proud

We are proud parents.

Tonight was Savanna's 5th grade program- and she got to perform with the Honors Chorus at the beginning.
We knew she was asked to sing a solo at the beginning and end of the song.
We hear her sing every morning at breakfast during our morning devotional.
We hear her sing in church next to us on the pew.
We hear her singing happily in her room, or outside playing with the boys, or her friends.
BUT- nothing prepared me for what I would hear tonight.
It is short- and the video quality is very poor- but the audio still comes through-



You can hear me whisper "oh my gosh"- as I turned around to Jay- who was behind me. If I could have captured his face at the same time I was trying to video her you would have seen my exact same expression.
We were both so proud, and amazed-
Yes, we are proud parents ....

Earlier in the school year Savanna had tried out for several vocal competitions.
The first one she did a recording and then left for a 3 day camp. Right after the buses left I got a voice message from her choir teacher saying she needed redo her recording. She was supposed to speak at the beginning of the recording. And this was due on Friday at 4-
Savanna would be getting home from the camp after 3- a tired girl, a tired voice.
She redid the recording and did not make it.

Savanna tried out for another choral position.
That day ...
She forgot her lunch.
She forgot her viola.
She was yelled at by a teacher (who later apologized)-

I was walking down by the choir room to drop off her lunch and her viola and she saw me-
Savanna came out and asked for a hug, and then as she tried to hold back the tears, explained what a hard day it was. ( I felt so grateful to be there, right there, at that moment)
She was disappointed that she did not "make it"-
She was very happy for her friends, but so sad that she did not make it.
The choir teacher came down the hall right then, and said something like-
"aren't you excited?"- and then the teacher said "I did not read your name off. Did I?"
There had been a mistake.
Then Savanna's tears were happy. She had made it!

The next day Jack came home and said that he had stood up for his sister in class-
When Savanna's name was announced over the loud speaker, a boy said "I heard the only reason Savanna made it was because she cried about it"-
Jack said "that's just silly- nobody makes anything because they cry about it!"

We were happy and proud that Jack stood up for his sister, but sad that things were being said about Savanna. And we kept reminding her that "that's just silly- nobody makes anything because they cry about it!"
So tonight- I thought about that- and heard for real- why she made it.

Yes we are proud parents.

savanna and her dad
savanna and her choir teacher Mrs. Adams

This is the quote that we put in the yearbook for her-

"Always remember, You don't sing because your happy, You are happy because you sing!"