PROGRAM DAY

Last Friday was PROGRAM day at school for John David.  He was so excited to perform for all of us and we were all equally excited to see it.  He had picked out what he wanted to wear for his PROGRAM weeks earlier.  So Friday morning he was ready to go.  New red polo shirt...check.  New coordinating madras shorts...check.  Socks, pulled up high just like he likes them...check.  Shoes, expertly tied by mommy because nobody else does it exactly right.....check.  Brushed hair...check.  Big smile...check.  He was ready to go.

The PROGRAM started at 10:00 but knowing how hard it can be to get a good seat at a preschool program we were there by 9:30.  The 3 year old program that was before John David's wasn't even over when we arrived.  Even getting there early didn't get us front row seats.  Husband, Baby Ava, Granny Susie, and Grandpa H were on the third row while the twins and I got prime seating on the floor in front of the first row of chairs.  We visited with some of the other parents while waiting for the show to begin.  Soon it was time.

The children started with the pledge of allegiance and the Star Spangled Banner followed by the Razorback fight song, complete with red & white pom-poms.  GO HOGS!!!

Then came their chapel songs.  John David loves chapel and going to church on Sunday.  I know that won't last as he gets older.  I'm sure when he's a teenager I will have to drag him out of bed to get him to church but for now I am really glad and thankful that he loves it so much.  As a result, he practiced these songs for us alot at home.

They also sang a song they had composed themselves.  One of the longs they learned this year was "This Land is Your Land."  Miss Amy, their music teacher, had them compose new lyrics for this song all about their school.  Here are the children's lyrics.

St. Mark's is your school.

St. Mark's is my school.

From class to music,

To the outdoor playground.

From across the playground

To the youth gym.

St. Mark's was made for you and me!

One of the really cool parts of the PROGRAM was each class (there were three) got to demonstrate something different they had learned in music class during the year.  One class demonostrated what they had learned about different types of music notes, half notes, quarter notes, and eighth notes.  Another class demonstrated ringing handbells, together all at once and individually as notes in a scale.  John David's class demonstrated their improvisational techniques while playing the xylophone.  Each child in the class got to come up to the front and improvise their own "song" on the xylophone for about 16 counts.  Personally, and obviously I'm a little biased, I thought John David's class got the coolest demonstration since each child got their own solo.  One of the teachers had told me John David was playing an instrument in the PROGRAM and that he was doing a great job in practice.  He had told me how much he enjoyed it.  No one told me it was a solo though.  I was a little fearful that he would get nervous with the twins and I sitting on the floor right in front of where he was supposed to play and that would make him not improvise his solo.  My fears were totally unfounded.  He did great!  My being on the floor right in front of him didn't phase him at all.  Husband took a video of John David's solo with his phone.  I tried to upload the video and couldn't get it to work so here is a link.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zA1jFBW__w&list=FLPc220HyBXtQNS9rXFCGSLA&feature=plcp

The children finished with the song "I'm a Promise."  The song goes

I'm a promise, I'm a possibility, I'm a promise with a capital "P"

I'm a promise to be, anything God wants me to be

I am a promise, I am a possibility, I am a promise with a capital "P"

I am a great big bundle of potentiality

And I am learning to hear God's voice, and I am trying to make the right choices

I'm a promise to be, anything God wants me to be

That's exactly what John David is.  A promise.  A possibility.  A great big bundle of potentiality.  All of my children are.  All children everywhere are.  As much as I wish I could keep him small forever, I can't wait to see what he will become, what he will do with his life, what amazing adventures he will have.

After the PROGRAM was over there was a little reception for the children, families, and the teachers.  Cookies, cake, punch.  We were leaving for a weekend trip to visit my brother and sister in Cincinnati immediately after the PROGRAM was over so sugaring them up with all the goodies at the reception might not have been the best of ideas, but they enjoyed the goodies. 

As part of PROGRAM DAY each child had art work on display.  John David's class painted self portraits.  Again I am biased but I thought John David did a great job.  I'm sure he had help but I'm proud of his work.  It will be going on display on the wall at home immediately.  One of our "To Do" projects for this weekend is to put up a wall of fame.  Basically we are planning on putting up a clothes line, complete with clothes pins, to display the children's artwork.  Then we can change it out as new masterpieces come home. 

Here is John David's self portrait.

 It was a fabulous program and a wonderful day.  Husband and I were so proud of him.  Better still, John David was proud of himself.  It makes a mother's heart glad.  I can't wait for PROGRAM DAY again next year.