the longest day ever

Speech Festival - merciful heavens, we're DONE. This final week of rehearsals nearly killed me, and in turn, I nearly killed them. They'd worked so hard for months to pull their performances out of the Suck Zone, finally squeaking into what Steph K. called the Between Suck and Rock Zone, and this past week it all went mushy, back down to Suck. I dismissed them from practice totally disheartened and showed up today just hoping - praying - for the best.

I hate to patronize them with that "you're all winners" crap - because while it's true that they're loved no matter what, it's not true that they'll win no matter what. They had it in them, but they had to bring it. So we instructed them to DO SO, and when they showed up today, they did.

I am Proud Mama.

One of the greatest things was seeing collaboratively created material performed for new audiences. "The Saga of the Four Little Pigs" and "Little Red Riding Hood Learns a Lesson" were penned by the kids who performed them. Their classmates definitely dig the organic material, but it was so fun to hear a new audience laugh at the jokes the kids wrote and at their truly funny expressions.

I am so glad it's over, but I already can't wait for next year.

Thing 2 was exhausting as well - but fun. Unwound with Leecie later on over chicken strips and coffee ... this wedding planning stuff is not for the faint of heart.

Lastly went over to me ancestral home for a little Sibling QT. We watched a bizarre movie, "Little Children." Kate Winslet is a talented chameleon. (And yes, she takes her clothes off in this one too.)