all the world's a stage

technically, i am the ward music chorister. i functioned in this capacity for the first couple months that i was called, during the time when madeleine was still young enough to stay in her carseat while i conducted and randy played the organ. but, as madeleine got bigger, this no longer worked, and we've been having substitute choristers for over a year now.

today, i finally decided that i would try doing it myself again. latey, madeleine has been pretty good about sitting on the pew quietly during sacrament meeting, so i thought that she would be able to do so while i stood right next to her and led the music. little did i know...

you see, madeleine loves the attention that she gets at church. she is one of about ten children in the ward, and one of the only girls. she is also the most flirtacious of them all. so, i shouldn't have been surprised that madeleine would take the opportunity to flirt with the entire ward while sitting up on the stand.

she actually sat and quietly read her book during the opening hymn, but by the sacrament hymn, she had discovered her audience. as soon as i stood up and the song started, she stood up on the pew behind me and started singing and smiling in her coy, flirty, and hammish way. it was not the most reverent hymn that has ever been sung. half of the congregation was chuckling under their breath at madeleine's antics. at one point, i put the hymbook down and, while still trying to conduct, also tried to get her to sit down. ha! so, the rest of the time was just spent trying to keep her from falling off the pew. i was slightly mortified, but was trying to keep myself from bursting into laughter at the same time (i was at least able to see the humor in it). it was hard not to laugh when i was looking out at the congregation and seeing their reactions. the hymn finally ended and we took our seats down with the congregation.

we had a friend conduct the closing hymn while i remained seated in the congregation with madeleine.