WOW!!!

I about fell off my seat in church today!  Today was our primary program during sacrament meeting, we have been practicing songs for quite awhile now (I’m in the primary by the way).  Last week we finally started to go through the kids parts.  Cole has been working on his part and totally has it memorized!  So proud of him by the way.  He got up to do his speaking part and totally froze!  Would NOT do it!  I was so sad, I had a talk with him and tried to encourage him.  I was thinking really hard at what I could bribe him with, because he didn’t seem to want anything bad enough to get in front of all the people and talk.  Then I remembered!  About a month or so ago I got so mad at Cole because he had gotten all of his toys out and made the {BIGGEST} mess ever!  I gathered up all the toys I could find and I took them away, I took them over to my moms shed and locked them up.  They didn’t know where they were, I told the kids I took them far far away!  Cole was so sad because his “special birthday toys” were in there, “those are special to me” he said. It was so cute I almost gave them back, but I stayed strong.  There were a few straggling toys he’s been playing with since I took them away.

We were having a practice for the program on Friday, so I told him if he practiced his part when no one was in the audience, then again for the program I would let him have ALL of his toys back!  Oh by he was excited, but he was having a hard time, because as much as he wanted his toys back, he did NOT want to get up in front of all those people and say his line.  During practice he chickened out and didn’t do it, DUDE!  What am I supposed to do?!  This morning we got up and he kept telling me his part.  I kept reminding him about all his “special toys”, and he was having a hard time.  Then when we got in the car Brenden told him that if he said his part EVERYONE could have a candy bar, {AND} he could go to a MOVIE!  At first by the way Cole was reacting I didn’t think he wanted to go to the movies, but then I realized that he really DID want to go to the movies and we were making it even harder for him.  We practiced one more time before we did the program, and he still wouldn’t say a word.  I talked to him before the program started and reminded him of all that was at stake, and told him if he was scare to just look down so he couldn’t see anyone.  I could see him from where I was sitting and told him I was going to give him the thumbs up and he needed to give it back to me so I would know he was going to say his part.  We sat in our seats and at first he kept giving me the thumbs up, until people started to show up, then he was shaking his head no.  I tried to encourage him until he finally stuck up his thumbs, all through the program we kept giving each other the thumbs up, it was getting really close to his part and I was getting nervous, I didn’t know what was going to happen.  It was his turn, he got up there, and without even thinking he said his line!!!!  WHOLY GUACAMOLIE!  My mouth fell open, and I almost started to cry, all the kids around me were all like “wholly cow, he did it!, he actually said his line.”  I was so proud of him I can’t believe it!  What a brave little boy I have, I totally remember how hard that was when I was his age.  We told the boys we would take them to the movie for their birthday since they don’t get a party, so we will count that as Coles movie too, it all works out.