the comeback kid...

If ever there was such a thing as a Sportscenter covering a Poetry Recital event, this story might be right up there with the best of 'em...

Here's the quick stats:
-Each Fall: Schoolwide Poetry Recital/Contest
-Every student receives a different poem appropriate for their grade level.
-Students must memorize and perform poem with costumes, props, gestures, etc.
-Judging is centered on accuracy, diction/poise/confidence, and creative interpretation.

1st Round: Class recitals
    (top 2 winners advance)
2nd Round:  Grammar School Poetry Recital
   (chance of winning 1st place in their grade and a Jefferson cup for first place in the lower grades, upper grades, and kindergarten)

So here's the background....

In kindergarten, you may remember Caroline was a finalist in her class recital, and she did an amazing job in the school's Poetry Recital.  We were SO proud of her!

But another boy won the Jefferson cup that year, and maybe you can tell from the look on her face in this picture, but I think it was in that moment she became determined to win that Jefferson cup the next year.

So the next year, now 1st GRADE!, she worked so, SO hard on perfecting her poem.  Here was her dress rehearsal at home the day before her class recital:



Great job, right?

As you'd expect, she breezed through her class recital and was again a finalist for the Grammar School Poetry Recital.  She was ready to win that coveted silver Jefferson cup afterall.

And then this happened.  The bike accident that broke her wrist.

Her surgery was the day before the Poetry Recital.  

There was just no way she could compete due to her injury.   

("What a promising season cut short," the sports commentators might say at this point in the story.)

So that brings us to this year, where Caroline was given the poem "Tea Talk."  Again, she, Marc and I worked on it for several weeks.  Here was her dress rehearsal at home the day before the class recital:

She was ready!

And here's what's funny...Jameson had seen and heard the silly poem enough that he, too, performed it for us later that night:



Hahahaha!!!!  Great job, Jameson!

Caroline and her sweet friend were so giggly the day of the class recital!

All the students did an amazing job.

On the way home from school that afternoon,

I got the call that Caroline had been selected as a finalist for the school-wide Poetry Recital!

Caroline was ecstatic she'd be able to perform this year.

So the Poetry Recital was LAST NIGHT!  Marc and I were nervous wrecks for sweet Caroline, who was SO excited to perform and she was really hoping she could win the cup this year.  (Like a good mom, I coached her plenty on the "it's okay if you don't win" talk...)

Here was her performance last night in front of the judges and entire audience:

Great job, CC!!

Way to go, Caroline!

And lo and behold, this gal won first place in her grade AND  the Jefferson Cup against all the 1st and 2nd graders.

"Mom, this was the like the best day of my life."

"Am I dreaming right now?"

Way to go, my precious girl.

You're the comeback kid!!

Even more than winning, though, I'm more proud of the way you congratulated and encouraged all the other participants, especially the little kindergarteners.

I'm more proud of the hours you practiced and the way your mind developed as a result of learning and performing this poem.

And I'm the MOST proud that in God's lovingkindness,

I get to call you mine.

We love you, Caroline!!!