"Play Practice"

The past week (and the past month if I really think about it) have all been about one thing---Mary Alice's play.

The poor thing! She loves being in the play, but it is really wearing her out! Last week she had practices at the beginning of the week and a performance on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, two on Saturday, and one on Sunday. Keep in mind that many of these performances are past her bedtime or during her naptime. This has led to her being sick with a cold for quite some time now. We're really ready for the play to come to an end. Honestly! I don't know how theatre people do it! I don't know how they function without crumbling under all of the stress. I really love when my day is orderly and predictable, so theatre life is definitely not for me!

So, Mary Alice did well in her first five performances, but by Sunday, she was hyper-active, crazy, and had dark circles under her eyes. The director actually had to get on to her for dancing and wiggling around with her candle during the Sunday performance. She had a few days to rest and recoup before performing again tonight. As I type, I can rejoice in that she only has four more performances!! I am just hoping she can hold up for a few more days. Funny thing! She still calls it "play practice" and doesn't seem to understand that she is performing for people. It is probably better that way. Mary Alice sees the whole thing as "play". She thinks that she and her buddies are having a good old time just pretending and "playing". They just happen to be doing it in costumes and on a stage. It is hard for me to believe that this same girl doesn't want to go up in front of the church to perform. You know when they have all of the kids go down front to sing a song or whatever? Not Mary Alice. It has to be her idea.

I am posting a picture of one tired Mary Alice after her Saturday night performance. Notice the far off, spaced out look in her eyes. She is exhausted, but she is sure having fun! Josh's parents, Chad and Miranda, and Josh's Grandmother got to watch her that night. Josh's parents brought her flowers. They weren't anything fancy, but boy was she proud! She treated those pink carnations as if they were the most beautiful, valuable flowers in the world! She clutched them tightly to her chest all the way home, even falling asleep with them in her arms. They are now proudly displayed in a vase on the dresser in her room.

Well, I hear the garage door opening. That means that Mary Alice is home from her "play". Now we can hurriedly get her to bed and get ready to do it all again tomorrow!