Hope of America!

Last Tuesday was Hope of America. It is a program that involves over 7000 kids and they perform in the Marriott Center at BYU. The flag is made of 5th graders. Jessica is in the yellow on the right hand side about 2/3 of the way up. 2 years ago we went to it and they started really late and then we couldn't find Kathryn afterward so we didn't get home until midnight. But this year they ran everything like clock work and the program was fantastic. It was all about patriotism and the "hope" of America. It was awesome. On the last song they turn off all of the lights and the kids sing about "being the light" and all of the kids have a flashlight and they shine it. It was totally awesome. Then at the end they put the flashlight under their shirt so you see the colored flag. I am grateful for programs like this. I really think we need to be grateful for where we live and that it is important to teach our kids to be also. (even though we pay $4 for gas and other things like this) (ps Natalie if the picture looks familiar, it is I copied it from your blog.) Oh also my nephew was in it so we went to the Hortons for dinner and we drove over with them and sat with them. Thanks Deena for dinner it was awesome!
Other things that happened this week were Teacher Appreciation Week. Our school spoiled us so much! I've never seen a school do so much for the teachers. It was incredible. I really felt good. The pta was so generous and so were my students. Oh and our class had a talent show and they wanted me to sing for them so I brought a couple of songs. After I sang one, one of my students said, "Mrs. Hacking if you sing like that why do you teach 4th grade?!" Good question. Oh yeah the real answer is so that someday I can teach music or drama specialty. But they don't know that.
Today we have a bridal shower for Lana. I'm so excited for her to get married. Josh is a really nice guy and I hope that they are happy.
Anyway I guess I should get my house cleaned. But I don't want to because I got a manicure last night and I don't want to mess it up. Is that lame or what? I have never gone and just gotten a manicure. I have had fake nails put on but not for like 7 years, but I have a job interview on Monday and my neighbor just graduated from nail school so I paid her and got a manicure. I may make Darren and Kathryn clean the bathrooms this weekend. Hee Hee. Maybe I'll use that excuse every week.
We tried to call the specialists that our doctor recommended about Stephs stomach problems and the earliest we could get her in is July 22nd. Primary Children's told us that they were completely booked through July and on May 15th they start making appointments for August so call early in the morning. So Ryan chose the one that we could get in on the 22nd and she will just have to wait. I'm tired of her always having a stomachache and the long days when it hurts so bad she just sits and cries. I feel so helpless. But the doctor doesn't know what else to try and now we just have to wait until we can get into a GI specialist. The worst part of it is that nothing seems to help it, her stomach always hurts, whether she has eaten or not, no matter what she eats, no matter what time of day. And then some days it just kills her.
At least she has learned not to complain unless it is really hurting. Like during the program on Tuesday she just laid on my lap crying.