FALL FESTIVAL

Until last night, I never knew exactly what it was like for a parent to sit and watch their children's school programs. I went through most of the day yesterday anxious and excited as the time for Cassidy's school program approached. Not only was it Cassidy's first program, but it was mine too. I think I may have been just as excited, or more, about it then Cassidy.

I picked up the girls from daycare, got them to my mom's house and gave them baths, then got them dress and ready to go. After the girls were done, I curled my hair, put my makeup on, and changed my clothes. When I finished, we had just enough time to make it up to the school by 7 o'clock. When we got to the school, my mom found a place to sit in the gymnasium while Jessie and I walked Cassidy down to the Kindergarten room to meet up with her teacher and the rest of her classmates, and then Jessie and I went back to the gym and sat with my mom. I kept an open mind about the program before it started. After all, the Fall Festival was put on by just the elementary children. We were not sitting down to watch the Trans Siberian Orchestra by any means. I knew it probably wasn't going to be the best thing I ever heard in my life, but I was still very happy to be there.

My open mindedness was correct. To be polite, the majority of the Festival was a bit hard on the ears. Only about four kids in the Kindergarten class knew all the words, they sang faster than the poor piano player could keep up with them, and of course there were occasionally the little children antics that were funny. The older grades and the elementary band didn't do too bad. At the end, all of the grades sang together and it sounded pretty decent. One of my favorite parts was an attempt at square dancing during one of the songs that looked like a scene off the movie The Outsiders. Cassidy's favorite part of the program was being able to keep the little flashlight she used during the last song in the Festival.

I give a lot of credit to the parents that endure all the concerts, programs, plays, banquets, and so on. Now I know what it's like. It can be difficult to sit through things like that, but as a parent you do it because you love your child, and that's what your child is happiest and most proud of at that moment. You want to support them and show them that you care. No matter how much you don't want to be there, you go anyway.

My heart swelled last night. It made me feel good to see Cassidy so happy and proud of herself. I was proud too as I watched her on stage singing her little heart out and smiling the whole time. I look forward to any choir, band, or program that she is in now that she is in school. I will not trade those moments for anything in the world.