Good News and Bad News

Remember when Ben auditioned for the talent show? We completely put it out of mind, knowing that he had auditioned completely unprepared and we could move on to preparing for next year.

I NEVER in a million years expected what happened yesterday. When I picked Ben up from school he was grinning from ear to ear. "Mom, know why I'm so happy?" He hardly waited for an answer before telling me, "I made it for the talent show!" and pushed a note into my hands. We jumped around and cheered for a minute like we were both excited kindergartners. Then I looked at the note and reality sunk in.

The note dated April 24th, that I got yesterday(if I'd gotten it on April 24th, I'd be telling a different story) outlined the details of the show and practices. The dress rehearsal and show are next Tuesday May 13th. This causes trouble on three different levels:
1. Tuesday is Sarah's birthday and their Dad has planned a Chuck e Cheese party for her that night.
2. I am flying to Texas on Tuesday for company business (after celebrating Sarah's birthday with her on Sunday)
3. How can we ever get something REAL put together for him to perform in less than a week?


Come on... the kid wasn't supposed to make it. And he wouldn't even have been disappointed by it.

Just try to explain these things to a six year old who believes that God put him on this Earth to perform. I tried to explain that it will be such a surprise to the whole school next year if he is totally prepared and just wows them. That explanation didn't go so well because he thinks he's so good he will wow them no matter what. He is insisting that Sarah's party can just be after the talent show.

In the end after talking to his dad about it, it is clear that we are just going to have to take the hit as parents and tell him that he can't do it. It is painful when circumstances make it so dang hard to be a parent! I am proud of him and I hate to have to disappoint him.