Cadence Hadence

I don't profess to know everything, but one thing I do know is that you should never... I repeat NEVER... give a big black Sharpie permanent marker to an 8 year-old girl and expect there to be no problems.

See, my sweet Cadence had a little mishap the other day and I've been giggling about it ever since.

When Cadence and I arrived at the church house where her baptism was to be there was a cute little book where the children being baptized get to sign their name, their ward and their bishop's name.  I'm guessing it's some kind of stake history thing. 

Anyhow, Cadence picked up the black sharpie marker and began signing her name as I was visiting with some women who were by the book.  While I was talking Cadence kind of nudged me and started whispering, "Mom, Mom, Mom..." in an anxious tone.

Since I've been working on breaking my children of the habit of interupting I held up one finger - NO, not THAT finger - as the sign to "wait just a minute".

But she couldn't.  So I looked down at her to shush her and she had a look of such total horror and desperation on her face that I decided she was serious in her need of me. 

"What?" I asked.

She was speechless in her terror, and only managed to point down at the book where she had been signing her name.

I looked over her shoulder, and friends, I'm telling you.... I deserve an Academy Award for my performance in that moment. 

Written in gigantic black lettering was the name:

CADENCE HADENCE

Ha ha ha ha.

Oh, man.  Her last name is not Hadence.  Clearly the child wandered into an imaginary village of fairies and wood nymphs while writing her last name, because she really messed up.

In huge, black, permanent letters.

Somehow "Cadence Hadence" managed to take up like three of the spaces for people to sign in.

My award would be for the fact that although I did smile, I did not laugh or point or make a scene.  This was her special day and I didn't want to make her feel like the fool.  So I took the marker from her and said, "Oh, it's okay...." and put a nice big X through Hadence.

Then underneath I wrote her actual last name in smaller, less theatrical lettering.  A simple "Hadley".... on one line instead of three.

There was no more room for ward name or Bishop's name... but, hey, let's keep them wondering just who this mysterious Cadence Hadence is!