LIS vs LOL

Ray does not laugh out loud. At least, not very often. He'll crack a smile, give a quite chuckle, but LOL is not a part of his daily laugh. I, myself, have only made him laugh out loud one time. We were talking about names for S, before he was born of course, and my sister wanted us to name him "Luke" because Ray always says in the Darth Vadar voice, "Luke, I am your father". She wanted him to be able to say that to his son. We were talking about it, and I told Ray that we should name him Luke, and then come up with another name that starts with L for the middle name, so then he could be "L L cool K." He laughed out loud - I must have surprised him.

Ray and I IM a lot, while he is a work and now while I'm there. He typed LOL one time, and I asked him, "REALLY???" He said no, not really out loud, but he is laughing on the inside. So, now when I type something funny, he types LIS.

Today was the Primary program in our ward. Sitting on the bench before the meeting started, S told me that he was going to sing LOUD - just like everyone was telling him to. The sister behind us told him that she wanted to hear him all the way back there. He told her he was going to sing loud. After the Sacrament, the kids all went up to the front. S was sitting right behind the piano player, so when he stood up he had to stretch his neck a bit to see the music conductor. She was also standing down in the congregation, and there were kids standing in front of him. The result was that when he sang, he had to stretch his neck up a bit to be able to see her.

S has the SWEETEST face, and the sweetest spirit. He gets frusterated and mad, but he is never mean. His sweet round face, his big cheeks and lips - I just love him. So, picture his face, his chin lifted, his eye brows lifted high on his forehead, singing his heart out. He knew every word, and he himself sang louder than the rest of the Primary combined. I could hear almost every word coming out of his mouth, and he loved the long notes. The only time he sang softly was in "How Firm a Foundation", when the chorister had asked the kids to sing the repeats softly - he followed direction. Every other time, he was singing LOUD and PROUD.

And Ray laughed out loud. The whole meeting long.

Everyone around us who could see S chuckled. He wasn't goofing off, he was so sincere, trying his best to do as he had been asked to do. So sweet that even though I was laughing myself, I almost was crying along with it. My sweet little boy. My love. It wasn't just the first song. It was every song. He lost interest a bit during the speaking parts, but once they stood up to sing, he was right there, ready to sing. The best part was during a song, they said the word strong, and he held up his arms in the strong-man pose.

After the meeting, people asked me if I had practiced with him, and I had to say I hadn't. The chorister told me afterwards that a few weeks ago, S just clicked into Primary, and decided to listen and sing instead of playing around. Something you hope happens when they're Sunbeams, but are glad when it happens no matter how old they are.

I hope I never forget his angelic face as he sang. I wish we could have recorded him in that moment, so I could show it to you, and remember it perfectly for myself.

The other sweet moment was when M and E sang. Everyone that is in Primary at some point tells me that my girls are amazing - they know the words to all the songs, the answers to all the questions. Another little girl had asked if she could sing a solo for the Primary program, but last week got too scared and didn't want to do it. The chorister asked me if M & E would be willing to fill in. I didn't even ask them, I said of course, they would love to. They practiced all week long. They were singing the first two verses of "Beautiful Savior", and the words can get a little tricky. Meghan got the book out, and practiced on her own. When I finally heard her, she was singing "Robbed in the flowers of blooming spring" for the second verse. I told her it was ROBED in the flowers, but robbed stuck in her brain! They sang so softly and sweetly, they could have used a bit of S's exhuberance! I think they were a bit nervous, but they did great. The Primary joined on the third verse.

I direct the ward choir, and I told them after church that the standard had been set, our Christmas program better be at least as good as the Primary! :) I thought about telling them they should all try to out-sing S - but that is really only cute when you're 5, and oblivious to feelings of shyness and intimidation.