Am I Crazy?

Yes, Charlotte got into the Annie play. Her part is a Choral Orphan. She is thrilled with this. And me? I am thrilled too, but I'm starting to feel a little anxiety over this decision. Mostly because I thought getting the kids to and from soccer felt overwhelming at times. We have entered a new frontier of craziness, but really, maybe it won't be all that bad. Bear with me as I talk myself into seeing the positive side of this decision.

First, we don't have a school schedule to worry about. This means, no getting to bed early, getting up early, no homework to worry about.

Second, we will rearrange our schedule so our errands are done during play practice. This means, we will not be doing story hour for a couple of months, which Charlotte was bummed about. But she doesn't really participate in that anymore. She independently goes off and checks out her own books and reads while the youngers sit and listen to stories. Thank god the library in Washburn is open on weeknights until 8:00pm.

Third, I have friends that said they will help me when I need it during the week. I'm pretty much single mom until the weekends.

Fourth, I've been told that play practices are interesting enough to hold the attention of the younger brother and sister. Sometimes, we will be staying to watch practice.

And last, everyone I have talked to has said "You just can't miss this opportunity." So, I'm talking myself into helping my daughter take this on. So, the positives are:

1) She will get free dance, singing and acting lessons. (Well, the cost is all the driving I'll be doing)
2) She will get to know a whole new group of girls, all participating in a very fun activity.
3) She'll be a part of something BIG!
4) She'll be taking direction and learning from adults other than her mom and dad.
5) This will give her a beginner experience, which can lead to other plays. She'll have a choral part in her back pocket.
6) It's ANNIE for cryin' out loud!

The Emergence of Talent

When does a child reveal their talent to you? Do you wake up one day and see it blooming like a spring flower in the morning? Or does it creep up on you like old age a little at a time.

Yesterday, my oldest was in the back yard at our duplex in Minneapolis, holding an apple up and playing with our first dog Lucky. Fast forward seven years, four moves, a new dog and the addition of two more children; I find myself sitting drinking coffee in Stagenorth waiting for my children to try out for their first community theater production of Annie.



The music flowed before our children came into our lives. As a couple we played music while they were in the womb, and continued paying while they grew up around us. Mini guitars were given as gifts; drama and story telling became routine. Our children put on their own production of the Hobbit and continued to re-enact the great dramas of our time often putting song and dance moves into the mix without any adult involvement. My wife and I would sit back and wonder where all this imagination and energy came from.

The homeschool life allows us to let the natural emergence of talent to appear, often in unexpected places.

So today I sit while Finn and Charlotte try out for Annie. I don't know what the outcome will be, it may be the beginning many nights of hanging out in theaters or it may just be one of the many things my children try as they make their way towards who they will become. As they chart their own course, my wife and I become passengers on their adventures.





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