Things I Wish I Had Written, #3

Sorry I've been gone for a few days...between the Christmas season and New Year's, we've been from here to the ends of the earth, celebrating with family and friends. The remodel of our house began this past Monday, and it is incredibly distracting. All at one time, the outside is being worked on AND several projects (including painting) are going on inside the house. What on earth were we thinking? Oh well, at least that means it will be finished more quickly, right? RIGHT????

Anyway, here I am again, writing about the things that I wish that I had written. It's actually a pretty great exercise, thinking about why I love these films and books, because it gives me a clearer idea of what it is exactly that I am writing about, and want to write about in the future.

Number Three is School of Rock. Normally, I'm not a fan of Jack Black. I find him incredibly annoying and immature, but he is close to being as endearing as is possible for him in this movie. And it's not him (or his character, Dewey Finn) that I like so much about this movie. It's just that I can really, really relate to the storyline. Would-be, has-been singer accepts job as a teacher and finds fulfillment. I can identify with what Dewey was and what he becomes--a choir teacher who inspires kids to be something other than what everyone else has perceived them to be. He inspires them to be rock stars! Not just little clones of their parents, and victims of their parent's expectations. He gives them dreams. I can't tell you how many time a kid in my choirs has been perceived as "bad". I've even had parents tell me 'about their kids'. It's kind of heartbreaking, because usually those are the kids that need more love than any of the others. And it is so amazing to watch them on stage, doing what I've taught them to do, watching them become rock stars in their own right.

Speaking of kids, the kids in this movie are hilarious/fascinating/heartwarming all at once. Like the kid that is so oppressed by his dad, but then uses that to become the lead guitarist and songwriter for the band. The girl that refuses to be a groupie. She's a tiny Tracy Flick, the classic overachiever. My favorite character? The shy girl who unveils this amazing voice, but suffers from stage fright.

Sure, Dewey (acting as Ned Schneebly) fools them all into believing that the band is really for a school project, but he's really just doing something that all children's choir directors do: using any means necessary (in this case, the private school kids' competitive nature) to achieve things they never imagined.

Have you seen School of Rock?

Toodles!

Update

Something's a little wonky when I try to upload my Easter and sewing pictures, so I'm going to pretend I didn't take them and talk about other things going on in my life, OKAY? OKAY!

I'm really enjoying this season of American Idol. Disco was quite enjoyable, and I think for the first time, this group got it right. Just because you're handing this theme, doesn't mean you sing it note for note--make it your own! I was quite disappointed with Lil, and Matt, and I think they'll both be leaving the competition. Danny gave a solid performance, as always, though I wish he hadn't sung "September". Why not "How Deep Is Your Love" or something from Marvin Gaye's oeuvre? But I digress. Kris continues to impress me each week. Ever since he sang "Ain't No Sunshine", he continues to perform with originality. I hope people are counting him out, because he's definitely the dark horse in this competition.

I don't want to talk about Adam, because he's obviously a lock for the finals, and he definitely is an acquired taste. As of yet, I have not acquired that taste.

I've also been re-reading Dorothea Benton Frank's novels in honor of the upcoming release of Return To Sullivan's Island. True to my obsessive-compulsive behavior, I started reading them in order of publication. I'm now reading The Land of Mango Sunsets, which will leave me with only The Christmas Pearl to read by June 30th. No problem!

Let's see...what else is going on? Ah, yes! The Ringel Heights Baptist Church children's choir had their inaugural performance on Easter Sunday, April 12. It was a great experience, and a good way for me to see what needs to be worked on for our concert on May 17, like microphone placement and projecting your voice for an audience. I'm getting excited!

Toodles!

When The Spoke Fits The Wheel

I am constantly and wonderfully blown away by my children's choir. They are enthusiastic. They listen to what I teach them. They beg for parts. It truly is a dream come true. Or, should I say, an answered prayer.

I do not know what I would do without my helpers. Niki helps me lead them in song (FYI--she also leads music for Chapel at Pawleys Island Christian Academy), and Melanie and Devin help keep the kids in order so that I can teach. It's always a great thing to have at least four adults in the room.

