Claire's Preschool Christmas Program

This is Claire's first year in preschool and also her first time to ever perform or be a part of any sort of event on stage.   A permission form was sent home about a month ago asking for our permission to let her play the role of a dove in the Christmas Program!  I was so excited to see her.  I didn't have any idea what to expect.  

In the past I have always been on the other side of these performances as the teacher who has put in hours of planning and practicing with all the kids and who is nervously watching it all pan out in hopes it all goes well.  It dawned on me just as the lights dimmed, the music started and the kids began to rush onto the stage that this is it...this is my first time to be in the audience.  It was surreal to be on the parents side of the event.  My heart was overwhelmed with love and gratefulness to be a mom and to have these experiences with my children.  I fought back tears as I searched all the kids faces looking for that one that was looking for me.

The kids filled the stage and the the program came to life!  It was absolutely adorable!

Finally Claire's class came out in the big stroller that holds like 8 kids that had been decorated to look like Santa's sleigh!

She took her place as a dove right next to baby Jesus.

She played with some hay...

Then took a peak at baby Jesus

She proceeded to stand up and get a better look at that baby Jesus!

Touching baby Jesus!  I thought for sure she was going to pick the baby up!!!!  But, she didn't!

More singing!

Uh-oh...she saw me!  

It warmed my heart to see this expression when she saw me!  We've had a difficult week of two around here (discipline wise) and this face said it all, she does still love me...obviously I knew she did, but like I said, it's been a rough week or two!

Really hamming it up now!

And then the silliness!  Oh my, right there center stage, in front of baby Jesus.  Oh dear, what can I say?  She is only 2!

Someone enjoys being on stage!

After the performance was over the preschool had a reception set up with tons of cookies!  Claire enjoyed a massive Santa sugar cookie!  She earned it! :)

And as you can see, she really enjoyed eating that cookie!

Claire- we are so proud of you!  We thought you would have some stage fright when you walked out there and saw an entire church full of faces, but you didn't, not even one bit!  It was a true joy to watch you and no matter what you would have done, we would be beaming with pride, love and joy for you because we love you so much and we are so blessed to be the ones that you call mommy and daddy!  We look forward to many, many more of your performances in the coming years!