Ironman during the Renaissance

It's been a while since I've been able to really help Andrew practice his violin. He doesn't enjoy practicing because he wants to get it perfect the first time. The teacher told him "you don't like playing it because you don't know how. But you will - and then you'll love it."  I have tried to tell him that too but she said it more directly and that seemed to stick.  Right now he is learning several different versions of Twinkle Little Star. They all have the same finger movements, but the bow movement is different.  We listened to the cd that demos all of them and figured out the bow movement for the third version that he just started. He picks it up so easily - and if we can get him to practice - he seems to progress quickly too.  He does remarkably well when he tries!  I'm so proud of him even when it's not perfect.

We were looking forward to installing an underground tornado shelter in the garage on Thursday. They called Wednesday morning and asked if they could come earlier to get started. Andrew loved watching them cut the hole in the garage floor and then use a scoop digger to get rock and dirt out. He got the ear plugs he uses for the lawn mower and sat in the doorway of my studio watching them work. He was so excited about the project. 
Thursday they came and finished the project, and we asked them to make a big dirt pile in the yard for Andrew to play on. He was a little disappointed that he missed seeing the workers, but was very excited to explore the shelter.  He went down the steps and checked it out.  Then the boys worked and played outside for a while. Andrew thanked me for having the idea of leaving a dirt pile. I hope he will enjoy it.  When I called him in for dinner, he asked if we could eat in the "hole in the garage" and Ted told me later that he asked if we could sleep in it too. 

Friday Andrew finally finished his 24th practice session on the violin and earned his next Lego set. He had asked for the carrier semi truck so that is what he got. He is very pleased.

Saturday he had a scripture marked and prepared to read in service. He got to read it once to one of daddy's calls. After service, we were off to the Renaissance Festival so he could see the castle. He has been asking to go to the castle for a couple of years. You can see the top of it from the interstate on the way to Nana's house, and this day he got to tour part of it. And, it was his first time riding a yellow school bus which is another thing he has been wanting to do for a while.  Mommy was dressed as a princess, daddy as a pirate, and Andrew wanted to wear his Ironman costume. He pretty much stole the show everywhere we walked through the festival. People wanted to take pictures of him, workers stopped what they were doing to shout hi to him, and other guests cheered him on too and told us how cute he is.  He got a little more attention than he hoped for. On the way home he said it was a bad idea to wear the costume - that he should have kept it a secret.
He got to ride a camel (that he wanted to ride without mommy and daddy so he ended up going with another mother and child) and a swing ride and wander through a maze. He was upset that he didn't get to do the StrongMan game that daddy won (the sledgehammer hitting a point that rings a bell).

His prayers are so wonderful to listen to. I wish I could remember what he says and how. In part he asks for help to appreciate the things he has, and to help him use his please and thank you manners, and to help all of us be good and patient and kind, etc.  I love him so dearly.

Sunday was his graduation ceremony at Primrose. He still has one week of school left there. They wore cap and gowns, stood on risers and sang three songs for us and performed the ABC's in sign language. One of the other fathers turned to us and said, "You must be Andrew's parents. He is my little buddy - I just love that kid!" Both of us wanted to ask why but didn't. He was the father of one of the little girls in the classroom. He said Andrew is already there and we're gone when they drop off.  The teachers said he was a delight to have too. 
Then we had cake and punch and the teachers gave each of them a customized cup full of goodies and a small custom photo book.  We took him to Chuck E. Cheese's afterwards, filled his pockets with tokens and turned him loose to do whatever he wanted to do. He had a wonderful time. When we got home we told him that we know it's been a hard year full of changes and hard tasks - but we are so proud of him rising up and trying so hard at everything and doing so well despite the challenges. I set a box in front of him and he gasped when he opened it - finding two small building sets of legos (one train and one helicoptor) and 4 superhero minifigures that turned out to actually be magnets. We might just break off the magnet part so he can have the figures.