Christmas Programs 2009

Last Thursday was Christmas program day. First was Elaine's pre-school program at 10 a.m. My mom and dad came and stayed for the day.

Here's Elaine and her class coming in with their jingle bells. Next to her is her best buddy, Aubrey (who has great hair).

The class did poems and songs and ended with "This Little Light of Mine."


Afterward, each child gave his or her family a card made in class and an ornament. Then we shared a piece of cake and some punch.


When we came home, my mom went to bed for the rest of the day because she was completely wiped out.

Then Lucy's program started at 6:30. Grades K-5 did Celeste Clydesdale's "The Best Christmas Present Ever."


Those kids did an awesome job. I wish Darren had gotten a shot of the whole stage because it was filled with several hundred kids, singing their hearts out. I teared up right away for a number of reasons: 1) It's no secret that I love me a good evangelical children's musical. I have so many fond memories of being in church programs with my brother. He usually got the lead or some other great part, while, being astute judges of my stage abilities, the program directors usually had me in the back, playing the kazoo or something. Didn't matter. I loved every minute of it. For weeks before and after, we would sing all the songs to "It's Cool in the Furnace," or "The Enchanted Journey" or whatever we were doing. In fact, we still have the cassette tape of Cool in the Furnace--my brother played the part of Daniel, before his voice had changed--and Lucy and Elaine listen to it all the time. It makes me happy to think my kids will have great memories of musicals like I do. 2) There's just something about seeing your children in a program. My mom always says, "After everything we do, that's our REWARD!" And 3) having my mom there, making such a heroic effort to be there for her girls, meant so much to me.

By the time the kids got to the finale--Carol Cymbala's/The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir's "Happy Birthday, Jesus," I had pretty much lost my chili. Maybe somebody should get me a Frank(y) Schaeffer book so I can rediscover my inner cynic, but for now--count me as a soggy mess.

Except then there's this picture, which totally cracks me up...Ex-CUSE me.


Now we're on Christmas break, getting ready for the big day, and the girls run to the kitchen to sing "Happy Birthday, Jesus" whenever they hear it on K-LOVE (and I get all teary again).

I don't know how much I'll be blogging before Christmas, so I hope yours is a happy and safe one. We'll be getting together with both sides of the family on various days. I'm sure I'll have tales to tell when we return.

Merry Christmas from our house to yours!