This Reminds Me

Lois, Hannah and Rachel all participated in school performances today – a record, even for us.

First…to Bush Middle School for a 20-minute, 7th grade performance of “That’s Show Biz.”

Lois portrayed the evil stepmother in a play-within-a-play loosely tied to “Cinderella.”  She screamed at children to clean up after themselves and help carry things inside.  I felt right at home.

Those humidity-defying curls were started last night.  The glasses are fake.  Why, you might ask, does anyone wear fake glasses?  Because they’re “cool.”  Spoken by someone who’s never had to wear real glasses.

Then off to the Stone Oak Elementary cafeteria to see scores of standing scholars in the 5th grade “Wax Museum.”

Fifth grade classes in NEISD present a “Wax Museum” near the end of the school year.  Each student is assigned an historial figure to research and on which to prepare a 60 – 90 second life sketch.  They then dress in costume and all stand frozen in the cafeteria until visitors (younger student, teachers & parents) tap their hands, triggering the one-minute autobiographical recitations.  Five years ago, Rachel was author Helen Hunt Jackson.  Two years ago, Lois was activitst Rosa Parks.  Hannah drew Dr. Virginia Apgar, Depression-era physician and creator of the Apgar scale for newborns.  I learned Dr. Apgar was the first woman ever to be named a full professor at Columbia University.  Perhaps this assignment will inspire Hannah to study hard, become a doctor and earn enough to buy her mother nice gifts.

On the way out, I ran across Julia’s class walking to the library.  Kinder is too young to visit the Wax Museum.  Julia’s teacher gave her permission to go back in with me, since I thought she’d love to hear Hannah.  Ummmm…not exactly.  All she could see was that Hannah had borrowed her Dora the Explorer doll.  “Mom, she no ask me.”

Finally this evening – Reagan High School’s “Bring the House Down,” a really professional music and dance extravaganza.  Rachel performed a trio of numbers with her Bel Canto choir.

Rachel wore rollers to school all day for this curly effect.  Yes.  All day.  I’m not getting the whole curled hair thing.

Always look to the back row for a Woodworth.  That’s Rachel’s head in the upper right.

Julia’s teacher told me today, “School’s out in two weeks.  These kids are done.”  Translation:  “The good has run out.  I am now herding cats.”  My friend Lisa blogged that very theme so very well this week.

And after three sessions of clapclapclapclap today, I can see the end in sight myself.  We still have Rachel’s and Lois’ finals, Lois’ Duke ceremony, Lois’ choir trip to Dallas, Lois’ end of year choir concert, an ESL parents meeting, Julia’s “Poetry Picnic” and Hannah’s 5th grade party and graduation to go.

But that’s later.  I’m thinking while the show must go on – I’ve already been.  Stick a fork in me – because tonight, I’m done.