Dipping In Their Toes

Through a series of fortunate events, the three oldest girls were invited to participate in a nativity play put on by new friends of theirs. A sixteen year -old girl is writer and director, and her family and a few friends rally together to put on the production in their grandfather's barn.


Last year, the performers ran through their lines only once before the show, so this year, they increased that and met together four times. The first performance was last night, and, in it, they ironed out some glitches that are common to the first dress rehearsal. By the second performance, they were old hands, and it was such a pleasure to watch.

I grinned through the whole thing. We've never been part of a homeschooling group, being too far from town to navigate back and forth without it having an overall detrimental effect on our family routine and needs, so this was the girls' first chance to join other home learners in something of this sort.  It has been nothing but exciting and enjoyable for them, and even though I hated driving them home from practice on dark country roads, I would do it again in a heartbeat.

The play reminded me of Tasha Tudor's reminiscences in A Time To Keep, except even better, because there were flappy chickens and runaway goats in the mix, too. Another favorite part was an unconcerned cat who strolled onto the stage and groomed itself in between Mary and Joseph during an emotionally fraught scene.  

They all did such a marvelous job. If we didn't live 30 minutes away, and if gas for the van didn't cost so darn much, I would have gone to all four charming shows. The girls are probably glad I didn't. :)

Aaaand, these are all the snapshots I have.