My children's choir sang in "big church" yesterday.  I was so proud... I think I had a perma-smile all day long. 

You see, I'm not yet so comfortable leading a kid's choir... they're so different than adults and, yet, so similar.  In all actuality I was more than a little apprehensive about what was going to happen yesterday.  The little ones are frighteningly unpredictable.  Sometimes they'll sing and clap, but sometimes they'll go crazy on my and climb the walls; sometimes they'll just stand and give me this half-amazed, half-offended look that would lead you to believe that I had just told them to fight a giant lobster or nail hot jello to a wall.  Once, when I asked if they were ready to sing, they just said "No!" emphatically and glared at me for a half an hour.  Anyway, as I was saying, I didn't really know what to expect on Sunday.  I decided ahead of time that I would consider the performance a success under the following conditions:

1) At least five kids show up.  That'd be about 25%.

2) Everybody keeps their clothes one and their fingers out of their noses.

3) Nobody cries (myself included)

Here's the thing, there is really nothing cuter than a bunch of kids trying to sing.  That's on our church website actually.  I take that back--you know what would be cuter?  A bunch of kids trying to sing while holding puppies.  That'd be too cute.  I think I'd just die from the extreme cuteitude of that. 

So, anyway, I figured it wouldn't take much for it to be a good experience for all involved.

The result, in actuality, was so much better than I'd hoped for.  Every one of the kids showed up and then some (we stuck the and-then-somes in the back row... nobody knew the difference).  Thanks to the CD we gave them (which, consequently, every family with children has the priviledge of listening to every time they get in their cars) they all knew the words to the song (except one kid who sang "Lord you are holy, give God the candy!).  There were no tears, the kids weren't even nervous at all.  In fact, one of the shyest little boys I know went to his mother afterwards and said "I wasn't scared even a little bit... I wasn't even shivering!". 

The best part was their little faces.  Every single one of them was beaming... even the normally grumpy ones.  They all had their eyes glued to mine and had these looks of pure joy that almost makes me teary-eyed thinking about it.  The church thought they were terrific, but I expected that.  Afterwards the kids were so proud of themselves.  They kept asking when they'd get to sing in church again, and begged me to make it soon.  I told them that, at Christmas time, we were going to sing with the adult choir in their Christmas program--a prospect that, a week ago, they were totally disinterested in.  They were thrilled... made me count down the days till the performance.  They're good kids... I think I'll have to find something for them to sing in between now and then.

It always amazes me that, while I have zero patience for most adults, I have such an affection for the little children.  The little girls that hold my hand crossing the parking lot, the little boy that needs help spelling everything just to get attention, even the boy who tries to pull Indiana Jones moves off the supply cabinet every time I turn my back--there is not one of them that I don't like.  Maybe it's because, with all the whining and hyperactivity and clingyness, deep down they're all good kids and (for some reason that only God understands) they really do want to please me.  I wouldn't trade them for anything. 

Unless the nose picking continues.  I don't do boogers. 

Yesterday was interesting.  Micah and I went to a real live civil war reenactment in Huntington Beach.  It was beyond cool.  I went because my friend, Rob, is really into that stuff.  He's a member of the Pennsylvania 71st and so we went to watch him fight.  It was hotter than all get out.  Rob died part way through and the Union (aka: the good guys) lost.  Dang rebels.  However, it was really fun to watch and the cannons were very cool.  They actually stay right there in civil war type camps during the weekend.  Rob showed us his camp... it was awesome.  Like going back in time.  Anyway, I could definatly have fun getting in to something like that.  Turns out, they're always looking for bugle players... they'll even take girls.  That could be fun. 

In the meantime, though, I have the sunburn of a lifetime.  Micah kept trying to keep me out of the sun (it's sad when, next to her, I'm still the pale one) but it didn't exactly happen because there was so much sun and so little not-sun.  Anyway, I hurt now. 

I'm done talking, I'll just post some pictures to prove that we actually went.

I won't say much today.  I'm a little bummed out.  Yes it's true, Maynard Ferguson is dead.  I knew it would happen sooner or later... I mean they guy was 78.  He's something of a legend though.  A phenomenon really... he could sail up to notes I couldn't dream of with no problem.  He did this rendition of Danny Boy that was so lovely.  It just gets higher and higher, but it stays so soft and angelic.  He was my hero for a brief time, my sophomore year of high school, when I needed something to obsess over for a while (if you know my obsessive personality, this comes at no shock to you). 

If none of you know who this guy is--he was nominated for a grammy for Gonna Fly Now (theme from Rocky... you hear it at like every sports game ever played).  Another pep-band song you may remember is Chameleon (you might know it if you heard it)... he's responsible for that. 

Okay, I said I wouldn't say much.  So I'll end with a segment of a statement issued by Mr. Ferguson's managment:

Ojai, CA (August 24, 2006) - Walter "Maynard" Ferguson, one of the most influential musicians and band leaders in the history of Jazz, passed away August 23rd at 8:00 pm Pacific Time at Community Memorial Hospital in Ventura, California. He was 78 years old. His death was the result of kidney and liver failure brought on by an abdominal infection. Mr. Ferguson's four daughters, Kim, Lisa, Corby, Wilder and other family members were at his side when he passed away after this brief illness. He spoke by phone with his friend and manager Steve Schankman from St. Louis, longtime tour manager Ed Sargent, and friend, and fellow trumpeter Arturo Sandoval.