My Time to Shine!

I had to laugh at the way Sami hogged the microphone today. Meredith, their nine-year-old "big sister," stood in between Allie and Sami at the podium, Allie and Sami standing on small wooden stools Meredith's mom Sarah had brought. After situating the stools, I thought Sami was too far away from the microphone, so I moved her slightly closer to Meredith. Then I made my way to the piano.

Mistake.

I sat on the piano bench, and looked up at the girls. Sami leaned over onto Meredith, her mouth practically eating the microphone. I whispered, "Sami!" trying to get her to back up, but realized I would need to actually yell for her to hear me... which wouldn't go over well with the bishopric and stake president sitting right in front of me.

I would get fired... Well, actually, considering the shortage of pianists in the ward, I probably wouldn't have gotten fired. I probably could have yelled... if it weren't for the whole "inviting the Spirit" thing.

But I could tell people were tickled just to see them up there, so I let it go. Kevin's parents had even made the drive from the Church ranch just to hear their grandbabies sing.

I played the introduction to the song, which was "Life is O'erflowing with Beautiful Things," a song that had been printed in the July issue of The Friend. Allie and Sami sang the first verse, Meredith sang the second verse, and all three girls sang the last verse. I chuckled to myself at every crack of Sami's voice or every gasp of air mid-word-- her mouth never left that microphone. Allie and Meredith both sang purely and beautifully, too, but it was just harder to hear them.

And then they were done! We walked back to our seats, and I looked out to see smiles and wet eyes. I, too, through my soft chuckles behind the piano, had fought the tears at times.

In spite of Sami's "American Idol" moment, their sweet angel voices had truly invited the Spirit. I had felt it, and so did many people in the congregation.

I told the girls later after church in the stairwell under Dad's classroom how that's what their sweet singing had done, how that is why Heavenly Father blessed them with that musical ability-- to bless others' lives, to allow the Holy Ghost to testify to them and others that Jesus is the Christ.

But before I could say anything else, Sami hit her head on the railing.

Allie on Fashion

Rebekah Jarvis, our Primary chorister, called me this evening. Here's what went down in Primary today...

Ben, one of Allie's classmates, and Laura, his younger sister, came waltzing into Primary a little bit late. Laura was wearing a poofy, colorful, flowery dress that caught Allie's eye. As Ben wandered over to his seat, Allie turned to him.

With all the seriousness of an adult, she told him, "Ben, your sister has great fashion sense."

As I told Kev about this after I got off the phone with Rebekah, with Allie sitting there with us, she smiled, "Laura was very stylish today!"

Hate to say this, Laura, but considering some of the outfits Allie puts together for herself, that's not saying much for ya.

The Coolest T-shirt Ever

Like I said in my last post, we went to the Manatees baseball game last Saturday evening. Halfway through the game Kevin laughed to himself, and pointed out some guy's t-shirt.

Okay... I want it.

In the Past (half) Month...

In just over a week, Allie will be starting Kindergarten. We talk about it everyday-- Allie both nervous and anxious to meet her teacher and make new friends, Kevin and I terrified to "throw her to the wolves." We can't believe this time has already come. I've been trying to hide my anxieties about letting her go-- and I'm a pretty good actress, so she hasn't suspected. My own elementary school experience wasn't all that hot-- I got teased a lot, by the cool girls who felt threatened by my cute face and took advantage of my shy nature, and also by the older kids who felt threatened by my intelligence. And it's not that I was the smartest kid in the school (I was far from that), but every year I was put in a combination class, with half the class being from the grade ahead. The majority of the older kids that acknowledged my existence were just plain mean to me. I really just thought I was a dork. Me! A dork!


Okay, zip it.

I think my best memories seem to involve swinging on the swings (by myself) while singing the theme song to The Neverending Story, making up routines on the monkey bars with my friends to the theme song of Kids Incorporated, and competitive recess tether ball matches...

Huh. Just thinking about those last few good memories just made me feel better. Who'd 'a' thunk it?

Allie's a spunky girl-- much more confident and sure of herself than I was. She'll be fine. She'll be more than fine-- she'll be great. In fact, she will love it.

Allie and I spent an hour and a half on Saturday afternoon at Target, filling up a shopping cart with all the stuff she'll need-- a Tinkerbell backpack, a Barbie lunchbox, sneakers that fit her, etc. Sami was pretty upset that she didn't get to come, too. I tried to tell Sami that she didn't need all that stuff for preschool (she'll be starting the week after Allie)-- that they'd be giving her a bag to bring, and that she already had shoes. She was still mad.

Both girls are also signed up for dance later this month. Allie will move up a level, and Sami gets to start in beginning ballet. When Sami was potty training, I had promised her that she could take dance like Allie only if she could wear "big girl underwear." She did it, before she even turned three in March. So, I gotta pay up now.

Ballet shoes, tap shoes, leotards, tights... More money to spend. Eeek.

But more cute recitals to enjoy, and more great memories to make, and more fun skills to develop. Priceless.

But as for happenings within the past couple weeks (since my last update was halfway into July anyway), our ward held a Pioneer Day celebration, Pioneer Day being a Utah holiday commemorating the arrival of the Latter-Day Saint pioneers into the Salt Lake valley back in July of 1847. The party was complete with a chili cook-off, an apple pie contest, singing by the Primary children, and karaoke. I didn't win anything in the chili cook-off, but I won the gold pie tin (1st place) in the apple pie contest. Yeah, I can't believe that one either-- makes me laugh. Allie was proud, cheered for me louder than anyone, and tackled me with hugs. "Yay, Mom! You won!"

She didn't even eat any of it-- only wanted ice cream.

She did look pretty cute wearing an old pioneer-ish dress my aunt Rahn had made for me when I was about five years old. She was really excited to wear it. It's too bad I didn't have one for Sami to wear. I told her that in a couple years, she would fit the dress, while Allie would be too big for it. That made her feel better, and she got over it.

Other than that, things haven't been extremely exciting around here. Kevin steam cleaned the carpet this weekend, and I took the kids to the zoo so he could do it. Woo hoo? Umm... we went to the Manatees baseball game Saturday night, since we got in free with Kevin's Harris badge that night. We were only there for an hour, since our kids can't last longer than that. Of course, I forgot to bring the camera to both activities, so I have nothing to show for it.

Oh! I thought many of you would be proud of me on this one. I played the organ for Sacrament Meeting two weeks in a row! Nikki recently taught me how to work the organ (which is what was intimidating me about playing in the first place-- all those stops and buttons...), and Linda the ward organist was out of town. She asked me to sub for her, and instead of playing the piano, I thought I'd stretch my comfort zone and use the organ. I wasn't great or anything, and I didn't even attempt the pedals, but still... Well, I'm proud of myself anyway. Now it's not scary anymore.

Watch, now I'll get called as the ward organist... since my other two music callings aren't enough.