Rea's Christmas Program Story

(Can I just preface this WHOLE post and all the ones that follow with, "I really need to learn how to use my camera better or else get a new one." I can never get the lighting/flash right and I'm mildly irritated. Horrible pictures. (sigh) Must search for the owner's manual... )

Anyway...

I just love Christmas programs! I love everything about them! The music, the anticipation, the girls forgetting they're in public and lifting their sparkly new dresses up, all the giggly and silly antics, the boys with their hair partially slicked down and partially messed up with their shirts untucked.... Oh wait, that was just mine. But you know what I mean! I have some awesome memories of church AND school Christmas programs from my childhood, and they were just so fun! It's all very exciting!

I was not, however, planning on going to the exact same program (except for the change out of children) two nights in a row!! I remember groaning inside when I read the little memo the kids brought home from school saying, "due to the large number of children and limited space, the programs will be on 2 different nights and the classes split into Cast A and Cast B." Well there was a 50/50 chance that my children would ALL be on the same night, but we landed on the wrong 50. :) Rea's was on Wednesday, and Ni'ke and Ya'shar's was last night on Thursday.

I honestly didn't mind it though! They had their own special nights, and I now have about 2 dozen cute little songs completely memorized and forever stuck in my head. And here's what's truly great. For the past 4 years, they haven't had a Christmas program at all, and music was one of those really important things that we didn't want them missing out on, thus the switch to the different school district. I couldn't imagine them not getting the opportunity to sing in a choir or choose a band instrument to torment the neighbor's dog with or be in a play or try lots of sports!!

And after this week watching them dazzle on stage and be excited and practice for something special, we are even more happy that they are there.

I appreciated the music director, Mrs. Reed's, opening comments when she thanked the principal for "understanding that children need to know more than just their arithmetic and spelling words."

Here's to many more awesome Christmas programs, an enjoyable next 15 years of learnin', and my sweet little performers who made me smile so big, shed a few tears, and giggle with happiness this week!