Olivia, Future Piano Idol

The high school had a talent contest called, Perry (the name of the high school) Idol. Olivia tried out and made the "Mini Idol" whose artists performed during the counting of the votes of the full Idol.

She performed her piano recital piece (recital is in April) and did a great job! I was very proud of Olivia (as always!)

See for yourself. :)

The assistant principal at the high school came up to me afterwards and told me how great Olivia did and how it reminded him of his daughter and her early piano recitals and reminded me to "Cherish these moments. They go too fast."

A friend sent me this picture and that's Dr Funk, our assistant principal, back right with his leg crossed, listening to her. I like this picture because every time I look at it, I think of his words and how he must have been feeling (Both daughters graduated from college, Kansas University, ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK, GO BIG 12!, several years ago and now he has grandsons who is he hoping to see play in piano recitals!) and how you have people tell you "It goes fast" ad nauseam. You think, "Yes. I know. I've heard it. But right now I'm not sure I'm going to make it until bedtime. It would be okay if time went a little faster for today."
But it really does go fast....and I need to cherish these girls. 

GREAT JOB OLIVIA!!!!!!!!! 

Olivia's Trio at the Choir Concert

The high school's choir concert was last night and Olivia's 2nd grade class was asked to accompany a duet of girls singing the super sad song "New Shoes." I remember reading this story as an e-mail and then apparently it was made into a song. The "big" girls who were singing are really special people to Olivia. Emma Petersen was our babysitter when we first got here. The girls met her on their first week in Iwakuni and both of our "big" girls completely idolize her. The other "big" girl in the duet is Alysha Sellers and her Mom is Olivia's teacher (thus why her class was the one who accompanied them). 

Olivia and two other girls were chosen to do a trio at the end of the song. It was so precious and I actually cried! The trio part is about 15 seconds from 32 seconds to 47 of this video.

I was cracking up over Olivia pulling for the microphone at the end. :)

Here are some pictures too.

The kids had to be there at 5:00 and the doors opened at 6:00, when this photo was taken. Then they continued to sit there until 6:30. I must say that the kids at the school are so well behaved and I am always impressed by how they can sit and follow directions. It must be that good military parenting! :) (Oh, and I gave all of the girls a lesson on "sitting like a lady" after this picture. Olivia's friend Clara had it down!) :)

And here are the kids waiting in the aisle for their time to come up and join the duet.

Clara's Mom (Clara is a fellow trio friend, the one in the front row on the left) took this picture as the kids were waiting to join the duet. So sweet!

I was so impressed by Emma (in black on the left) and Alysha's (black and white on the right) stage presence. They didn't seem nervous at all! They walked around, they made eye contact, they smiled, they interacted....their parents' hearts probably were beating out of their chests with pride!!!!

That's Mrs. Sellers smiling at her class (her daughter is the one in the picture). I just missed a picture of Mrs. Sellers beaming up, so proud, at her daughter! It was so sweet!!!

Thanks again to Clara's Mom for this picture!!!! :) 

I was so very proud of Olivia! She has been talking about joining the church choir and I hope she does after the New Year! Tears kept coming down my face for quite a while after the end of the song. Happy, proud, love tears!!!!

Here a link to a YouTube video of the song with the lyrics. It's a heart tugger!!!! Apparently it was from a movie called "Christmas Shoes."

Way to go O!!!!!!!!

We love you so much!!!!!!!!

(You had some beautiful shoes on that night too!)

Olivia's Piano Recital

Olivia had her second piano recital and did really well! We will miss her fabulous teacher, Mr. Andrew Hoy.

Casey, Jimmy and Connor Higgins and Hope Christensen also take from Julestarz Academy teachers.
I took Audrey, Olivia and Casey to have their hair cut and done for the recital. Aren't they beautiful? :)

Olivia got really nervous before we left, but did really well once she got there. She tells me that she made a mistake....and this broke my heart....she was third to play, out of about 50 performances and she sat with her fellow performers during the recital. As soon it was over she ran over to me and said, "MOMMY! I MESSED UP!" She was okay with it by then, but it broke my heart thinking she had been sitting there for an hour and a half....just wanting to get it off her chest. What a brave little girl for being just 6 1/2 and having two piano recitals under her belt!



Casey told her, "No one knew but you, Olivia." :) Thank you Casey for being there!!!

Mr. Andrew thinks she has a special gift and says that she does better than a lot of his older kids.

Way to go Olivia! We are super proud of you!!!!!!