fiddle sticks!

G is participating in a fiddle competition next Saturday afternoon.
I will spare you all and not delve into the battle that this preparation has been against all his underachieving therefore perfectionist tendencies. If I could not be grateful for the incredible blessing of sanctification this is for him - he would certainly be quitting the violin! Or I would be quitting my senses, my very sanity.

One aspect of preparation is The Chart. The Chart requires that he play all three of his pieces (the required hoedown, waltz, free piece) 9 times each day and mark the appropriate boxes. So, even on Saturday when The Chart was new to us - by about repetition #4 there were tears, doom and gloom, and (sorry to say) some very stern frustrated lecturing involved. (read: yelling, empty threatening. I didn't say the sanctification has been limited to him!) I am pleased to say that our meetings with The Chart have gone relatively smoothly since the first go-round. Granted we are more in the, do what we have to to survive and get through it without having to go right to bed mode. Tonight's session involved the last five repetitions of the hoedown morphed into an all-out jam session with Dad on guitar, Mom on mandolin, G on violin playing straight through five times.

When we finally made it through all the songs, I leaned toward G (having on my mind to drive him right out for ice cream for making it through Day 4 with The Chart) and said, "Maybe we should go for treat." His response, "I don't have much of a sweet tooth Mom, but I have sweet eyes. Can I stay up and watch American Idol?"