In Search Of The One

Emma has always been our little performer.  She loves to sing and dance and perform for people.  So we have tried to give her an outlet for this by signing her up for different theater opportunities.  This year we had her in a Rapunzel play and a Stake play: In Search of the One.

Auditions were all the way back in December or January.  I was getting Emma ready for her audition when Macey said that she wanted to try, too.  Even though it was "Emma's Thing" I really did not see any harm in letting her come.

Emma got a little part in the Stake play -- she was Emma Fielding, the daughter of one of the Ward Missionaries in the play.  Macey got a part in the Children's Choir and since Emma's part was not until the very end of the play, I put Emma in the Children's Choir as well.

After months of rehearsals and shuttling kids back and forth, the play was finally on!  My parents came to see it, and we were excited to see the girls.  I had seen bits and pieces of the play, but never the whole thing.

The night that we went, I had a babysitter come and watch Molly & Braden.  She had gone to the play the night before, and I asked her if she liked it.  She said that she did but her favorite part was Macey.

Macey?  Macey was on stage for three minutes.  How could she be someone's favorite part?

But then we went to the play, and I found out.  Macey sings.  Loudly.  And she forms each and every word carefully.  And loudly.  And a wee bit out of tune.  Okay, a lot.  She was just plainly awesome.

The play had five live performances, and the last night I stayed to watch the girls sing one last time.  Emma was perfect on stage.  Perfect smile.  Perfect voice.  Perfect stage presence.  Perfect.  Macey was awesome in her imperfection.

Before the play started, the Stage Director came to thank me for letting the girls be a part of the play and she told me that Macey completely made the Children's Choir.  And when Garry picked them all up at the end of the play, he said that Macey was treated like a rock star by the cast.

I guess you never know what a child's "thing" is until you let them try.

Watching The Clock

My kids have been off-track for the last two weeks.  Since we attend a year-round school, they get these three week breaks throughout the school year.  In the November break we go to Disneyland.  In the February break we do swimming lessons.  In the May break . . .in the May break. . .  Okay, I have not figured that one out.  But, this time around we have just tried to stay busy but keep time open to play with friends and enjoy the nice weather we have gotten lately.  During the last little bit we have gone to This Is The Place Monument & Village, we went to the Zoo, we've had art classes, we've taken long walks, we've gone to the pool. . .we try to stay busy.

But, mostly, I watch the clock.

Garry gets home everyday around 5:35, and my sanity seems to hinge on this exact time.  If he's early, heaven is smiling upon me.  If he's late, life is grossly unfair and too overwhelming.  Sometimes I feel like a the captain of a military brigade, waiting for reenforcements while being bombarded on all sides!!  Maybe around 5:00, for the sanity of all those involved, I should just stop ignore the clock! 

The Adventure That Is Molly

Molly is only three. . .but she's smart.  I do not know if she is "book smart" yet as she has not started school.  But, dang, this girl is street smart.

Relationships are sometimes tough when three girls are involved.  Especially now that we are off-track and the girls are spending a lot of time together.

In general, they really get along.  But the tension is always there.  And they find subtle ways to get under each other's skin.  Something that I cannot yell at them for.

Take yesterday.  I am not a fan of potty humor in general, so please forgive me.  But this is very funny.

Yesterday Molly was taking a potty break and Macey decided that she needed to use the bathroom.  Right then.  Right, right then.  And though we have four bathrooms in the house, she decided she needed to use the one that Molly was in.  IMMEDIATELY.

With this little piece of knowledge, there was NO WAY Molly was releasing her throne.  She was there.  And she was going to stay there.  A long time.  However long it took.

While Macey was squirming and whimpering outside the door, Molly tried yelling out some encouragement.  "Sorry, Mace!"  she yelled.  "Sorry that you cannot use the potty.  You know, I'm just slow."

Yeah, I wasn't buying it either.

But there Molly sat.  And there she kept the conversation up.

"So," my little three year old asked.  "Do you need to go pee-pee or poo-poo?"

After about seven minutes, Macey finally gave up and used a bathroom upstairs.  And guess who was finally done?

Again, she is only three.  I'm a little impressed.  And a little scared.

Dreading The Normal

A week ago a little boy on Garry's soccer team and one of Macey's playmates had an accident and died a few days later.  It has hit both Garry and Macey very hard, and we are trying to learn from it, be a little more patient with our kids, show a little more love, take a few more pictures.

Garry and Macey went to the funeral yesterday.  I thought it would be good for Macey to go as she does not seem to understand 'death' and I think that a part of her still expects to see Harry at practice this week.  She talked with me about it throughout the day.  She thought it was great that they put a soccer ball in his casket so that he can play soccer in heaven.  She wanted to know how he got dressed, why he was wearing white, who did his hair, and she was sad that his sister cried at the funeral.

I do not know the Mom very well.  I always got Harry mixed up with another boy on the team, Charlie, and when he would do something spectacular on the soccer field, I would cheer "Good job, Charlie!" just to have Garry yell at me from the field, "That was Harry!"

I do worry about his Mom now that the funeral is over and family will start to go home.  Things will go back to "normal" and really, could there be anything worse?  Harry was the youngest and they would run errands together and have lunch dates together before afternoon Kindergarten and Garry heard that every Friday was "Costco Friday" when they would go out together.  He is worried about how hard it will be when she leaves for Costco on Friday, and she leaves alone.  It is heartbreaking to consider.

There are a lot of things to fear before the Second Coming.  It's just not going to be a good time.  Governments will fail, markets will fail, political alliances will fail.  I think that it will be a frightening time.  But as more friends and family cross over, I think that you must begin to think, "Please, let it come.  And let it come quickly" because you long for that reunion.

I like to think that after the Second Coming and with the First Resurrection I will see Harry kicking his soccer ball again.  And I hope I do not call him Charlie.