First Grade Singers

Gotta love hundreds of 6 and 7 year olds in red and green, singing and dancing! Although the entire Christmas program was based around a character named Elfis and his back up singers at the North Pole...it was pretty cute.

You gotta consider that half the kids don't have front teeth! It's a beautiful age.

Sheridan's speaking debut. (She practiced her two sentences no less than 30 times.)

Sheridan got to stand by her classmate and good friend Madison. She appears to be at least 6 inches taller than Sheridan.

"Get to the Manger"

I grew up singing in church choirs. Some of my most favorite memories of my childhood are singing in childrens' musicals. This year was my 5th time to lead our children's choir and it never gets old. OK, about a week before when kids are out sick and the music doesn't sound very good...I typically question my sanity. I digress.

This year was Sheridan's first year in the choir. Along with 6 other first graders and 26 other children from 1st to 6th grade we put together 8 songs and a whole lot of drama. We also had 4 teenagers helping with the drama and a "Mr Bucksley," the manager of the Moola Moola Shopping Mall.





My prayer is that the children "got" the message of Emmanuel. God is with us, and Jesus' birth is the answer to our entire sin problem.

What sweet words are said by children when they're in they're taking part in true praise. The most precious thing (and the biggest blessing for me) that happened this semester is when a child volunteered to pray after one of our practices. I usually give a few tips like, "Who would like to pray and thank God for letting us sing to Him and help us have a safe trip home." However, on this night, I didn't preface the prayer and the boy wanted to do it himself. I was choking back tears when I heard him thank God for baby Jesus, a church to come to, and all the friends he had that were singing. This 8-year-old boy is a foster child living with one of the families in our church. I later found out that he has NEVER had any Christmas: no presents, no tree, nothing. I pray his heart is affected forever by his stay in our church family and I'm so humbled to have a little part in it.

Madrigal Dinner

What a wonderful date night Richard and I had going to the high school madrigal dinner. Ryan is in choir this year and while typically this choir fund raiser and dinner is for the (select) chamber choir, Ryan got to participate as a server to the court and he escorted a sweet friend in...as the chamber choir is guy-short. I wish we had bought tickets for all our girls. We had great seats and the program was so WELL DONE! The music was great, the food was good, and the costumes were so authentic! I'm looking forward to going again next year.


I think I participated in a madrigal dinner while I was in high school. The only thing I remember is that I made a cone-shaped princess-style hat out of a piece of poster board and wore a pink dress.

Ahhh...

Everyone loves a parade

Our children's choir had a float in the county Christmas parade. The children waved shiny flags and sang music with a Christmas CD. We secured a manger in the center of the float. The kids had so much fun waving to all their friends, teachers and family on the parade route. It was about 20 degrees! I walked the parade by the float. I love a small town...



Erin rode on the float and kept kids in place...

Cole, Parker, Sheridan and Anna Grace

Lauren marched with the High School band. ..

Lauren and her friend, Coco.