Edward’s Solo

I was a nervous wreck last week because Edward was chosen for a solo in a school musical about ancient history.

I became nearly overwrought the morning of the event when he claimed he knew everyone else’s parts.  I assumed he meant he knew their parts to the songs, but in reality he had memorized every speaking and singing part in the entire 45 minute play.

I started to panic.  I could just see him breaking out and usurping the Confucius role, or running over and throwing King Tut out of his couch while belting out a soliloquy.  Not that he would mean to disrupt, it’s just the the drive to entertain is so strong that many times he has been overcome and stage productions such as these have not ended well.

One such example is the time the preacher at our largish church learned that a then two-year-old Edward had memorized “The Lord’s Prayer” and invited him to recite it in front of the whole congregation.  Edward thrilled to the attention and applause, but assumed that he would be called to the stage the next time the congregation gathered.  It was months before he could pass by a congregational event without rushing the stage.

Also not soon forgotten is the spelling bee fiasco of last year when I wrote:

“Spelling Bees are not a place to flex burgeoning acting desires.  Spellmasters are not entertained by a first grader who lavishly calls out to the crowd of 200 in a dramatic Shakespearean voice, ‘What is my word?’”

“First graders who treat Spelling Bees like ’stage shows’ are quite displeased when disqualified from the bee for accidentally saying an errant letter before correctly spelling their word.  They might cry, flail and break down as they are wrested from the stage by their mother.  In front of 200 people.”

I still haven’t fully recovered…

I am happy to say that while my heart pounded and I prayed furiously, Edward sang his Mesopotanium tribute perfectly!

And when he was finished, he sat down.  Yes, I saw him mouth the other children’s parts throughout much of the play, but he stayed seated.

A big milestone for us!

I thought a few of you might get a kick out of the lyrics to E’s rather utopian song, “The Land Between Two Rivers.”

Day by day, year by year, building a land like no other.  Never stop, never fear, build for your sister and brother.  Two rivers, many people, come together on the land.  One vision, all people, the land between two rivers is our home.

Please also note that E does not thrill to the new nickname his brother has coined for him, “Two Rivers.”

Still, you can imagine how we have augmented the song to fit various situations: “Never stop cleaning your room, never fear handwriting practice, pick up Legos for your sister and brother…”