Conversation With Talley

Tonight, Bethlehem had her very last concert of the year, and consequently her very last concert, as she has decided not to pursue orchestra or the violin next year. I assume that if she takes an entire year off and the next year is her Senior year, she will not be taking it up again. I am sad. I love watching her concerts and enjoy hearing her practice at home. I kind of thought she would play it up through graduation at least. But it is her life and her choice. At least I have a parade of children behind her who will most likely pick up where she left off musically.

It was a really lovely concert. I am bummed because the little camera/video camera that I keep in my purse was not in my purse tonight and so I was unable to record her last concert (and of course I did not discover this problem until we were already at the concert). I was a little emotional about it. Beth looked stunning as she sat in her chair, playing her violin with the lights shining down on her. I am so proud that she is my daughter.

Ryland also had a band concert tonight at the same time. So the girls in the family (and Henry) all went to Beth's concert and the boys in the family all went to Ryland's concert. After we returned home and were comparing concert notes, it seems that the girls ended up with the better concert. ;-)

Anyhow, during the concert, Talley leaned over to me and said something. The following conversation (I remembered almost every word) took place:

Talley: "Mommy, I'm growing a tooth right in the middle!" (As she points to her new toothless gap. It was dark, so I couldn't make much out.) "I'm gonna look SOOOO weird with a tooth right in the middle of my mouth!" (And she begins to act a little panicked.)

Me: "It's going to be fine. Your other tooth will come in and they will push each other around until they are in the right spots and you will look normal. And if you don't look normal, we'll get you braces."

Talley, not feeling very confident or consoled with my response: "What!? I'm going to look like a weirdo. I'm going to have a tooth right in the MIDDLE OF MY MOUTH!" (Bear in mind we are smack dab in the middle of the concert and happen to be sitting about two rows from the front.)

Me: "Talley, you are not going to look like a weirdo. I don't think there is a single person in this world that actually has one tooth in the middle of their mouth."

Talley: "When can I get braces?"

Me: "When you are a teenager."

Talley: "What!?!?!? A teenager!?!?!? That's like forever. Where will they put the braces? Right here?" (She points to her gums.)

Me: "No. They put them on your teeth."

Talley: "What if I just pull this tooth right out?"

Me: "Then you won't have a tooth there at all. It will always be a hole, even when you are a mom. Or you could get fake teeth to cover up the hole."

Talley, very very upset by now: "What!?!? I'm gonna have fake teeth!?!?!?"

I finally decide to feel around for myself and when I do, I only feel that little piece of gum/skin that is sometimes between a person's two front teeth.

Me: "Talley, there is no tooth coming in. That is just your gums."

She starts to giggle and then she says, "No wonder it hurt so bad when I was trying to pull it off."

:-)

That girl! Never a dull moment with her around.