Last night, I introduced to them the last song that they need to know for their concert in May. It's a medley of two praise choruses, "I Sing Praises to Your Name/I Love You, Lord", and I've rewritten it a little bit for them to sing the last verse of "I Love You, Lord" acapella, and in a round. They were apprehensive at first, because they'd never sung in a round before, but once we placed them into groups and demonstrated how to sing a round, they did it perfectly on the first try! Y'all, that's God at work.

They were also excited to hear that they'll be singing Easter Sunday morning. Now I just need to pick out a song. They're so good, though, that only having two weeks won't be any problem for them.

God's work in my life, in our lives, constantly amazes me. He is perfect in His wisdom, and perfect in His timing.

Romans 8:28, y'all. Seriously. I see it more and more everyday.

Also? It was totally Sarver's turn to leave last night. No tears have been shed over his departure.

Toodles!

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28

Did you know this verse came to me in a dream? I was a new Christian, 17 or 18, and I remember rolling and tossing all night, hearing this verse in my head. I didn't really know what it meant at the time, but as I became older, it became my mantra of sorts. Life wasn't always easy, and whenever things would happen that I didn't understand, I would repeat this verse to myself. I had to have faith that there was a reason behind it, that God had a higher purpose. It's actually highlighted in every Bible I own. It's the first verse I look for when I purchase a new Bible.

Now that I'm writing this, I'm really hoping that my sleepless night so many years ago wasn't due to my prankster sister whispering that verse in my ear for kicks and giggles.

So why am I telling y'all this? Because that verse came roaring back to me as I began the very first meeting of Children's Choir at Ringel Heights. As I was teaching, I could literally feel everything that had happened in our (meaning Richie and me) life come to a head last night, like my whole last year and a half were leading up to this moment. It's quite a feeling, let me tell you.

My only regret? No pictures. Ah, well, maybe next time, right? Right!

I brought the refreshments, but parents and youth showed up to set up tables, serve, and help me with name tags--without being asked. We also implemented a boys-vs.-girls competition to see which table could be the quickest and cleanest during snack time. Whichever team wins at the end of the month will get a prize. I haven't decided on a prize yet.

Once we moved into the classroom, we went over procedures for starting class. We learned the come to attention song, and we also learned our choir Bible verse, and prayed. After praying, we learned the proper way to stand and sit while singing. We also sang "Father Abraham" and I got quite dizzy.

The kids were very receptive to the first two songs I introduced for their concert in May. I introduced "Joy" as the opening song, and "Forever" by Chris Tomlin as the finale. They really seemed to enjoy singing, and several kids (boys included!!) volunteered for solos! We finished up by singing "The Fast Food Song", and then we dismissed to go on to RAs and GAs.

Needless to say, when I got to the sanctuary for service, I was already about to burst. I absolutely could not wait to tell everyone what a wonderful time we had, and what a great group of kids they had in their fellowship.

Can't wait for next week!

Toodles!

I am such a big nerd. It's OK, y'all don't have to make a fuss and say, "Oh, Josie, you're not a nerd!" because I totally know that I am. Nerd, geek, dorkasaurus, whatever you want to call it, I don't care. I've accepted it. For years, I denied it, but I am totally waving my nerd flag today.

And I said all that to say this--I love writing out lesson plans for children's choir in outline form. I love thinking about how the class should flow from beginning to end, seeing the children's faces in my mind as we move from song to song, activity to activity. I love choosing which songs they will sing in the concert. I love breaking down the songs that they're going to learn, coming up with ways for them to remember the lyrics. I love rifling through all my material, learning new ways to get them to warm up their voices and teach them about music. I find every aspect absolutely thrilling.

Just thought I'd share that with y'all.

Toodles!

Singing For Joy

For you make me glad by your deeds, O LORD; I sing for joy at the works of your hands. Psalm 92:4

Way back in the early part of this decade, I sang in a praise team, and "Sing For Joy" became one of our favorite songs to sing; it also became our motto of sorts. It just seemed like a natural thing, to be singing and smiling and giving praise to God. Even though the praise team had since dissolved, "Sing For Joy" still remains one of my favorite songs. Maybe one day I'll get to record it along with "I Love You, Lord".

