Maestro!

This holiday season we had 4 Christmas performances in the Handsaker house.  Layla's all school concert, both kids had a piano recital, their performance at church, and Cooper's class concert.  I'm always amazed how wonderful these all are in spite of the fact that our school and church are so small.  This says a lot about the adults who create, organize, and pull it off.

I learn so much about my kids when they are put under pressure.  Layla wants to do all of these things, but always has a little panic attack right before she performs.  She does not like everyone staring at her, but she finds total exhilaration in having faced her fears and completed the task at hand.  I always give her the option not to perform, but she has never taken me up on it.

Cooper is all about performing (gasp, shock).  He is completely in control, knows every little thing that needs to be done, the order in which to do it, and is surprisingly focused.  The biggest difference between his performances last year and this year is that he stayed focus throughout all of them.  No wandering mind, no pretends dragons to slay, no adjusting of the pants, tucking in the shirt, untucking the shirt, jumping on the stage to see how loud it sounds in the auditorium, no checking out the girl next to him...you get the idea.