Guest soloist, Lori Stauffer

 

We were touched

Once again, I'm too sleepy to write much. I posted one picture below of the entire choir and cast. We had a rough last rehearsal this afternoon, but that just caused us to realize how dependent we were upon the Lord and his anointing. His hand was upon us this evening and everyone, choir, cast, technical support, and audience, was touched. And I am ready for bed. More pictures and details some other time.  Remember to click on the picture below if you want to see the people better.

Our Christmas choir and cast.

 

MCDS Christmas Program

Below are more pictures from the program last evening. Our son Frank (Destiny's dad) took the pictures for me. However, we needed the camera as a prop in the Middle School musical, so there are no pictures of that part of the program. Another dad at the program took a lot of pictures and said he'll put them on a disk for me, so maybe I'll post them later.

I've been trying to catch up around here today and prepare for the big day tomorrow. Anthony and Lori are coming down tomorrow morning. Lori is going to be a guest soloist in the first song of the musical tomorrow evening.

Lisa called a while ago. They were driving in the car and she wanted me to listen to something. Would you believe Sophie (not yet 2 years old) was singing the ABC song and I could recognize what she was singing both by the tune and the letters she was saying??? It was sooooo cute. I was just screaming laughing. Lisa said she just sings and sings while they drive.

And then I was telling her how Destiny makes up songs that sound like Broadway tunes. Dick and I were listening to her today as she was playing in the tub with some of her dolls. They were talking to each other, but everything they were saying was put to music with her high, operatic voice, vibrato and all.

Well, there is much more to do around here. I'm sure after tomorrow evening I'll have many more pictures to post.

The instrumental ensemble provided prelude music.

 

First and second grade bell choir provided prelude music.

 

Ready to begin Mass Chorus, opening the program with praise and worship.

 

"Blessed Be the Name of the Lord"

 

Classy little Smita singing "How Great Is Our God" in her beautiful voice.

 

Primary Chorus: "They look-ed up and saw a star, shining in the East beyond them far."

 

"And to the earth it gave great light."

 

"And so it continued both day and night."

 

I asked Destiny what she was doing on this picture. She said, "I was saying, 'I can do this!'" (Do what? Focus, maybe??)

 

Intermediate Chorus

 

 

Destiny was so proud to have her daddy at the program.

Destiny had fun playing with Abby's children after the program.

 

Christmas programs went well

I'm too sleepy to post much tonight. The programs went well, especially this evening. The gym was almost full this afternoon and there was standing room only for many people this evening. I'm just posting two pictures tonight - if they would have given out "biggest mouth" awards tonight, Destiny and I would have gotten first and second place!!

And the "biggest mouth" awards go to.....

 

Program Day

Well, here we go. I'm excited for this big day. Dick always takes off from work for the day and comes to school to be my sound technician. It's so comforting to me to have his expertise and support.

This morning we'll do a complete run-through of everything, then there is a 1:00 program and a 7:00 program. For those of you who have never been to one of our programs at MCDS, this is the way it goes: We start out with a prelude of Christmas tunes played by the instrumental ensemble and the 1st and 2nd grade playing color-coded hand bells. Then all the students from K - 8, along with a lot of the instrumental ensemble, open the program with several praise and worship songs. Following that the Primary Chorus does a few numbers, then the Intermediate Chorus. After the offering the Middle School Chorus will present the musical Christmas Conversation. The program ends with the staff chorus. I never know for sure how long everything will take, but it's usually around an hour-and-a-half, plus the 15 minute prelude.

Well, time to get myself off this chair and get moving.

Crossing things off my list

It feels good to be crossing things off my list as I go through this week. Yesterday morning I had time at school to get the program entirely typed up. After school I went to Crown Magnetics in Lebanon to pick up the ten mics I'm renting. I came home and whipped up a quick chicken salad for our supper, then met Dick at school after he got off work. We spent a couple of hours setting up all the mics. Usually Destiny gets so bored while we're doing that, but last evening she had playmates. Two patrons were installing another basketball backboard and had some of their children along. She was sad when it was time to go home. We were so tired and sleepy, I think we were all in dreamland by 9:30.

I have to say I was pretty pleased with that quick chicken salad. In the morning I got a quart freezer box of deboned chicken out of the freezer. As I was driving home from Lebanon I was thinking about what I could make with it for supper, and the idea of chicken salad sandwiches hit me. I had recently seen a recipe somewhere that had grapes and mandarin oranges in chicken salad. When I opened the frig I saw a bowl with about ten grapes that Destiny had not eaten yesterday (they were the last of this week's grapes). Also in that bowl was a nectarine left from my lunch the day before. I chopped up the chicken and fruit, added the mayo, looked in the pantry and saw a partial pack of onion soup mix, threw that in, mixed it all up, and it was the chunkiest, most delicious chicken salad I ever made. Ummm. I could eat some for breakfast!! And if Sam reads this, I know he'll wish he could come home for some. I remember when I used to go grocery shopping with him when he was in college. He always wanted a small container of chicken salad from the deli. Well, Sam, mine is better than that was!!