I don't think it's any secret that I love to sing. I've loved singing all my life. I used to sing in private, at home, and then in school choruses. Finally, when I was seventeen, my cousin Kathy had to almost literally push me out onto stage at Bloomingvale PH. I've thanked God every day that she did, because I felt the power of God that day. It was then that He called me to music ministry.

It's not any big secret that I love children's choir, either. I've been working in children's ministry just as long as I've been singing, starting off as a helper in the nursery and children's church at Bloomingvale. I was even the Sunday School teacher for the elementary school class when I was nineteen. After Richie and I were married, I continued to sing at Screven, but Jan Fort (the minister of music at the time) recruited me to teach the fifth and sixth-grade Kids For The King class on Wednesday nights. This, I know, is when God called me to Children's Ministry.

I was crazy about those kids. I made a great friend out of it, too, when I met Susan, who became my hair stylist. (She and I have a similar philosophy--it's just hair; it'll grow back.) Trey was in this class, and we discovered they were all kinds of hilarious, especially when they read the skits that went along with the week's lesson. Soon, Jan had them performing in Sunday morning worship!

Jan also directed the children's choir, and I got to witness first-hand how to be a song-leader. I learned so much from Jan, like patience and using humor. After Jan had moved on, Lil Martin came on as the minister of music at Screven, and I assisted her in the children's choir. Lil loved big, lively music that got the kids moving. One thing both women instilled in me is that being in the children's choir isn't just a thing to do. Its a way of leading worship. I had never thought of children being worship leaders, but that's exactly what they're doing when they're up on that stage, whether they realize it or not.

I was surprised as anyone when God moved us over to Ringel Heights, but He proved once again that He has great plans for me (Jeremiah 29:11) and that He will work everything out for the good (Romans 8:28). Turns out they don't have a children's choir, but they've been praying about starting one. I won't even have to give up singing because they have a singing service every 4th Sunday. That's God right there, folks.

Praise him!

Toodles!

Big Announcement

I know that I haven't posted in a month, but that's because so many other things have taken priority. I'll talk about all the things I've been doing in the last month, like writing the novel, in later posts, but right now I have a big announcement.

"The Christmas County Spelling Bee" is going to be broadcast live on ScrevenChurch.com! The play will begin at 6pm this Sunday, December 14. Once it has been broadcast, the performance will be archived for later viewing.

This is such a big thing for our choir. Hopefully, it will give folks a chance to see it who can't quite make it in to Georgetown that night.

Will post more soon, and wow, this blogging thing is like riding a bike and I'm a little wobbly.

Toodles!

I've been a bad blogger lately, I know. My heart just hasn't been in it. I was going to blog about how things just haven't been going my way, I've felt like a hampster on a wheel, blah blah blah. But everyone has their own problems, and no one wants to hear about mine. Besides, my sinuses have finally started to clear and I'm feeling better.

I've decided instead, to tell y'all the things that are going on in my life, and because I love lists...

1. "Christmas County Spelling Bee". That's the name of the musical Leslie and I are directing this semester. It's so cute, and the music is so much fun. Plus, it's going to be super simple to produce. We don't have to purchase nativity scene costumes, because we did that last year for "The Mystery of the Manger". In fact, the only costumes we have to purchase are cheerleader uniforms and tshirts for the kids to keep. Also, one of the characters has a thing for bumblebees, so I get to make a little dress for her using my sewing machine. Because of "Rock Solid" the musical we did this past spring, we shouldn't have to buy that many. Yay us!

2. "Good Vibrations" at the Carolina Opry. This deserves it's own post, but I wanted to give it a little shout-out now. Richie took me to see it this past Friday, and let me tell y'all, I did not stop smiling and singing the entire time.

3. Sewing. I made another purse. I can't wait to show it off! I have so many patterns I can't wait to try.

4. Adult choir. I was awake at 2 a.m. on Monday morning, and as thoughts were rolling around in my head, I realized how much I missed singing. Now, I can't sing in the adult choir on Sunday morning, because of us being out of town so much to see Trey play, but I can go to practice on Wednesdays and sing in the Christmas Cantata. Maybe I can get the old praise team together and we can sing "Days of Elijah" one last time...

5. Heroes, Ugly Betty, and The Office. Otherwise known as the show Richie likes to watch with me, the show Richie watches with me because he loves me, and the show Richie tried to watch me but just cannot get the humor. It's fall, folks, and the new television season has begun!

