Homeschool Recital

Hmm...
What comes to your mind when you hear the words "homeschool recital" ?
Perhaps you think:
*Cute kids.
*Adorable acts.
*Pieces practiced to perfection.
*No competition.

Well...
This is what I remember of my recital days:
*The neverending Sullivan children.
*Feeling as though I had to live up to the Sullivan's crazy standard of perfection (however, I did not succeed.)
*The Sullivan father coming to my father and saying "Your daughter really hasn't made much improvement from last year."
*Danielle and I making fun of the Sullivans. (Is anyone sensing a theme here?)

But there were a few not-so-life-scarring memories:
*Good times with family and friends.
*Feeling proud of myself that I played my piece(s) with few mistakes.
*Talking about how Danielle is going to have "pot" roast at her wedding reception.
*Matt L. hopping around the room in one of the skirts that Kim L. brought for some reason.
*Danielle and Nicole singing beautiful duets together.
*PLAYING THE BUMBLE BOOGIE!!!!!! (MAN! I showed the Sullivan's THAT year!!!)
*Tons of good food.
*And (surprise of all surprises) having one of the middle Sullivans come up to me and say "You did a really good job." (I was so shocked that I believe I blushed and managed to blurt out a "thank-you".)

Good times...good times.
But...sadly, the past couple of years I have "outgrown" the recitals.
They are no longer exciting to me.
Perhaps it's because the Sullivans are no longer there.
And neither are Nicole Bull and the Flewellings.

But! the tradition lives on through two of my siblings.

Tonight Nicole and Ethan played 2 piano pieces (each) and did an amazing job.
I'm so proud. :)

Ethan playing "My Favorite Words" and "Thundering Chase".


Nicole playing "The Rainbow" and "My Garden".


All the participants with their certificates.
I'm happy to say that my siblings actually had their WHOLE name spelled correctly. I don't believe I have one certificate in which there wasn't a mistake in spelling.

If you click this picture so you can make it larger, you can see Nicole's and Ethan's personalities so clearly.
Nicole - the sweet, self-conscious young lady
Ethan - the "anything to get a laugh", hilarious young man

I pray they both grow up to be such amazing children of God.
And I pray the same for Daniel.
By the way, Daniel is almost as tall as I am now...
Scary.