It's that time of year, time for the primary program. Every year in our ward each child gets a little part to say.
This year Rylee was asked to repeat a talk she gave earlier this year about prayer and how our whole family prayed while we were in Ukraine adopting Alex. She was also asked to sing a little solo part.
Alex was asked to read two lines. When the primary president delivered his part and I was able to explain what he was going to do, his eyes filled with tears and he told me he couldn't do it. I told him sure he could. I couldn't figure out why he was so worried, it was weeks away and then I figured it out. He thought he had to memorize it. I explained he could read it and have his paper with him and we would practice and practice. After a few tries he had the words down wonderfully and we worked on slowing down and speaking clearly.
The next week in primary Rylee tried her solo and messed up and cried. I had primary teachers and chorister all worried about her. But tears are a common event with Rylee. (I once jokingly told her we should have named her CRYlee but that only brought on more tears!) so I wasn't too worried. She's a perfectionist and really tough on herself. She shared with me once that when she can't get a step at dance she asks if she can be excused to go to the bathroom. She has a good cry in the bathroom and comes out and tries again.
So yesterday they had their primary program practice and pizza party and Alex told me it went great.
This morning we practiced his part again. I reminded him to speak loud so Grandpa can hear him. He asked if he could say "Hi Grandpa-you hear me?" before he starts. So I was a little worried about him saying something goofy. I was more worried about him just freaking out and not sitting up on the stand.
First thing is he waved to me about three times when I walked in and sat down, then stood up to wave again. And although I asked him before to please not pick his nose, he did that too. In fact at one point he had a primary handout-a little mirror on a stick-and he stuck that in his nose. Luckily all this happened before the program and he was sitting behind our rather large 2nd counselor so I think only myself and his sisters viewed this social faux pas.
Once the program started the only odd thing he did was pull his hands inside his long sleeves and then pound his covered fist together-sort of like the clapping monkey from Phantom of the Opera. I quickly pantomimed taking his hands out of his shirt and putting his arms to his side and he did. I don't think his eyes left my face the whole time he was up there. It's obvious when he knew the words to the songs and when he was just moving his mouth to LOOK like he knew the words. It was quite funny.
We had printed programs and Rylee's little talk was towards the first of the program and she did great. Her solo and Alex's 2 lines were towards the end and as the program progressed I was getting nervous for both of them.
Rylee did great! You could tell she was a little nervous because she had a little more vibrato then normal but her pitch was on, her notes were there and it was so sweet. It made my eyes water.
Right after she sat down, Alex went to the podium for his part. I had witnessed him pulling his part out of his pants pocket and re-reading it about three times during the program but he stood there without his paper and very clearly looked right into the audience and with his cute accent said:
Husbands and wives have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and their children. I am happy to be part of a family that loves and cares for each other.
Yes, my eyes watered...again.
He then sat down looked at me and patted his heart quickly, telling me how fast his heart was racing. I patted my heart too and gave him the thumbs up.
The whole program was about family's and being an eternal family and just so very sweet.
Both children got many compliments through out the rest of the block as well as many others told me how wonderful they did. I know my Alex made more than just his mothers eyes water...
This year Rylee was asked to repeat a talk she gave earlier this year about prayer and how our whole family prayed while we were in Ukraine adopting Alex. She was also asked to sing a little solo part.
Alex was asked to read two lines. When the primary president delivered his part and I was able to explain what he was going to do, his eyes filled with tears and he told me he couldn't do it. I told him sure he could. I couldn't figure out why he was so worried, it was weeks away and then I figured it out. He thought he had to memorize it. I explained he could read it and have his paper with him and we would practice and practice. After a few tries he had the words down wonderfully and we worked on slowing down and speaking clearly.
The next week in primary Rylee tried her solo and messed up and cried. I had primary teachers and chorister all worried about her. But tears are a common event with Rylee. (I once jokingly told her we should have named her CRYlee but that only brought on more tears!) so I wasn't too worried. She's a perfectionist and really tough on herself. She shared with me once that when she can't get a step at dance she asks if she can be excused to go to the bathroom. She has a good cry in the bathroom and comes out and tries again.
So yesterday they had their primary program practice and pizza party and Alex told me it went great.
This morning we practiced his part again. I reminded him to speak loud so Grandpa can hear him. He asked if he could say "Hi Grandpa-you hear me?" before he starts. So I was a little worried about him saying something goofy. I was more worried about him just freaking out and not sitting up on the stand.
First thing is he waved to me about three times when I walked in and sat down, then stood up to wave again. And although I asked him before to please not pick his nose, he did that too. In fact at one point he had a primary handout-a little mirror on a stick-and he stuck that in his nose. Luckily all this happened before the program and he was sitting behind our rather large 2nd counselor so I think only myself and his sisters viewed this social faux pas.
Once the program started the only odd thing he did was pull his hands inside his long sleeves and then pound his covered fist together-sort of like the clapping monkey from Phantom of the Opera. I quickly pantomimed taking his hands out of his shirt and putting his arms to his side and he did. I don't think his eyes left my face the whole time he was up there. It's obvious when he knew the words to the songs and when he was just moving his mouth to LOOK like he knew the words. It was quite funny.
We had printed programs and Rylee's little talk was towards the first of the program and she did great. Her solo and Alex's 2 lines were towards the end and as the program progressed I was getting nervous for both of them.
Rylee did great! You could tell she was a little nervous because she had a little more vibrato then normal but her pitch was on, her notes were there and it was so sweet. It made my eyes water.
Right after she sat down, Alex went to the podium for his part. I had witnessed him pulling his part out of his pants pocket and re-reading it about three times during the program but he stood there without his paper and very clearly looked right into the audience and with his cute accent said:
Husbands and wives have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and their children. I am happy to be part of a family that loves and cares for each other.
Yes, my eyes watered...again.
He then sat down looked at me and patted his heart quickly, telling me how fast his heart was racing. I patted my heart too and gave him the thumbs up.
The whole program was about family's and being an eternal family and just so very sweet.
Both children got many compliments through out the rest of the block as well as many others told me how wonderful they did. I know my Alex made more than just his mothers eyes water...
3 of my blog friends said something...:
That's sweet Wendy! That reminds me that I should blog about our program last week and tell how well Nastia did. I, too, was so proud of her. That is a big deal for these kids, to get in front of all of those people!
I like the part about Alex pretending to know some of the words. I once had a choir director say that if you don't know the words, just sing 'watermelon' over and over...there's enough vowels and mouth movement in that word to fool just about anyone.
My eyes watered just to read about it. Your such a sweet mom.
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