That's all for now. It's good to be back! Toodles!

Coming into children's choir last night, I was fully expecting them to be out of hand. After all, they were much too wonderful and good last week to continue the trend.

BUT I WAS WRONG. Once again, they were--shall I dare to say it?--little angels. Leslie and I could really hear them singing, and they were asking good questions about the song.

The only thing we have to work on in timing. We're not getting everything done in the time we have. Maybe we're going to have to go into choir earlier, once they've finished eating.

But how exciting to have them excited! Our sign-up sheet for speaking parts and solos was practically full, and Leslie and I had a great time casting the musical last night. Now we can really get into the crux of practicing, now that we know who will play the characters.

And their reward last night for being so wonderful? Well, it was no cartwheel, but they were all certainly happy to each get their big hugs.

Of course, now Leslie and I are anxious, wondering if we're still in the honeymoon period, and waiting for the other shoe to drop. Until then, we are going to enjoy the MESS out of their excitement and cooperation.

Toodles!

First Practice

I had all ideas that last night's practice was not going to be a good one. Wednesday was not shaping up to be a very good day at all. The office was busy for starters, because it was the third of the month. Then, Leslie called, telling me that we weren't going to be able to use the gym because AWANA had the floor painted. Lastly, because we were so busy, I wasn't able to leave the office until 5:10, making me skid into church at 5:30 without any time to set up the classroom.

Once I got to church, though, my mood began to lift. The gym was partially blocked off, but there was room for the kids to eat, and Leslie would serve them through the kitchen. We kept them in the choir room upstairs, and when it's time for me to quiet them down to say grace, it normally takes me a little while because they're so rambunctious. But last night, I only had to count to 3, and they were silent and ready to pray. They didn't push and shove in line. When it was time to clean their tables and line up for class, they did so quickly. They took their seats in the choir room, listened when I spoke, and then, when I started to play the music, THEY SANG.

THEY SANG! They sang, and they asked the appropriate questions once we were done singing. Then they sang again, and because they listened to my instruction, their singing was even more improved! I told them that I was so happy and proud that I could have done a cartwheel. Well, they put the challenge out there, and I'm never one to back down from a challenge. More about that later.

After they were finished singing, it was Leslie's turn to lead the class, and she had a fun paper activity for them to work on. I had to step outside the room for a moment, but when I came back, the room was silent. SILENT. It's never been silent before. Y'all you could have heard a pin drop in that room. It was glorious. I almost cried. I was most definitely ver klempt.

Now, about that cartwheel. When class was over, Leslie and I took them out to the side lot, and I did not one, but TWO cartwheels. The kids went nuts, because who knew that a 31-year old woman, their choir teacher nonetheless could still do, not one, but TWO cartwheels? Leslie took photos AND video of the event. I promise to post them as soon as she gets them to me.

I went home tired and a little sore (should've stretched first), but overall, so so happy. Next week, they'll probably act like wild animals, but hey--at least we'll always have the memory of last night to keep us warm.

Toodles!

Rock Solid, Part Three

Ok, so this is my final "Rock Solid" post, and I'm going to talk about something very near and dear to my heart--the musical numbers.

First up, "Rock Solid", the first song the kids learned. I was pretty pleased with it. This was also the only song that used props, empty plastic water bottles, and though they worked great with the song, they were such a pain! They were difficult for our stage crew to keep up with, and the kids kept using them as swords! I keep fearing they were going to break out in a swordfight on stage!





The next song was "No, No, No Never". The girls really loved this song, especially the movements, which basically allowed them to wag their fingers sassily at the audience. There was also a really neat mime-like choreography that went with the tag: "God will never stop loving you" that Kelsey and Jennifer, our soloists really got into practicing.



"Walkin' By Faith" presented us with one of those great "kid moments" that are so awesome in children's musicals. The choreography was simple: when you enter the stage, immediately turn to your right and start walking in place when you hear the music. Naturally, that is not at all what happened. Kids were facing every which way, even with me and Leslie whispering as loudly as we could, "Turn to the right! Face the piano!". We also got a great moment from Kelsey and Jennifer, who dueted in this song.



