I remember being in four graduations ceremonies - eighth grade (1986), college (1992), master's degree (1994), and doctorate (2002). From pictures of myself, I know that I also participated in a graduation from Kindergarten in Birmingham, Alabama (1978). I don't remember that one. Paul didn't attend the commencement ceremonies when he completed his BS, MS, or PhD. Since our kids our homeschooled, they haven't participated in any graduation ceremonies, but it does feel like Nadia is in the process of graduating at church. She's been in the Soul Patrol kids' choir for five years (the length of time we've attended this particular church). This morning she had her last rehearsal, and this evening her last Soul Patrol performance. After the second service today they had a picnic for the fifth graders to introduce them to the youth group. The Kidzway program is for infants through fifth grade. She can continue to volunteer as a helper in Kidzway (she helped in a three-year-old class during the first service this morning), but her days as a student in Kidzway are coming to a close. All of the other classes have their promotion in September, but the fifth graders are allowed to move up to the middle school Sunday School class in June if they so choose. I told her that starting next week I want her to attend the worship service with us in the first service, and then she can choose whether she wants to attend the middle school class or serve as a helper in Kidzway. I think she'll probably choose to split her time and serve some weeks and attend the MS class other weeks.
Oliver had his very first solo tonight. Thus far he exhibits the most interest in dancing of our three kids and the least interest in singing. He's improved over the past three years, but his experience in the choir is VERY different than his siblings when they were his age. Ian and Nadia both had speaking parts. Nadia also had solos. They don't have a choir at our church for middle schoolers. At some point during high school she could join the adult choir that I'm in if she wanted to. There's a local chorale that I am planning to have her audition for in the fall. During the fall semester the rehearsals are 20 minutes from our house on Monday nights. During the spring the rehearsals are 45 minutes from our house so I am only planning on signing her up for the fall semester. I'm thinking Oliver can take gymnastics on Monday nights in the fall (5 minutes from the church where the choir rehearses). I am going to give Ian the choice of either being in a choir or gymnastics. He would only be eligible for the younger choir (they have three different choirs for children in grades 3-12). Nadia is old enough to be in the middle choir. I am planning on working with her to prepare her for the audition. I know she'd rather be in a choir for grades 5-9 than one for grades 3-6. They also have a music camp each summer that is only ten minutes from our house. I'm thinking of sending Nadia and Ian to that camp next summer. You can attend either half-day (9-12) or full day (9-4). I took pictures and videos this evening but haven't uploaded them to my computer yet.
I have to admit I really, really missed my mom this evening. She was always my #1 fan when it came to musical performances. If I was on stage with school or at church whether I was playing the flute or singing or playing the handbells, her face was the one I most longed to see in the audience. She had the most beautiful smile. It was so reassuring to see her face from the platform. She gave very encouraging and specific feedback afterwards. I can think of no one else in my life who has ever come close to giving me such meaningful feedback. When she was alive, it was a top priority for her to drive up here to attend a program that my children were in. Sometimes she would drive 3.5 hours, attend the one hour program, and drive 3.5 hours back. That is true love. I remember balling my eyes out so badly in August 2016 outside the church building a little bit before the kids' musical because it was the first one she was going to miss as she died in July 2016. I didn't know if I could bear to attend the program it was so very painful to me that my mom wasn't there. I remember
calling my aunt on the phone in the parking lot and sobbing my heart out to her. She helped me get it together enough to go in and be there for my kids. I wish my mom could have been there tonight. I have no idea if while she's in Heaven she was able to hear them sing or not. I know she'd have been proud of them if she had been able to attend. Her grandchildren were such a VERY important part of her life. I missed her a little on Mother's Day, but I missed her far more tonight. Now that Soul Patrol is on break until September, it means Oliver will be sitting in the worship service each week and then going to his 1st/2nd grade boys' class for the second service. I taught the 3rd-5th grade girl's class in the second service today because my choir didn't sing today. Oliver needs to work on his behavior in sitting through a service that typically lasts at least 75 minutes and sometimes lasts 90 minutes. He'd rather attend the Kidzway class two services in a row, but I'm not giving him that option! At least one of our kids participated in the summer musical at the Alliance Church from 2012-2017, but they have discontinued that program which they had run for decades. So the kids won't be in a choir this summer. Hopefully there will be some new recruits for the Soul Patrol choir in the fall because Nadia and Grace are graduating out of the choir and three other kids are moving this summer (one as far away as Florida). So that means at least 1/3 of the choir won't be returning in the fall, and Ian will be the oldest one in the choir (and the only 4th grader in the choir).
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