Talent Show Star

Our ward had a talent show and dessert contest last night. I had encouraged R to practice a song on the piano and participate, but he didn't seem interested, so I let it drop. When we got there, the turn out was pretty small and there were only about 6 people signed up to share a talent. I mentioned to R it was too bad he hadn't brought his piano book, and he said he wanted to play Dotted Waltz that he has memorized. He learned it awhile ago, but it's one of his favorites, so we signed him up.

Then T said he wanted to do a talent too. He said he wanted to play the piano, but I reminded him he doesn't know how. He said he could just play a song he'd made up. Instead I suggested he sing a song and started suggesting Primary songs I know he knows. He thought for a minute and said, I know, I'll sing my skip counting songs. So we decided he would sing 2's, 3's and 10's. He would be the last performer.

It all went pretty smoothly with different kids playing songs on the piano or violin or singing. When R's turn came, he walked up and introduced his song and played it perfectly, then walked back with an expression on his face that said "That was cool, but I'm sure glad it's over."

T was announced next. He walked to the front of the room, took the microphone from the MC and said, "I'm going to sing skip counting songs." He then set the microphone down on the stage and walked out of the gym!!!

Several people turned to look back at me, but I had no idea what he was doing. I thought maybe looking out at 40-50 people had frightened him and he had just slipped out. But next thing you know, we can hear his boots clomping up the steps onto the stage. He walked out into the middle of the stage and started singing. He did the 10's and the 3's before a member of the bishopric got up there to turn the stage lights on. Then he finished with the 2's and walked off beaming!

It was the perfect finale of the talent show and everyone had a good laugh.

The dessert contest was next, and T was sure he would win. I had made fudge, but it hadn't set up in time, so at the last minute we'd been trying to figure out what dessert to take and T helped me spread cupcake holders on a pan and fill them up with jelly beans. What judge wouldn't choose candy over cake or cookies? When he didn't win, he decided it was because the judges were old people, not kids. Then he and the other kids enjoyed eating the jelly beans. From his perspective, it was the perfect night!