"The Amazing Thing Is" was, in my opinion, one of the prettiest songs in the musical. We had Jordan as a soloist, the Steen triplets as a trio, and some really pretty choreography. It was also very difficult for the kids to learn how to sing, because of the pacing of the music was not fast, but also not slow, so very often, they got behind the music. But those are the sort of things that no one notices but the directors.



This next piece was not so much of a song as it was a chant called "Storm Scriptures". The book called for the choir to chant the piece in crescendo, starting out with a whisper and ending up in a yell. We came up with a different presentation, which I think worked better. We started off giving the Steen triplets the first "verse" all to themselves, and on the second time around, the blue team joined them and made them a little louder. Finally, the red team joined in and they basically yelled, "God is my strength and my refuge! I trust in Him and I am helped! I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!" I thought it went quite well.


All the songs in the musical had very catchy, very singable choruses. "God Does" was no exception. Everything about this song, from the lyrics to the choreography was exciting, and even the boys got into this number. When I first heard the "Rock Solid" CD, I knew this would be Brian Michael's song, and he completely threw himself into it when we gave it to him.



"What Will Your Answer Be" was the only ballad in the musical, and Cathryn really wanted to sing it. I didn't want her to sing the whole song, because it wouldn't be fair to the other soloists is she got to verses when all they were able to sing was one or two lines, three at the most. I was so excited when Cathryn's friends Erica and Jordan began attending children's choir, because I knew Cathryn would be comfortable dueting with Erica, who is in the same class with Cathryn at school. Unfortunately , Erica came down with strep throat and couldn't perform, but her sister Jordan already knew all of Erica's part. It was a lifesaver! Now, I know that I'm partial, but when Cathryn stepped up to that microphone, I literally saw all of her fear melt away. And when she sang? It was as if a heavenly choir had joined her. I could barely direct her for being so enthralled with her performance.


The final song was "The Best Is Yet to Come", and when we were choosing soloists, lots of kids wanted to sing in this song. Ultimately, we chose Dalton, because the song is high energy, and so is he. Savannah was also chosen for this song for two reasons. One, I wanted "Claire" to sing a song celebrating her salvation. Two, Savannah had a ballad for Christmas, but her favorite songs to sing are upbeat. I think it was a perfect matching of singers and songs for both kids, because they had lots of fun:

Rock Solid, Part Two

In this post, I'll talk about the drama parts of "Rock Solid". I'll try to be positive and not put my "director's eye" to it.


This is the very first scene, where "Ranger Nick Hicks" calls all the hikers to the "25th Annual Summit Challenge". The kids did a great job getting up on that stage quickly, and I was so proud of them for crowding around the youth and not immediately getting into choir formation. My only complaint (and that is my complaint for the entire show) is that they had more enthusiasm. But, it was hot outside, and they had all been to school that day, and I'm sure nerves had a lot to do with it, too. Besides, they're kids , not professionals.


The Blue Team had the most scenes, so we gave those parts to older kids who could handle the heavy memorization. Hiker #1 was Matt, Hiker #2 was Ward, Hiker #3 was Kelsey, and Hiker #4 was Gabi. I really appreciated these kids because they had so much going on besides this musical, and there they were, constantly showing up. My heart really went out to them, too, because this was only their second play, so I know they were nervous.


Leslie and I called the Red Team our workhorses. They took whatever we threw at them and ran with it. THey were just the most earnest bunch of kids, and they continually surprised us. They only had two scenes to themselves, but they really did a great job with it, despite some of the sound issues we were having. Hiker#5 was Cathryn, Hiker #6 was Dalton, Hiker #7 was Brian Michael, and Hiker#8 was Jordan.


Here's Shelby (Aside #3) and Brooke (Aside #4) delivering their lines. They really did a great job and I don't think they needed the laptop at all! I can't wait to use them both at Christmas!

Here's the Blue Team again, this time meeting Claire, played by Savannah.

I was disappointed that we couldn't get the wireless mics on the kids fast enough, because this was a really cute scene where the Blue Team takes a lunch break after meeting Claire. Ward gets peanut butter stuck in his mouth, and they spend the rest of the scene trying to figure out what he was telling them.


This is the Red Team's final scene, and I think by this point the nerves had gotten to them, because they were quite fidgety, as proved by Dalton, who was inspecting the mountain in the background.

