The 1st of MANY Primary Program's

In the middle of November the Primary prepared for the annual Primary Program. The Presidency came to me to see if I would like Andrew to be a part of it. I of course said yes. So we practiced his line day after day until the day of the program and it was quite the exciting event to say the least.

You know when you go to a Primary program and you see a child who is running around and having a good time while all the other children SEEM to be completely put together and well behaved. Well that was how our meeting went and Andrew was truly the "star" of the show.

First he ran up to the chorister and started waving his arms back and forth while he was helping her to lead the music, as I cheerfully went to take him back to his assigned seat. Then during several of the songs he would go stand with his age group of kids and he would sing so wonderfully because he just loves music. Most Sunday's you'll find Andrew singing with those who sing a muscial number.

Then Andrew got away from me and started for the front as the children were singing and I thought "of course someone is going to stop him from going to the microphone" but no that was not the case, he went straight to the microphone and started to belt out the song with great gusto!!! well if you were a sleep during sacrament that would have woke you up for sure.

Then it was his "OFFICIAL" time to say his line and he did so with such great zeal and enthusiasm. He put his lips right up to the microphone and so beautifully blarred his line out for all to hear, "My tithing helps to build [the] Temples." (THE was Andrew's addition) You could hear everyone giggle at how cute and enthusiastic he was and all I could do was to keep myself from sobbing (because I'm so emotional I can't just cry beautifully, I sobb, red in the face, splotchy, it isn't very pretty.) I was so proud of our little boy and how he has come so far from just screaming in front of the refrigerator and then hoping I would know what he wanted to now when I instructed him a couple of times on his line and then whenever I gave him the prompting "My" he would know to say "My tithing helps to build [the] Temples."

Andrew is one of the sweetest gems in my life as well as Abbey. I have learned great lessons from him and how he struggles with everyday routine functions such as learning how to cut with scissors, he still struggles to put shoes on, and many other things but he is learning how to pretend play (the other day he pretended he was a Lion and then a Shark) he is learning to play with friends instead of just be beside them. I am learning how to be calmer than calm when he has 45min melt downs and nothing seems to help until he "finally" allows me to hold him and I can tickle his back and arms to calm him down.

Andrew is a true treasure that I will always be so thankful to my Heavenly Father for blessing us to have him and enjoy him. There are times when I see glimpses of the real Andrew inside that little body when he all of a sudden will look right at me and gives me the biggest smile then he looks away just as fast and goes back to being intraced with whatever it is that captivates his mind. Those are the times that hold me through.