Weekend Brunch and Bonding

Saturday morning I met my friends from Summit mentoring for breakfast at, you guessed it, Pappasito's. We had a really good time. I have loved spending time with these young women this semester. We were missing one who was helping a friend in an emergency. See, I told you they are awesome!

Nathan, the fastest and bestest waiter at Pappasito's took our pictures for us. Thanks Nathan!

After eating, I stopped by church to see how rehearsals were going to Celebrate. Sometimes these rehearsals can be so grinding and tedious but even in all the details everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. I loved watching the teamwork of getting ready for Celebration. Hems being attended to, proper prop placement, blocking, rehearsing and intense concentration and focus. In their midst is laughter, conversation and genuine love for one another, even if you don't remember others proper names. People get called by their biblical role name a lot. Even in the middle of receiving direction, or change of direction, everyone prepares with a wondrous sense of anticipation. Moms are scattered here and there in the audience. They occupy themselves with reading or sewing, yet have ever vigilant eyes to make sure their kids are behaving while waiting for their stage entrance. The stage crew is setting the stage and practicing the correct location of everything, just getting the kinks worked out and the timing to perfection. By next Saturday afternoon with more practice and several performances under their belts, there is the joy in getting it done well but there is also a sadness that only a few more performances are left until Celebration 2010 is completed. These experiences are time consuming but the gift of enduring friendships and memories that last a lifetime is given in return. Mary, Joseph, the angels, the wise men, shepherds, market place sellers and an impromptu Michael Jackson impression...ah these are the things we'll remember all through our lives...

Blocking both stage and in reality.

Roy must have seen that I was taking pictures. Look at his good posture!

Peggy and Stephen in conference.

How to remove stage sets in one easy lesson.

Peggy doing one of her favorite things, telling people what to do. She's good at it! She's headed up the stage crew for a long time. If she loses that piece of paper she is putting in her back pocket...she'll be lost as a goose. I've never seen a lost goose, but word is, they get lost. Who knew?

Lisa and Jordan in first scene but they both must have been contemplating their serious biblical roles that will soon begin after the choir portion of the program.

The creators of Celebration and partners in crime, John Bolin and Stephen Smith. Two of the best!

No Mothra nor Godzilla were not found in the worship center. It's just an angel spreading her wings.

Joseph and Mary at the manger...must been more crowded in that stable than what was first reported. Stable was an overflow area...

Come to Bethlehem and see...no thanks, I'll just stay in my seat for now.

Bottled water in Bethlehem?

An angel gets her wings...no just Pamela Hamza trying on her angel garb for any alterations that may need to be made.

Ah, my husband, advisor to the king.

We need a stand in for King # 1. Anywise men in the house? Never mind, we'll get Bolin to stand in.

Jesus, Jesus oh what a wonderful sack. Jesus, Jesus there was no baby in back.