We began our play with Ranger Nick, and here we are ending our play with Ranger Nick! His faithful assistant, Hillary, is also there to oversee the Blue Team and Red Team arrivals.

And now everyone has successfully climbed the mountain! Wooo!

Tomorrow, we'll take a look at the kids busting loose on the songs of "Rock Solid".

Toodles!

Rock Solid, Part One

It's so hard to believe that "Rock Solid" was a week ago! You plan, you organize, you schedule, and you practice for months, and it's all over within less than an hour. Amazing. Anyway, a few pictures for you all (and of course, some stories):

Every plot has it's evil masterminds:

Lynn (mother of Ranger Nick, Aside #3, and Claire) took this picture twenty minutes prior to call time. I'm pretty sure Leslie and I were both at our wit's end. Myself, I had a cell phone in my pocket set to ring at certain intervals so I could make sure that we were on time. I also had my trusty list.

Our trusty sidekicks:

Karen, Dillon, and Michaela were our stagehands. They were so willing to do anything we asked them. I am so proud of each of them and can't wait to use them in other capacities next time!

Literally, Leslie and I could not have done this play without Pastor Ellis and Sylvia. They were completely in charge of all the sound and the mics. Each year, Leslie and I are learning more and more about what works and what doesn't work onstage from them. They are invaluable to the children's choir!

Our Youth:

Hillary (Aside #1 &2), Brandon (Ranger Nick Hicks), Shelby (Aside #3), and Brooke (Aside #4) had dual roles: they were characters in the musical and our backstage kiddie wranglers. I think a few of them were not prepared for the energy of our crew and had to take some breathers. No worries--Leslie and I have to do that, too. These guys were great about learning their lines and did a great job on stage and back.

Our children's choir members:

Savannah played the part of "Claire" in the musical-- a hiker who wanted to blaze her own trail. She had a lot to memorize, plus she had a solo. I was so proud of all the hard work and effort she put into her part. I'm so sad that next year is her last in children's choir--we'll miss her so!


The Blue Team: (back row) Matt, Gabi, and Ward. (middle row) Cairo, Sydney, Julie, and Kelsey. (front row) Emily, Erin, and Erica. These guys were something else. Really high energy. A really fun group. They loved goofing off in their "holding cells" backstage.


The Red Team: (back row) Kayti, Jordan, Cody, Brian Michael, Cathryn, and Tanner. (front row) Dalton, Jennifer, and Gabriel. This group was totally our workhorse group. They were up for anything, and were fearless in their efforts. A couple of these kids had only been to a couple of practices, but they were totally on board with learning what they had to so they could perform, too.


Our set:
Our backdrop was completed and hung within 24 hours by Luke, our Minister of Music and Youth. Leslie told him that we needed a backdrop, and bam--there it was. It really added that something extra to the stage. One of our choir mothers, Angie, made the mountains for the set, as well as a couple of boulders and donated a tree. The other trees and plants were donated by church members. Leslie and I loved the way the stage looked--we thought it really resembled a mountain trail. Anything more and the kids would have been crowded out.

Our banner. Well, it's not the prettiest thing, but it served it's purpose. At the beginning of the play, Shelby and Brooke held it, then taped it to the Lord's Supper table. It fell twice. The first time, Leslie taped it back up. The second? Well, we had bigger fish to fry. But that's another post.

Speaking of other posts, tomorrow is "Rock Solid, Part Two"--and I'll recap the dramatic scenes, both onstage and off.

Toodles!

Short and Sweet

Y'all, it's Thursday, and I am still exhausted. But, long story short, "Rock Solid" was a success. I believe that, though the performance wasn't perfect, God was honored, and that's the most important thing.

Between Leslie, Lynn, and myself, we have hundreds of pictures. I guess you all know what that means for the next couple of posts, huh?

Toodles!

Busy, Busy, Busy

This weekend was incredibly productive, but also incredibly tiring. So much, in fact, that I almost feel like the weekend has just swept by me!

Saturday brought us dress rehearsal. I don't know what to say except I came home with a migraine, and Leslie had to tell me the kids were just riled up because it was the first dress rehearsal, and things will be much better on Tuesday, and even better on Wednesday when parents are in the audience.

