Alabama had her recital for Sparklers last week. She'd practiced so so hard for it and was so good at all the parts of the routine. She looked adorable in her outfit, her hair was braided,
her nails were painted and she was so beyond excited that all of her family was coming to see her!
She'd had a bit of a meltdown at the dress rehearsal when I left the room to feed the baby and she didn't know where I was so she didn't practice the second song but got on stage to do (not do) her wave and pose. We practiced what she would do, how she would smile, and pose the next two days. She was so ready! We even memorized Joshua 1:9. "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid. The Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." Everyone was there (except GA and Clara), the recital started, the boys were relatively calm and doled out to family, camera was in hand and ready. and then it happened. When she got on stage, everything seemed great. She laid down got under her blanket for the beginning of the song and the music started. They "woke up and smiled" and then were supposed to pick up their baton. She looked around, under the blanket....no baton! The show was going on but she was just standing there. My heart sank. She'd worked so hard all year and this was the ONLY chance she'd have to do the routine for her family! I ran over to where she had been sitting (almost tripping over the caution tape blocking the seats!) saw the baton, ran around the aisle, grabbed the baton, ran to the front of the auditorium, tossed the baton to her...and it ROLLED OFF THE OTHER END!!!! Y'all. I could have died! I had to go get the baton and reach it out for her to come and get it. I was so embarrassed!!! She joined in and I ran back to my seat and snapped a few pictures of the last minute of the routine.
I felt like I'd ruined everyone's video but I didn't know what else to do! I couldn't just let her stand there the whole time! She's only five, and yes she should have made her she had the baton, but it's not as if she does this every day and the teenage helpers were supposed to make sure everyone had what they needed. Oh well. When I asked her about it much later that evening, she wasn't upset at all. All she cared about is that all of her family was there to see her. She loves them so!
Oh, and she didn't pose or wave. But she was so proud to have that "medal!" And the flowers from her Daddy. :)
(I only cried once, okay, maybe twice, while writing this, but at least it can be another story for our book, Audra!)
