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First "Roses"

Caroline has been carefully planning her singing debut at school for the last year. Her school has a Talent Show and last school year she opted to perform a karate kata, and quickly regretted the decision because she wished she had sung instead. She was enthralled with a couple other little girls who sung and received flowers from their family "fans" after the show and she was disappointed that she hadn't received any. So starting right after last year's show, she began going through her Disney Jamz and Kids Bop CDs, rehearsing every song, memorizing all the lyrics of each one so that she would have ample choices when the day came to declare her selection.

The entry form came home a month ago, and although she's had all year, she took too long to make her song choice. The morning the form was due, I suggested she pull out the CD of "Amazing Grace" that she had just performed at church. She agreed, and all was set. After two rehearsals, the performance time arrived last night. She was a bundle of excitement all day, and took just about as much time choosing her outfit as she had her song. I asked John to stop by the gas station or drug store and try to find a long-stemmed rose to give her after her song. When we arrived at the school, I was informed that they had reordered the schedule and since they wanted to end with a "strong performance" they had placed Caroline at the very end of the show. She was thrilled to know that everybody would leave with her voice in their ear.

Needless to say, she did a great job, and a few tears were shed by some of the crowd. One audience member came up to John and told him that she was a vocal coach and once Caroline is a little older, she would love to give Caroline voice lessons. After Caroline came off stage, John gave her the bundle of red/purple carnations he had picked up at the Mobile gas station. She came running over to me with a huge smile and said "Mom, take my picture--I never got roses before".

It'll be much later before we inform her of the difference between carnations and roses because for now, she feels like a star.

Comments

Anonymous said…
That is great! She looks so cute, you can see her eyes just shining, and Daddy looks proud - as he should be.

Well I for one know she comes by that singing talent honestly since you certainly have that gift/ability also. And she was a good little witness on top of that. Wish we had a way to hear it!
3/27/2006 8:15 PM
Anonymous said…
What a sweet picture. I don't know who is smiling bigger. Charlene
3/27/2006 9:05 PM
Anonymous said…
What a star! She was an Angel singing that song. It's funny, the song choices of other girls, songs that are too seductive and they honestly have NO idea what they were singing.
Then there was Caroline, singing like an Angel, a song that touches many hearts during times of heartache around our world. I was one of those audience members with the tears! Seeing you and John beaming was awesome too! She sang that song like she knew what every single word meant! VERY talented! I can see her on American Idol, someday!
~Sue
3/27/2006 9:09 PM
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