After dress rehearsal, I went over to Mildred's house--Richie's grandmother. She's gotten a new phone and I went to program it for her. It didn't take me very long, but Cathryn and I stayed for a while, socializing. Mildred is such an interesting lady--she has that great Charleston accent, and I always think that she came from the pages of a book, where they sip mint juleps and watch polo matches.

Richie and I also went grocery shopping with Cathryn, which is usually an adventure in "Please, can I have it?", but this time she was really, really good. We also found my sugar-free popsicles, but of course, I would have much preferred the Pepperidge Farm Sausalito cookies that Richie chose for himself. Ah, well, my time is coming, and soon I will indulge myself with whole-wheat toast and whole-grain pasta.

Sunday was another productive day. We didn't go to morning service, but I did make breakfast for Richie, Trey, and Cathryn (blueberry pancakes from Boone Hill Farms), and also cleared out all those bags of clothes lying around in our bedroom as well as cleaned Richie's side of the closet. I finally feel ready for summer, and won't feel guilty about going to Pirateland!

I did, however, make it to Sunday night service, and I'm really glad that I did.

Toodles!

Nerves

Leslie and I were talking yesterday, and we both admitted that we were very nervous about the musical next week. Like, nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. And it's not like the kids haven't been working--we had all the kids sing and recite their lines from the first half of the play last Wednesday, and that went great.

Of course, I have theories.

1. "Rock Solid", the spring musical, is a much bigger production than the Christmas musical "Mystery of the Manger". At Christmas, the kids never left the stage, or their places for that matter. Rock Solid uses lots of movement, and there are seven dramatic scenes that have the characters moving on and off the stage. A moving kid is an unpredictable kid!

2. In the spring, time moves more quickly. We had four months to practice for Christmas, as well as four months to practice for Spring. It just FEELS shorter!

3. The kids have spring fever! Plus, they are stretched thinner this time of year, with field trips, tests, and extracurricular activities. It's more difficult to get them to focus.

Of course, it doesn't help that people have been telling me their own personal children's musical horror stories. It's like being pregnant--everyone wants to tell you what went wrong. Well, no offense, but I don't want to hear it!

Be positive, people! Positive!

ETA: Last night's practice went reasonable well--behavior was not much of a problem, though they were a rambunctious group. We keep telling them that they will "play how they practice"--maybe one day we'll actually explain that phrase to them. Leslie and I also got a lot accomplished, scheduling- and decorating-wise. All we can do now is pray and decorate the sanctuary.

Actually, I already know that prayer is sufficient. I keep leaning on my own strength instead of giving it to God. I need to be careful--God gave me this ministry, and He can just as easily take it away.

Toodles!

Our Weekend

We went to Pirateland this weekend. As usual, getting ready for it was incredibly busy and hectic, because I was packing things that we could leave at the beach for the summer until midnight on Thursday. And of course, being the worrier I am, I always anticipate the worst things happening, and never allow myself to relax on Friday until we actually get there. But, we finally did get there on Friday night, and I was able to relax. We all went to dinner and then Richie took me and Cathryn on a golf cart ride around the campground.

Saturday, before Cathy and I did some shopping, I learned a few things:
1. My hair looks awful when shampooing with shampoo samples from hotels.
2. Bring small container of my own shampoo from home.
3. Travel hairdryers have NO power.
4. bring my own ionic tourmaline hairdryer from home.

Richie, however, was quite industrious and went to the beach with Richard and Cathryn.
Sunday morning, Richie's escapade with the camera continued:

Sarah--Richard and Cathy's Lab.

Ashe--our insane animal.

Cathy and Cathryn. By the way, she's just decided that she'd like to learn how to fish.

This is Richard telling Richie not to take a picture of him.

That's right, folks--I'm cute even when I first wake up. Burn with jealousy, people--no makeup.

The rest of Sunday wasn't so great because play rehearsal did not go well. Remember Miss Geist from Clueless? That poor, unfortunate soul who loved teaching, but her students could care less? That's how I felt on Sunday, minus the poor fashion sense. I really, really needed a Cher Horowitz on Sunday.

Ah, well. Monday is another day.

Toodles!

