The Photo That Almost Wasn’t

Last summer Maddie picked up a flute for the first time, blew a lot of dog-bark-worthy breaths into it, then gradually became better.  And by better, I mean we don’t leave the room when she practices anymore. 

Mostly.

I couldn’t wait for her Christmas concert, which was held on a weekday at her school.  I got there early, but was beat by all of the parents of 5th graders who thought they were early last year, and this year knew better.  And since we were seated on a gym floor way behind the kindergarten through 5th grade classes I wasn’t hopeful about getting a good picture of her.  When the band took the stage, I couldn’t even see her (and this is crazy since she plays the flute and therefore always sits in one of the first two rows of the band).  Here she is front row, 4th from the left, hidden behind a music stand.
  
So I became one of those annoying parents who gets up and bothers other non-camera toting parents to stand on the side of the gym to get a better shot.  But I still didn’t.  That’s her behind the microphone…

Then, in early May, I got to see Maddie play one of her practice concerts for the three elementary schools.  I’m teaching second grade now, so this time I was going to be way up near the front of the gym!  I brought my camera to school and…

I mostly couldn’t see her (3rd from the end) except for this song.  She leaned forward for some reason and I snapped it!  I do love this picture though.

The night of the concert, smack dab in the middle of a very frazzled week,  I was ready.  Since she had been sitting on the left side of the band for the practice concert, I sat on the right side of the auditorium, thinking I’d have a great view straight across.

But this time she sat on the right and I couldn’t see any part of her for most of the concert.  In the shot below, Mr. H. had the students stand up for a bow and she looked back around the girls in her row.  That’s it!  My one and only picture!

[Then we left the auditorium and I fell down etc. etc., blah, blah, blah].
It was kind of unsatisfying.  Until…

Thanks to my friend Terri who was seated in the balcony I’ve got this terrific shot!  (Maddie is in blue, 5th from the end).  And I absolutely love the picture below, because Terri shot it at the same time I shot my picture above!  See Maddie  (just above Mr. H.’s head) looking around the line of girls at her Mama??  

And now I know where to sit next year!

P.S.  We are sad to announce the death of Dorothy Cutie Pie Wolfe,  who died in her sleep last night.  She was buried today under the sandbox and will be greatly missed by all, particularly Jack who has wrangled a new goldfish out of us, or possibly a new pack of SillyBandz...he's not sure yet.