Piano Man

Performing at the St. George Got Talent Show 9.30.12

Our Church held a Talent Show last Sunday after Service.  We had a luncheon and then a performance.  It was such a fun afternoon!  I was soo looking forward to this day and I spent hours, literally, trying to think of a talent Phoenix could perform.  It was very important to me for him to participate for several reasons.  First, I want to start him at a young age feeling comfortable getting up in front of a group of people.  I never want him to fear this-never.  I know, mainly from the Food Festival, that he has ABSOLUTELY no problems getting on a dance floor full of people and dancing the night away, but I was curious to see how he'd react being up on stage by himself with a room full of people watching him.  Second, I think its important for him to participate in Church activities.  I don't think he's too young.  Sure he may not have a clue as to what he's really doing, but he's surrounded by his Church Family and that's what is important.  He is being an active participant whether he is fully aware or not.  That makes my heart happy.  Needless to say, I was very excited about this event.

I assumed Jason would either be working or at the hunting club, so I don't even think I mentioned it to him.  Well, it turns out he was going to be attending.  Once I found this out, I told him my desire and reasonings for wanting Phoenix to participate.  His response, "It isn't necessary."  Well, I guess its a good thing I hadn't officially put Phoenix in the show at that point.  Ironically enough-I didn't put him in it because I didn't want Jason to miss it (so if Jason wasn't going to be there, I wasn't going to put him in, regardless of how much it meant to me.)  Ha-Jokes on me.  Jason is going to be there, but it looks like Phoenix still isn't going to be in it after all :(  Well, Little Mrs. Optimistic decided to send an e-mail with a heads-up asking if there was room for Phoenix to play the piano (since he is constantly playing at home).  I figured he would love this and would feel comfortable doing it.  I also warned her that I might have to back out, seeing that I was still trying to convince Jason.

We went back and forth all night about it.  Sunday morning We were still on different pages.  Jason was trying to pacify me but I wasn't buying it.  I was getting frustrated with everything because I was soo excited about the show and I just wanted Jason to be excited too.  Not happening.  I had the video camera packed, the regular camera, both lenses, his piano, the perfect outfit & shoes, everything all ready to go that morning.  Something happened (the video camera card was almost full and I couldn't find another or something) and that was the final straw.  Jason won.  I left everything, the video, the camera, the lenses, the perfect outfit, the shoes, all of it-right there on my bed and we left for church.  I guess it just wasn't meant to be afterall.  That didn't stop me from crying the entire way to church that morning.

I'm not sure if they were tears of sadness because I felt like my child was missing out or if it was because I felt like I was letting my child down by not letting him participate.  Maybe it was just the fact that I had been looking forward to this day for soo long and it was finally here and now he wasn't going to a part of it.  It could have been the fact that I was frustrated because I just couldn't comprehend Jason's lack of enthusiasm about this.  Why was he not excited about seeing his son perform?  I knew it was going to be such a fun day and I knew he was going to love it, yet he wasn't going to be a part of it.  So sad.

After Church, we rushed downstairs so I could let them know Phoenix would not be participating and why.  Thankfully, they convinced me to let him still be in the show.  So although I had no video, no camera, no piano, no perfect outfit & shoes, I still had what was truly important.  And that was all that really mattered to me.

Showtime came and Phoenix and I took our seats in the front row.  We sat and watched the other acts.  He danced and clapped along, having the time of his life.  When his turn came, I sent him backstage with Jason, so I could get some pictures with my sisters camera while my brother in law video taped it.

Phoenix Lang
Budding Pianist

Even before the curtains opened, we could hear Phoenix warming up, as he practiced playing tunes on the keyboard.  Finally the time came.  My heart began pounding.  I was so stinking nervous.  I didn't want my baby to freak out once he saw everyone looking at him.  Ha-it was the complete opposite.  He sat bolting out tunes, smiling at the audience, turning back nodding to his Dada, like this it was something he does on a daily basis.  My fear quickly turned to pride.  He ended his performance by blowing kisses to the audience.

I was so very proud of him.  He was such a big boy participating in the Talent Show.  He was by far the youngest participant.  Not including him (at 15 months), the youngest performer was probably 6.  I won't even try to guesstimate how old the oldest was :)  Thank you Andrew and Sharon for convincing me to keep him in and for all your hard work.

His first ribbon.  I couldn't agree more :)

Not only does Phoenix enjoy the piano, he also loves to play the Tublah.  You Arabs will appreciate these last 2 pictures :)