Saying goodbye to 17 years of traditions... more change

Change is an inevitable aspect to life, and yet I am struggling with the change that is staring me in the face with the closing night of Klein High School's musical The Pajama Game tonight, and the end of Musicals for our family on this particular stage.  Since it is the only stage my children have performed musicals on, and other things with choir and standleaders,I have many happy memories, but it is really weird to know that this whole thing is going to be torn down rather soon..

Add we had in the program for The Pajama Game

 I have wondered about how I will say goodbye to a place that has been such a big part of my life over the past 17 years, and yet perspective is everything.

 So many priceless memories.  I am  grateful to have been able to be involved with costumes,

MarShae made most of her factory dress

 hair and whatever else I could find to busy myself with. 

Doing Madie's hair for Guy's and Dolls

 Working on this year's musical has helped me to have the best month I have had since Madie died.  There have been so many wonderful moments and the show to focus on which has left me not wanting to focus on how much I miss her.  I also can say that I have known she was very aware of this show. 
 I personally had a very wonderful connection to her last Friday, Jan 31st.  I woke that morning knowing that it was going to be a really good day, and that the show was going to go well that night, I don't know why, I just felt it. 

picture right after getting her hair finished in the dressing room

 The weird thing was the show started with a mic issue, and I thought "What?"  This is not what I had been feeling would be the way this show would go. 
 I was so proud of the entire cast and crew though because they really didn't let it shake them up and went on to have great performances that night.  I felt so much love for the entire group as I watched a show that had so many obstacles, come to life and really have wonderful moments.  When I was talking to MarShae after the show on the ride home and telling her how proud I was of her she said, I knew when I woke up this morning it was going to be a great day, and show.  I thought how did we both know? 

 Then I remembered something else. The night before she had said that some of the cast were going to wear skirts with their cast tee shirts to school Friday.  She had thought she wanted to wear Madie's mustard yellow skirt, but it had a small hole in it that I needed to repair and the color was slightly wrong.  I mentioned maybe she should wear Madie's Anthropology skirt that Rachelle gave her for her graduation gift.  She has only worn it once to church and Madie only wore it a few times.  I saw her at school when I went up to do her hair for the show and was excited she had worn it.

  In the course of her getting ready this brand new very well made silk skirt had the entire hem just come out.  I wondered how in the heck that had happened, but then I thought "Oh Madie you are letting us know aren't you that you are so aware of all that this show means to MarShae and I."  Madie was there over all the years of the big brother's performing, and then finally she was able to participate in 3 musicals at Klein herself. 

Madie and MarShae were so beyond excited when they were both cast in "Once Upon a Mattress". I will never forget how much they loved doing that show together.

 I will also never forget them performing in the Tommy Tunes awards downtown and their show winning best ensemble.

All this aside though I have pondered so much on the opportunities that have been given to many of my children over the years.   I am very grateful that MarShae has been able to have such incredible opportunities and to be tutored by such great directors with the vision and legacy that is a part of Klein Drama. 

 I do find though that change brings some feelings up about other changes in my life, and it is because of this that I realize that change is what stretches us.  It has the potential to destroy as well.

  Even though I am sad to say goodbye to the memories, 

the traditions that our family has participated in,

Marielle painting a sign, something MarShae told me she did several years ago as well.

 I also realize the auditorium has many issues that will be very nice to not have to deal with any more. 

I  take comfort in the thought that one act play will be starting and I will get to see, it also performed on Klein's stage. I am excited to see what the possibilities are with the new facility. 

Magic circle for the last time in the dressing room, private dressing rooms, the freezing temperatures, so many things going away; things slipping into photos, memories. 

 If Klein's stage could talk the stories it would retell... Soon it will be a parking lot, and a place that I fondly remember, but tonight I will be in the present and relish every nuance of the closing show.