I love Christmas music. I like to start listening to it and singing it sometime near the end of August. (Sorry Lesleigh, you'd hate it at my house.) I also enjoy playing Christmas music on the piano. One of my favorite pieces to play is "Trinity Chimes." It's awesome because it really does sound like chimes, and it sounds especially amazing on the Steinway in our chapel. I've been playing this piece since probably 8th grade, and I was excited to have the opportunity to play it as part of our Christmas sacrament meeting program.
Fast forward to Christmas day, sacrament meeting. Phil and I were sitting on our "assigned bench" in the back of the chapel, near my parents and my older brother. After the sacrament, I headed up to the stand for the program, leaving my three sons in the care of their dad. This has never been a problem before. When it comes to wrestling kids in church, Phil is the master. He takes our two-year-old out into the foyer and helps him rock climb the stone walls. I would never do it, but hey--it keeps both dad and baby happy, and I get to listen to the speakers.
The program started and I, blissfully unaware, accompanied the choir for their first couple of numbers and stayed on the stand for the speaker. Then my turn came. I sat down and began the piece, feeling relaxed and confident. I moved through the beginning to the middle part of the song, which can be tricky to remember. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the top of a little blond head coming up the aisle of the chapel. I remember thinking, "Hmm. That couldn't possibly be T-- because Phil has him in the back." Not half a second later, I could hear little feet coming up the stairs and recognized the red sweater and my two-year-old's arm holding on to the wood paneling for balance. Next thing I knew, he was at the piano, trying to climb into my lap.
The first words through my mind were, "Oh sh--! Where's Phil?" Then, "What am I going to do if he messes me up like he does at home?" Thankfully, a member of our bishopric saw what was happening and came over to get my cherub, and I didn't miss a beat. My dear husband didn't notice a thing until he saw Brother H-- coming down the aisle with babe in arms. I was just glad I could finish my song without further interruption.
Phil was mortified. I thought it was hilarious, especially since I didn't mess up. And it makes for a good story to tell for years to come.
11 comments:
Man, I totally saw it coming, at least halfway up the chapel anyway. But I was landlocked in the interior of our bench or I would have grabbed him. (actually, not OUR bench...some unwitting visitor sat in OUR bench and we had to sit in the middle section!) Then I thought I'd see Phil or someone come running up after him. He must have been rock climing with another kid, huh? Anyway, it was super funny, and truly, Julie didn't miss a beat even when the little tot started whacking her with his board book!
And the song REALLY sounds like bells. SOOOOO cool.
I can't decide what would be worse, having a child interupt a solo in church or being the parent who takes a child out to the foyer kicking and screaming... Way to stay focused!
Luckily, my little guy didn't put up any fuss about being hauled out by a stranger. That would have been pretty bad.
My oldest had a nasty case of the "terrible two's" and I was the one that usually took her out screaming and kicking.
Three kids later, the challenge comes when more than one child acts up [exit first parent with child] and then a second child acts up: there falls the dilema, can the two good ones be left alone while the two rowdy ones are being tended to?
It was truly one of the greatest moments of the program Julie. And you were cool as a cucumber. I wanted to go grab him as well, but I was landlocked in the choir seats. My location did give me an up-close view of your grace under fire. And your solo was great!
compulsive--I thought you had written "an up-close view of your face under fire," and I'm thinking "What did I look like? Could you tell that inside my head I was swearing?" A second reading cleared up your word choice. And thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed my solo. I'll take any compliments I can get!
Well, I did have an up-close view of your face, that's why I was so impressed--you didn't even bat an eyelash! I'm going to call you cool hand Julie!
Oh, dang! Something good happens in our sacrament meeting and I MISSED IT! This is totally unfair. Maybe you could try to reenact it next week for me, eh, Julie? Hehe...just kidding.
Kim told me about it right after church! I wish I'd been there. But if I was there it most likely wouldn't have happened.
Kim has this problem with not being aware of his surroundings. He said those fatal five words and disaster almost happened..."Go give it to mommy."
I still wish I could have been there. You have nerves of steel Julie.
So, off the subject but still related to piano. I heard that Phil played "As Sisters In Zion" as the prelude music to priesthood. I like it.
Actually, it was the postlude. But he's done it once before for prelude, just to see if any of the men were paying attention and knew what he was playing. (He's had only a few say anything about it to him.) I think he does it so they won't ask him to play as often.
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