Sadie and I went to a benefit concert today at 3pm at one of the local schools. We saw Peter Serkin who is featured in this YouTube video with a cat. I figured that Sadie and I would enjoy this most out of out house although I could also see Gary really getting in to this kind of thing too. We did not have tickets and true to form were a little disorganized and last minute about the whole thing. I have not really been feeling that good and I had just not wanted to purchase tickets with the chance of not going. Also I was not sure whether this was something that would be a little too over Sadie’s head.

Gary took the kids to church and to the park which gave me about four hours to myself. I cleaned the entire house, including behind places that I have not seen since we first moved in and then around 1 decided that we would go and hit the shower. We got there early because we did not have tickets and sat and read our book (we are currently toward the end of a Wrinkle in Time) and played hangman. Sadie was the only kid I saw there and I think she felt proud to be there. She was all dressed up and looked beautiful. We talked about the different composers that were going to be featured and the different time periods that each lived during.

Then the lights went dim and he walked out with his page turner (there must be a fancier name for that guy but I don’t know it) and Sadie was all ears and eyes.

She did wonderfully for seven years old. I was lost in the music; it was absolutely beautiful and divine.

Sadie followed along in the different pieces and knew where we were. She fidgeted around a little and once in a while I felt bad for those who had chosen a seat near us but I realize now that they were blessed with this curious child near them experiencing this for the first time.

At the intermission we got up to stretch our legs and walk around. We ran in to some people from our church who looked on approvingly at us, me and Sadie, so culturedJ

We went to sit by the window and the sun beamed in at us smiling at us, beckoning little Sadie.

I asked her if she had enjoyed the first half and she said yes. She talked about some specific things she liked, “that man’s gifts” “the slow sweet songs”. I asked her whether she would like to go now, during the intermission and she looked surprised that I asked. She asked me what I thought and I told her that although I loved seeing the pianist and would be happy to stay I could also go home now having enjoyed an hour out with her.

I told her that she had done a wonderful job paying attention for seven years old and it was a sunny day out……….

She thought for a moment and told me that she had loved it and would we come back maybe when she was 13?

I told her of course.

I think that Sadie really appreciated being taken to the fancy thing today and hearing the pianist and being “grown up”.

I think Sadie appreciated being given choices in the end and not being forced to be something she is not yet and most of all getting home in time to play wildly outside with Zack and Nora.