STARS Performing Art Showcase 2012

There are things you go through in life that you know you could not have made it through without your loved ones coming to the rescue.  I am in awe today at what I have just walked through with my family and friends.  My life has clearly been out of control with activities and my goal for the future is to streamline our life, to have more peace and time together as a family and to also surround myself with people that I love.

I had a pretty serious breakdown last week.  I had been dealing with very hard issues that were constantly draining and upsetting me and that caused too many sleepless nights.  We were trying to finish our costumes for our recital and I lost it.  I couldn’t stop crying and truly wanted to run away.  I couldn’t fix what needed to be done and I felt utterly hopeless and in despair.  I sent out a desperate text to my sweet sister in law, Lee Lee who sews and I cry even now thinking about her response which was YES she would help me, not to worry to just bring everything over.  I rushed over and showed her the magnitude of stuff I needed fixed and she was so encouraging and kind and assured me she would take care of everything!  I was so relieved and grateful.  Being a 20+ year Dance Mom, it was no big deal to her.  I went to my car to leave to take care of my endless to do list and my car was dead in her driveway.  My poor brother had to come home and jump my car off in his dress shirt….I cried again overwhelmed and thankful for my family being there for me in a desperate time. The next day I went over and was blown away at the beauty that Lee Lee created.  She worked tirelessly past midnight and redid things and made every detail perfect for my girls! I am forever grateful to her!  When Maggie saw a picture of herself in her costume, she said, "Wow, I knew I was pretty, but not that pretty!" LOL!  I love the innocence of a child!  


I hated to ask because I knew how stressful it would be but I needed to pipe in my firstborn, detailed sister to manage my Maggie (AKA Diva!)  She was in six acts (that I will never let happen again!) and had to change for everyone.  My sister Vickki and her daughter Cade, were like the calvary riding in for my Mags!  They are also very seasoned dance experts!  They were like a well-oiled machine and Maggie has never looked better!!  That was one of the best things I ever did and I am so grateful that Cade and Aunt Vick served Mags in that way!!  It took all the stress off of me.  I couldn't have done it.  I also made a good choice in asking my sister in law Lee Lee to manage backstage.  She had everyone looking perfect and in order and it went so smooth because of her!

I have such dear, sweet, kind, patient, Godly friends who put up with the hysteria that comes with me.  One dear friend who has been a constant support and encouragement for almost ten years is Christy Whitaker.  She has prayed more prayers for me and gone above and beyond to help in every way I needed.  She did a spectacular job blinging up the costumes too!  Carrie Wyatt is another who just brings me such peace of mind knowing she is with me through it all. I’ll never forget our midnight text chats that usually had me laughing my way to sleep #nightowls  

I am still in a state of stunned thankfulness over the time and effort put forth by Joey and Raelessa Porter who spent most of their Mother’s Day Sunday with me at the church, setting up our beautiful stage.  They are the definition of "Servant."  We had crazy delays and issues but yet we laughed and dined together and actually had fun under frustrating circumstances.  Cara Bernreuter was with us the whole time too and I will never forget her calm, confident, hardworking self, doing whatever needed to be done and she doesn’t even have a kid in the program like the rest of us.  James McDonald once again blew my mind with his kind, willing spirit to help and assist in everyway.  A couple weeks ago, I called to discuss the show with him and he ended the call by telling me that it’s going to be great, that he will handle everything and for me to just relax.  He also blessed me more than he realizes by his crazy, hilarious, sarcastic texts.  I would be on the verge of another breakdown and he would instantly snap me out of it by making me crack up.  Countless others blessed me by doing whatever was needed like Sarah Szarmack, Lisa Burdette, Teresa Rogers, Marcia Wood and especially Kevin Todd :)   I have to also thank Darryl Everage for leaving his wife on mother’s day to come help us with the stage.  I was so blessed by the beautiful photos that Logan and Brittany Rose took of our performers. (A week out from having a new baby too) Carole amazed me, as always with the gorgeous program that she designed for me last minute that was such a blessing to all the families!  I have a host of prayer warriors that have been faithfully praying week after week with me and I am sure their prayers carried me through all the madness.  Thank you to Pastor Steve, Keith, Johnny, Joanne, Tina, Alexandra, Lissa and Pat for your prayer coverage!!!  The warfare was fierce.  The enemy knows what derails me and it makes me mad.  Bubba had a concussion at football.  Eddie got sick and sounded like he had tuberculosis and even my dog, KC was sick and throwing up one whole night this week.  It got almost comical the fiery darts I was taking. 

I will be working for days to catch up, unpack and clean up the aftermath but it was worth it all for me to see my girls perform.  Even though it will take days to recover physically and mentally, I am so blessed in how we all pulled together to make it a night where truly all our children shined like the true STARS they are!  I learned so many lesson, good and bad but the one that I will never forget that will change me forever is how valuable and precious teamwork really is. “Where there is unity, God commands a blessing!”