And the winner is ...

MORGAN!!! Morgan tried out and participated in her school's talent show on Thursday last week. Her music teacher had asked me if she would play the piano in the talent show - Morgan is always playing some song for her in music class. I said I didn't know if Morgan would want to or be too nervous, but I would ask her. I asked Morgan, and she said okay- not real excitedly- but then asked if she could sing. So I asked her music teacher and she said she could play and sing something or just sing, but she would have to try out and not show any signs of being so nervous that she might not go through with it. So Jackie (aka "should be my best friend" & Morgan's piano teacher) and I tried to figure out something for Morgan to play and sing. We couldn't really find anything that we or Morgan was thrilled about so we kept looking. Well the tryouts were getting closer and if you weren't well prepared for the tryout you would not be able to perform. Ahhh! - well Jackie came up with a song from an older movie called Rigoletto that has some pretty songs in it. Jackie had the songbook to the movie and so she could play for Morgan. Well Jackie played it for Morgan and she decided she liked it so that is what we decided to do. The song is called "Let Me In" and Morgan was just singing the first verse. Jackie had some things going on and didn't really have a lot of time and wasn't home much, so I borrowed the movie from some friends and played the scene over and over with Morgan until we had the words written down and she was singing it. This by the way was on a Monday afternoon. Well without me realizing, she tried out the next day at school. Morgan told me and Jackie that she sang it in music class and that her class clapped for her after she was done. I still wasn't sure if that was her "tryout" or if she had just sang it for them. By the time I talked to her music teacher, she said, yes, Morgan had tried out and that she did a good job and that she could tell we had really worked with her on it, as she was well prepared! (HA, HA!!) We still didn't know if she actually "made it" or not but her music teacher made it sound like she had when she talked to me, but she said not to say anything because she would be announcing the "winners" of the tryouts who would be able to perform for the talent show/music program. Well Morgan did make it and we kept practicing for the show. She started playing the top hand on the piano by herself as she was singing and learning it. (She is really good at playing by ear!) I talked to her about it and would ask her if she was sure she wanted to sing in the show, because there would be the whole school (K-8) and lots of parents and other people there to watch. She said yes. She was very excited and confident about performing, so we went for it! She picked some weed/flowers one day and gave them to Jackie at piano lessons and said, "here these are for you and you can give them back to me after I sing at the talent show. If they die you can just get me some more." Too funny! (Of course now I would have to get her flowers!!) She told me a few days before the show that she wanted to wear a dress when she sang, so that she could curtsy after. I was already planning on her wearing a dress, but not for that reason! A couple of days before the show she was saying the prayer and asked that she could win the talent show and do her bestest! I told her after she was done that I hope she did her best, but it was okay if she didn't win. She said "I know but I really want to." Well the day of the show finally came and I was sick!! I couldn't eat all day and was soooo nervous for her! She on the other hand seemed fine! I went to the school early and helped her change and get ready. I asked her if she was okay and still wanted to do it, she said yes and said "I remember you told me if I am nervous or scared to just look at you and pretend no one else is there and I am just singing to you" - and she did do that for most of the song! Each of the classes performed and then after their class the individuals performed. Morgan's class was first (kindergarten) and then she was after a couple of karate kids in her class. She did GREAT!!! She did the song perfectly and sang so well! It was so quiet while she was singing and everyone clapped so loudly when she was done. She smiled and gave a little curtsy - just like she said she wanted to. Brad and I were trying not to cry the whole time. Can I just say we were very proud of her without sounding bad?? We were!! She has the musical gift and to be able to get up in front of that many people and sing - well we could hardly keep back the tears (we are wimpy-cry-at-anything-touching-or-sweet- people anyway but this was Morgan so it was even more of a tear jerker!!!:)) Then after it was all over they gave out some "awards"/prizes to the winners. The music teacher kind of divided the awards between the older grades and the younger, and Morgan won 1st place!!! (She didn't actually give a 1st place to the older grades, and believe me, Morgan noticed it!) She was so excited! She walked up and got her "playdoh" prize and was even more excited! As she was walking back to her seat, she held it up for us to see and mouthed the words "playdoh" all excitedly!!! Sorry this is a very long post, but it was so cool, and I am doing this for journal purposes, too, so I didn't want to leave out any of the details! So if this is boring - sorry!! I am enjoying it!!:) Besides Morgan doing such a great job and winning, the other best part was when Kolten came running over to us after it was all over. (He had been sitting with his class.) He was soooo excited for Morgan! He told us how great she did and how all of his friends thought she did the best and how he just knew she was going to win - he just knew it!! He said one of his friend's dad just sat there with his mouth open while Morgan was singing - he couldn't believe it. Kolten actually told us while imitating the dad so that was pretty funny! I'm not sure who was more excited - Kolten or Morgan! I was so glad that he has so happy for her - one of those special moments that makes a parent's heart smile! We had tried to talk him into playing the piano for the talent show, but he didn't want to. After watching Morgan he has decided that maybe he will try out next year. We'll see... I don't know if I can take 2 children performing - I'd be sick for days!!!:) We did have flowers and a "congratulations" balloon waiting for Morgan at home when we got there. She didn't say anything about them, which surprised me, so I asked her if she saw the flowers. She had seen them but she thought they were for me. (I can see how she would think that being that I get flowers ALL the time - hardly!!:)) When I told her they were for her she was very excited and I told her they were from her #1 fan and she looked right at Brad and said "Dad!". Well technically he did go buy the flowers after I asked him to, and technically he is a very big fan of hers, but really the flowers were from both of us and I am her #1 fan, too!:)