My Cherub

Here she is! This picture was taken back stage during intermission just before she went on stage for the final performance. She is standing in front of the backdrop with her candle. She was just beautiful, all the gold glowed and made her look so radiant. I was just struck again and again with tears in my eyes. I guess I just felt like it was like playing a championship game. It is one of those special things in life that doesn't just come along all the time. I was so grateful she was a part of it. I kept telling J that it is not just a dance recital. Although I got teary all through her dance recital last year too. This is such a team effort. Everyone is disciplined and trained to do their part in the production. Every part is important. I was so amazed that the girls were not nervous, not a single one had to be pushed on stage, their were no tears from fright. The knew their role and they did it. It was really something to see. I guess that is how life needs to be to. We need to accept God's plan for our life and get out there with confidence and go. I was so proud of her and so happy for her.

I volunteered to be back stage with her. We had the cherubs and mice who were also the snow queen attendants as seen in these pictures and the sugar plum attendants. So we had 22 little girls ages 3-6 to dress and take care of and get to the stage on time and keep their hair done and feed (man these little girls could eat!) and entertain and apply lip gloss and keep clean and take potty. It was a bit exhausting! But wonderful. There is no where else I wanted to be for the 2 performances I was not in the audience. Ek loved for me to hold her hand while walking over and really until she went on stage. Last year she was very nervous of the mouse king but this year she got to see her with and without her mouse head on and I think she thought that was quite impressive. It was so neat to be back stage. To see everything going on and all the activity and to see at the same time the amazing dances with big smiles performing for the audience. I loved it.
There were definitely new little friendships made, the fun of being together. They looked so big in their buns and makeup and way to big dressed all in white. I tried not to think about it!

Here we were lining them up for a hair check (really a hairspray reapplication) and lip gloss check, so silly I know.

Ek was star struck by "Clara." She actually is our back door neighbor but we do not ever see her because of the privacy fence. We sometimes hear her. Ek said we should have her over sometime to ride bikes! This was Ek's favorite picture from the weekend. This was also during intermission just before we went on. Clara was in Ek's scene.

EK had so much fun knowing Blake was a part of this too. Even though they didn't see each other all the time, they would just give big hugs and just loved to know the other was around. 2 of Ek's classmates and favorite friends were mice. They were really too cute for words. Oh we just loved them! And they had a great dance too. Our only 3 year old cherub was continually begging to be a mouse, we would be getting the mice ready, they were first and she would come over and say "Can I please be a mouse tonight?" If she wasn't adorably cute, it might have been annoying, but it wasn't, at all.

Ek was also very blessed to have a huge audience. Not to mention us but all the grandparents and her uncle Dave and cousins and several friends including Kardyn who she first went to the Nutcracker with, maybe one day we'll get her on stage too. She even got some tulip lollipops from a little boy in her class, she was very impressed with that, she couldn't believe a boy gave her a gift. She loved both of her flowers, her new shirts, her snow globe and her nutcracker. I guess Christmas came early. We kept trying to emphasize that she had accomplished something and we were so pleased with her. What a great weekend. What a great girl. What a great God to bless us with amazing people around us and amazing opportunities. I am grateful to Him. Romans 11:36 And I do pray Ek is more ready for the next thing in her life because of this opportunity.