I can not begin to tell you how proud of you I am! What fun we had on Wednesday nights dress rehearsal. Remember Bushie brought over dinner and you were sitting naked in my bathroom sink shaving your legs? LOL!! I dried your hair and put it in a high pony and we gave you that tightly wrapped single curl. You looked in the mirror and gave that signature Kristen squeal that you give when you are please with yourself! Yes, you did look way cute!! You packed three bags for the performance, brushed your teeth (and retainer...NOT...I will post about that in a BIT! argh!!!)put on your green t-shirt dress with the ruffle at the collar and your ballet flats. You looked too grown up and were glowing with excitement!! You were to be at the rehearsal at 6:00 and of course we arrived at 5:20! First family there! In the car you were very quiet and reflective, I patted your leg and told you it was ok to be nervous, because you put your fingers in your mouth like you do when you are fretting about something. You said you were nervous and very excited. So was I!
You put your things away and Kate and I stood in the hall and watched you run up to everyone who arrived hugging and jumping up and down. Everyone commented on how good you looked. Then you were "off" to do your thing with your friends. Kate and I went in the little theatre and tried out all the seats, figuring which on was the best. We picked the third row on the left! Kate was so nervous for you, twirling around in her blue polka dot dress. She kept running after you trying to take pictures with my phone but always came back and said that you were busy with your friends or getting your makeup done. We walked around the top floor and found out that you were student of the week in December! LOL! I vaguely remember you telling me something about that, but didn't realize it was such a big deal. Your hair was long and blond in the picture, I suppose they took it right after school started.
Other adults started arriving and Kate found out that we needed tickets. It was a free performance but for fire code they needed to make sure they have only so many people there. The tickets were bright orange.
Mr. Tyler came out and had on his GREASE cast t-shirt, they are so cool. He said you will get yours at the crew party! I forgot the camera at work and had to call Daddy to go get it. He and Wil were coming up later. I sat and talked to the other parents, while Kate walked around looking for you. I could occasionally hear your voice out in the hall and I knew you were going to be great, your voice projects so clearly!! Two other parents who know you were telling me what a great voice you have. I suppose that you were singing when you were at their house, because they kept going on about how good your voice is. Of course I think your voice is great, but I'm your mom (you know how we watch American Idol and those people can not believe that they didn't get picked and their mom yells at the camera that their kid has a beautiful voice? ). Yes, you do want to be on American Idol and I will yell in the camera if they don't pick you, and not cause that is what moms are supposed to do, but because you do have a beautiful voice!! But American Idol will have to wait ;-).
Daddy and I talked and texted back and forth, we were both so excited and nervous and giggling. We were telling each other stories. Someday when you are a parent you will understand. Daddy dropped of Wil with the camera and went to the florist to pick up "pink flowers" for our pink lady!! Wil and Kate were so silly, going to look for you and coming back so excited when they saw you. Daddy arrived about 10 minutes before the show started because he thought it started at 7:30! Geoffrey, who is a fellow student who has down syndrome (someone I know no matter how old you are when you read this, you will remember), came to the theatre to see you. He sat next to daddy and said, "hi, I came here to see Kristen O...." Daddy said me too. G said, "Kristen? really?" Daddy said yes I'm her dad, Mr. Ohler. You should have seen the look on G's face, like he just met a rock star! It was too adorable. Daddy shook his hand and I though G was going to shake of Daddy's hand he was so excited. G kept saying over and over again that he was Kristen's friend. G's mom is so so grateful to you, she thinks you are an angel.
The theatre was full and your brother and sister were singing and dancing in their seats, they know all the words. All the parents and Sperreng kids were impressed that they knew the songs, well how could they not, they have spent hours with you in your room, singing them with you!! Mr. Tyler came out and spoke about this being a formal dress rehearsal for next week, explaining that there would be lots of dropped lines and that the props people and lights and techs would be working out glitches. He is obviously proud and nervous too!
The show began and your Dad and I were holding hands so tight we were nervous and excited and proud too! The very first scene and the pink ladies came walking in, you were already SO into character. The expressions on your face had us from the get go!!
I am not going to go through the whole show, you know I could, but I can already see you rolling your eyes at me! Plus, I don't want to spoil it for anyone else who is coming next week, but let me just say YOU STOLE THE SHOW! Everyone was cracking up at you and when you were giving other people their lines, it was classic! You had your lines and your blocks and your cues down pat, not to mention everyone elses. I am sorry that everyone was not as prepared as you, but you did handle it with grace and flair and NEVER once came out of character! You are awesome. At intermission, everyone was talking about "Frenchy" and it was fun to tell the other people we don't know that you were our kid! Some commented on your voice, or you dancing (yes, that one scene was too funny because EVERYONE was watching you through the difficult points because you never missed a beat!), and your facial expression and voice intonations were right on target! I know next week, everyone will have their parts down pat, but I was so glad I got to see this performance, it was so so so fun! Your friend Lauren did a great job as Sandy and the boy who played Danny was a good actor, lets just hope he learns his lines!! You said he will not be the Danny in the play next week, so it will be fun to see a different boy!
Dad and I could not be more proud of you! Waiting outside the dressing room, like groupies, were your "fans" and friends. You were so incredibly sweet talking to everyone, listening to their praise and comments and making them feel like they were special. We gave you your flowers and your smile was so worth it!
Of course we stayed until the last few people. Driving home in the car was so much fun, I wish I could have recorded the conversation! Everyone could not sleep from the excitement. I wish I could come up with a better adjective than FUN, but that is what it was pure FUN! Thanks for letting me be a part!
So proud of my pink lady,
Love-Mom
Yea Kristen!!
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