Isa's Holiday Concert!

 Last Friday evening I came home from work and hear Isa singing, or rather yelling “RUDOLPH THE RED NOSED REINDEER, HAD A VERY SHINY NOSE” and then I hear an even louder Hasan yelling “RUDOLPH KI LAAL LAAL NAAK THEE AUR WO CHAMAKTI BHI THEE!!” (translation of the Christmas Carol in Urdu).  I go up quickly to see what the commotion is all about and then come to know that Isa has a holiday concert in school that is coming up and Hasan is helping him prepare for that, but is forcing him to sing it in Urdu, while Yusuf is dancing with one arm up in the air (Which is what he does at any sign of music).  The next few evenings go on to be pretty loud and disruptive with the constant practicing of this song in Urdu, in English and sometimes in both languages at the same time.  



Chillin on Hun Chachoo after practice!!



It is Thursday evening; the night of the holiday concert is finally here.  I am home late and Isa is so excited that he is already showered and ready for the concert wearing a green shirt and tan pants. I remind him that he is supposed to wear a blue shirt and dark pants. He quickly changes and is ready in 2 minutes.
Amma and Abba decide to stay home with Nani Amma and Yusuf. Ajee was planning on getting there directly from work.  Isa then asks Hasan to come. Hasan refuses as he has a holiday dinner at work that he needs to attend and he will take time to get ready.  Isa then starts begging him to please come. As I see Isa pleading I take his side by giving Hasan the guilt trip, of how his nephew is more important than the dinner and also how hhe is going to and plus he should be able to make it on time as the concert is very short. Hasan finally agrees. He then starts getting his clothes out and starts getting ready, while I am doing the same. Isa’s goal now is to have everyone ready and reach his concert on time. He calls his dad repeatedly and when he doesn’t get through he leaves him a message to be at the Intown Church no later than 6:30. He then is running from Hasan’s bathroom to mine to see how we are progressing. Isa comes and tells me that Hasan Chachoo is still not ready. I tell him that he needs to tell his Chachoo to be ready by 5:52 if he is coming with us. He then returns to ask if we could maybe give Hasan 8 more minutes to look his best. I tell him that is fine but we have to leave at exactly 6 or we will be late. Then I see him running to Hasan’s bathroom again. I go after him and hear him telling Hasan how handsome he looks and the he looks better than most guys he knows. Hasan is extremely excited to hear that and I can tell by his expression in the mirror that he couldn’t agree more. He is putting his gel on perfectly along with lots of cologne and a beige blazer on black shirt. I then listen in on their next conversation.

Isa: When will you get married?

Hasan:  After I go to med school and when I find a good chick!

Isa: What’s a chick?

Hasan: Chick is a girl.

Isa and Hasan posing right before the concert!

Thanks Hasan as always for being such a great influence on my 6 year old! I then ask them to leave quickly as we really are getting late now. We get in the car and make it there a few minutes late as the traffic was pretty rough on the way.  I run in with Isa through the beautifully decorated courtyard and up the stairs of the church and have him sit with all the other blue shirts. The auditorium is over flowing by now, with all the parents who are just so excited to see their kids on stage. The pre-Ks go first and then the Kindergartners. I start to get restless as Ajee is not there yet and the traffic was pretty bad. He is still 2 miles away and Isa’s class is next (I can track where he is with my phone). 

First Graders all Lined up!

 As Isa’s class is arriving I see that Ajee is .01 miles away so I figure he is here and will make it to this very important performance. I go up front to see my baby on stage and take pics.  I spot him right away in the front row between 50 – 60 first graders. He is looking as handsome as ever but I can tell he is nervous and shy with all these people looking at him. While many of the other kids are loudly singing, you can’t even hear Isa (which is fine as I heard him plenty at home). It’s just great to see him up there sitting with his class under the spotlight feeling important and content that his parents and Hasan Chachoo are there just to watch him!