own business and do his job. He said last week he was working in a backyard while two men started arguing around him about a girl, and one went inside and got a gun. He dropped what he was doing and got the heck out. But he told me that just this morning, on my street, he rang the doorbell and no one came. So he went around back and saw two people inside a pick up truck doing their business! With no clothes on! WHAT! Yes, it was somewhat inappropriate that he told me that story, and it is still now that I am telling you, especially on the same post as a story about Jesus. I will go and repent, but you have to admit its funny.