Act 3: The cross country flight and frantic car ride from the aiport

So we moved this week. Did I tell you that?

Well we did. And Kolby was in NYC. There's plenty of stories to tell about all that, but really the climax of the week was Amelia's much anticipated (as well as much dreaded) talent show performance. She was sick about it for days, yet excited at the same time. If any of you remember Amelia as a preschooler, you'll know what a feat this is for her to willingly sign up for the talent show. The girl couldn't answer a question from me about lunch preferences without getting stage fright. They've been rehearsing for about two months now, and of course, Kolby has a very important business trip the week of the performance (and the week of The Move. It's important to remind you of that detail too, since this was the third move in a row he had to travel.)

Early in the morning on the day of the performance, Kolby calls me. He's missed his flight. And he's lost his phone. He bursts into tears. He knows I'll forgive him for missing the unpacking day, and luckily we have insurance on his cell phone, but the talent show? Big stuff. The parent performance begins at 6:00, and the next flight out arrives in Seattle at 5:30. Did you know that Seattle has worse traffic than L.A.? It does. It's taken us 3 hours to make the 30 minute drive from Bellevue to the airport on a Friday afternoon. But when Kolby tells me he'll make it to the performance, I don't burst his bubble. (He's crying, afterall).

I go to the school assembly and see the performance for the kids at 2:00. I did have to buy new shoes for Amelia beforehand because all of her shoes, except a pair of rain boots, somehow ended up in vaguely marked moving boxes. Amelia, does great. (I'm sure the new shoes had something to do with it.)

Madeline and I go at 6:00 (my lovely friends--mothers of Amelia's friends--stepped in as her stage mom(s) for me because I was buried in boxes) and still no Kolby. He's not answering his phone. (I know, I know. He lost it. He actually had a back-up phone. That's also another story. ) The show begins, and because I've seen it before, I know we're getting close to Amelia's performance. And no Kolby. I see Amelia move into the line up. No Kolby. The act before Amelia's begins, so I get up to find a better position for filming, just as Kolby comes thru the gym doors, sweat beads on his forehead, rumpled shirt, frantic expression like he'd just raced across the country for his daughter's first talent show...which he had. When I told him he hadn't missed her, I thought he was going to fall over. And when she began singing her incredibly charming song, he burst into tears (again).

And so I forgave him for missing moving day. But it doesn't mean he was off the hook for putting together beds and reinstalling the dishwasher on Saturday.

So....back to the real story. May I present Miss Amelia, and her fabulous backup singers Andrea and Martina!!!! (I should probably tell you that Martina's mom made the costumes because I totally forgot that was something that should be done. And she also shot this video because although I brought my Flip to record the show, I forgot to double-check that it had space. Which it did not. So go ahead and judge me. I'm really fine with that. I've decided that nursing school has been a wonderful lesson for me in letting go. I'm pretty mediocre at everything now, and we're all alive, so I guess that's okay.)

(I should also tell you, not because it's important, but because it is interesting: Martina's parents are from the little town in Chile where Kolby served his mission. Cuh-razy. And I wonder who Martina's dad is going to sue?)