Second Blocking Practice

All semester, I've been worried about the spring musical. Wednesday night practices just seemed fruitless, like none of the kids were 'getting it'. But it's amazing what seeing it on stage, all put together, will do for your perspective.

On Sunday, and this past Wednesday, I was blown away. Well, Sunday, we practiced in the sanctuary, and I was worried about the music, choreography, and the Blue Team's scenes, but blown away by the Red Team's scenes. Wednesday, we practiced in the gym, and I was blown away by the music and choreography, but still worried about the Blue Team's scenes.

What really excited me was seeing the boys participate and get excited about their parts. We have a character who is not in all of the scenes, and not required to sing with the other choir members, but she wanted to anyway, "just to get some practice". I thought I would burst. We had the kids from 6-7:20 last night, so we were able to get through the entire play except for the last two songs and the scene between them. Overall, a very successful night!

Tattling has been a BIG issue with our choir, so while Leslie was cleaning the church kitchen, I implemented the Tattle Jar. First, I explained that there's a difference between being helpful and tattling. For instance, if someone is doing something that might get them or another injured, tell me or Leslie. However, if that is not the case, it's just tattling, because Leslie and I can see everything that's happening in the classroom. So, each time someone tattles, they pay me or Leslie a penny. I'm thinking that each year, we'll donated the proceeds from the Tattle Jar to the VBS fund, Annie Armstrong, or something else worthy.

Toodles!

Setting Summer Goals

Much to my surprise, I found out there are only like 45 days until school is out (that's counting weekends). With that in mind, I began to think of some things I'd like to accomplish this summer.

1. Spending quality time with my family. Since we usually spend the summer weekends at Pirateland, I feel like this can be accomplished quite easily. I'm really looking forward to shopping for a new swimsuit, reading by the pool, taking golf cart rides with Richie, and maybe actually getting to challenge Cathryn to that game of mini-golf I'd been promising.

2. Being a successful VBS music leader. Much like being the children's choir director, this is my first time taking a leadership role where I've usually been the assistant. The theme this year is "Son Harvest", and is county fair themed, so I'm thinking overalls, a t-shirt, and maybe a hat. VBS is always so much fun, and though it will take some preparation on my part, I'm looking forward to creating a relaxing environment where the kids can have fun while learning their songs.

3. Begin looking at Christmas musicals. Actually, I may have already found one, but I need to talk to the pastor about ordering a sample that Leslie and I can listen to before we actually make a decision. Once we make that decision, we'll spend some time this summer putting lesson plans together and also planning an M&Ms kickoff for the end of August. This first year has really opened our eyes, so I think we'll be much more prepared for our second year.

4. Learn to read music. If I expect to teach these kids what the sheet music says, if I really don't have a knowledge of it myself? That's really the blind leading the blind, isn't it? I've got lots of material to study from MusicTheory.net, as well as a course I purchased from Barnes & Noble (my favorite store). Hopefully, by the time we reconvene for choir on September 3, I'll at least have a working knowledge of music.

5. Learn to sew. I know! It seems like an odd goal for someone like me, who is not at all gifted in the domestic arts. But it's something that has fascinated me since I was a child watching my grandmother sew. She had one of those really nice, old sewing machines that flipped out of a hardwood desk, and I used to love to sit and watch her make things. My mother tried to learn, but she was short, SHORT on patience. Like, shorter than me. (Leslie--I'm sure your mind is boggling. Yes, there is someone out there with a shorter fuse. Her name is Bonnie, and she is my mother.) I want to start small, with a simple sewing machine, and with simple projects. I like to think of this as more of a long-term goal so that I can take on more complex patterns with a really nice sewing machine.

What are y'all working toward this summer?

Toodles!

He moves in mysterious ways

Is that a U2 song or an INXS song? I can't remember, but I really want to say that it's U2, because I hear Bono in my head. Maybe that's just because I saw him on the Idol elimination show last night. This is the way my brain works--just go with it.

ANYWAY, it seems like pushing the musical to the 21st was absolutely the best thing that could have happened. I've found out that two more of my kids have games that night, plus parents were having to cancel their out of town plans so their kids can make rehearsals.

I have great choir parents.

So, I'm done complaining, because it's like Leslie told me--God has a reason why it's being pushed back, and He will be glorified by this musical.