SHE DID IT!

We are all so proud of Alice. Sunday was the primary presentation.
Last year, Alice got so scared, that when her class got up to do their part, she broke down sobbing. After that experience, Alice would hardly say a prayer at home and would not do anything at church. Her primary teacher has been working hard with her, and we have too. She was able to do a short talk in primary in September. She was getting more and more confident, and proudly told me after the last rehearsal that she did her part without any help.

Sunday came, and she was happy to get ready. Then she got to church and sat down in the pew - and it hit her... the feeling we refer to in our family as "the Kiwanis feeling" because the Kiwanis festival is where many of us felt that "I'm-so-nervous-I -think-I-am-going-to-be-sick-or-maybe-pass-out-and-die"feeling the worst. She sat on my lap and said, " Mom, I don't want to go up there".

I don't know if she would have made it up there if it weren't for her good friend Emma holding her hand. She looked pretty stressed during the songs ( she later confided that she did not sing, but just mouthed the words). When her turn came, she walked up to the front. She looked sick. Her eyes were red. Her face was red. Her neck was red. I swear I saw her shake a little bit. I wanted so much to help her - I was so nervous for her I couldn't breath!

She walked up the the microphone and said, " The Lord tells the prophet what we wants us to know".She said it clearly, just as she had rehearsed it. Andrew and I both started to cry, we were so happy that she did it, and had been praying so hard for her. Alice walked back to her seat - she didn't look proud, she just looked releaved. She smiled when she received the "thumbs up" sign from me, Anne and Grandma.

She reminded me of a couple of things. Firstly, that being brave is not about not being scared. Truely being brave is being really scared about something, and doing it anyway. Secondly, the more you love someone, the more you want then to succeed. And Lastly, as a parent, you can work hard to prepare you kids for the tough stuff of life, but in the moment they have to deal with it, they have to do it themselves and you are lucky if you can be part of the cheering section. I know that the Lord is part of that cheering section. Alice felt the Spirit help her, and that makes the whole ordeal worthwhile.

In the spirit of equal mention - Jackie did great in the presentation too. She said her parts clearly, and sang the songs, and really enjoyed being a part of it all this year.

The picture is Alice's school picture this year. She is proud of her toothless grin. We are just proud of our girl.