My Bright Shining Stars

I walked into the the gym crowded with parents and grandparents just a few minutes before the show. I scanned the room hoping to find my hubby quickly because I don't like feeling like I am on center stage...in the spotlight, if you will. A friend finally pointed me in the right direction, and I was grateful to slip into my seat just in time mostly unnoticed.

The kindergartners started to file onstage one by one. Miss Bit was THE first. She scanned the crowd, and I could see her demeanor wavering between excitement and worry as she saw familiar faces, but not her Daddy or Mommy and I knew exactly how she felt. Both hubby and I waved frantically realizing that she needed to know we were there like NOW, but by this point 99 kids behind her and 99 guests in front of and around us were doing the same. She sat high on the riser and looked like she was either going to cry or be sick. I quickly prayed that the tears and the queasies be kept at bay. My pleas were answered as we connected through the crowd. A big smile replaced her little frown, she abandoned her slump to sit at attention and she unfurrowed her worried brow just in time for the show to start. Amen.

A Little Dinner Music did not disappoint and the kindergartners...well, they were cute enough too eat with spoons all swimming in their mother's aprons. This was their debut appearance in the school's Spring Sing, and if you could have bottled up their excitement, you could have solved the world's energy crisis. What I love, love, love about these little, precious people is that they are not too cool to be tea pots or too old to sing songs they probably learned from a goofy, purple dinosaur years ago. They are every bit enthusiastic, sweet and silly, but oh nelly...are they serious. That is BIG stuff being on stage you know!

Miss Bit is quite the little performer, and not at all shy when on stage surprisingly. She shook, swayed, snapped and sung her way through their set with sass and style, and seemed to have great fun doing so I might add. I was feeling blissful watching her and then before I even knew what hit me...it hit me alright...like a Mack truck. If only my Mom was here to see this. She never missed a opportunity to support T. Bone or Miss Bit or their Mama. I miss her most at times like this...I mourn her missing these times. I used the Kleenex I brought for my runny nose to dab my tears away as I reminded myself that she most certainly was in attendance and probably had the best seats in the house. She never missed a show, a game, a school picnic, after all.

The first and second graders were also entertaining, but we were anxious for the encore. In fact, the second graders sang a song called Pizza to the tune of My Girl that still has me smiling it was that clever. As the third graders, old pros at this Spring Sing stuff, hurried to their places, it hit me again. This is Miss Bit's first Spring Sing, and T. Bone's last. He's growing up so fast and he literally towers over most his classmates, but those cheeks...I still want to pinch em' if only he would let me. He spotted us right away and even waved. He too looked adorable and even agreed to wear a "handsome" (rugby) shirt although he vetoed the "church" (loafers) shoes. I was most surprised to see him sporting his apron. He only confessed that he needed one the day before so at the last minute I borrowed one from my sil-to-be. It may have been green and blue, but it was girly...think Vera Bradley, yet somehow we convinced T. Bone that it was my brother's and he actually wore it. The third graders incorporated instruments and sung rounds and solos. T. Bone played the base xylophone for the funny last number...Everlasting Fruitcake. I didn't know he could read music like that. Who knew that there are so many songs about food?!

Of course, T. Bone and Miss Bit...they are both stars in my eyes...whether they're center stage or not.