I must get busy. I need to write out instructions for who will use which mic, etc. And my sink is calling my name LOUDLY.

Happy Birthday, George!

A tribute to George James Haag

Well, it's time to feature another son-in-law today. Dick and I got married in October of 1971. I clearly remember our first Christmas season together. What we didn't know was that somewhere out there, our precious son-in-law was being born into this world. As our daughter Lisa was growing up I often prayed for her future husband, not knowing who or where he was. The Lord kept him a secret from us until the summer of 1995. Meanwhile he was growing up, first of all in the Philadelphia suburbs, then in the Tampa, FL area, then back to the Philadelphia suburbs, and eventually attended Penn State.

Remember the old song, "I was looking back to see if you were looking back to see if I was looking back to see if you were looking back at me'? Well, that pretty well describes how Lisa and George met each other. They were both taking the same summer course at Penn State, each of them keeping an eye on the other when they hoped the other wasn't looking. Finally on the last day of the course George struck up a conversation with Lisa, they made plans to get together the following Friday evening, which they did. It's the classic story of soul mates meeting as they talked and talked and talked and talked and talked.... for hours. Sometime Saturday I got a phone call from Lisa saying, "Mom, I think I met my husband last evening."

A few weeks later she "brought him home" to go along to Hershey Park with our family. We all were immediately in love with him. Three years later, they got married and moved to Florida. (One of the things they had totally agreed upon the first night they met was that they HATE cold weather. )

I must say, and I don't think this is just from a biased mother-in-law's view, that George is one of my favorite people. He is funny, gentle, intelligent, athletic, a great salesman and provider for his family, upbeat, yet real. He is just one of those people you love to be around. But what I absolutely love the most about him is his commitment to God, his wife, and his daughter. I would not have to think twice about who I would consider to be the most devoted young dad and husband I know. He has truly let his life's situations make him "better, not bitter." Someday you may hear of an organization or magazine devoted to "Dads", and I bet it will be edited by George James Haag.

George, I've told you many times before, but I mean it more than ever - we love you, we thank God for you, and we're proud to call you our son-in-law. Happy, happy 35th birthday.

Bed sounds good

Our worship service this morning was awesome. From the very first strains of Joy to the World, there was such an atmosphere of expectation and joy that just swept us in.

This afternoon Dick and John Roser worked at getting our stage set up for the musical next Sunday. We had a rehearsal from 4:30 to 6:00. Unfortunately, two of our main characters in the drama were sick today and could not be there. The chorus is sounding really, really good.

After rehearsal we went to school to set up again for the Mass Chorus rehearsal first thing in the morning. After that I went to Penneys to pick up the dress they held for me last evening. Bed will feel mighty good tonight.

We are praising the Lord that Dick's stepmother has had no adverse reactions to her first chemo treatment this past Friday. Dick and Destiny stopped in to see her and Dad while I went to Penneys. Tomorrow she has an appointment with the orthopedic surgeon, and is hoping he will say she can start walking without the walker.

At the end of rehearsal this evening we got the sad news that my nephew, Richard Witmer's mother-in-law died very unexpectedly this afternoon. She had been to church this morning, but was found already gone by one of her children who came to visit her this afternoon. Her name is Miriam Lehman. Her husband had passed away (also very suddenly) a number of years ago. My nephew's wife, Jennifer, was the 7th of Miriam's eight children. There are many grandchildren, including Richard and Jennifer's three children, Sarah, Josh, and Emily. They are my students at school, and Sarah has one of the main roles in my school musical. Josh is one of my 6th grade guitar players. What a difficult week this will be for them. Pray for them as they come to your minds.

Like I said, bed sounds good. Goodnight.

A little work and a little fun

There's not much to write about, and even less time to write it. Yesterday was another busy Friday at school, packed with one rehearsal after another all day long. I got groceries after school. Dick and Ray left last evening for the hunting cabin (Ray had not yet had a chance to go deer hunting this season), and after they left I felt like just "chillin" all evening long. My friend Cheryl introduced me to this funny dancing elf on her blog, so I had fun with that. Maybe I'll put the link below, so you can see me kick up my heels!

Today I talked with Miki on the phone for a while, did the weekly bookwork and bills, did some cleaning and organizing, started the laundry, and got out some Christmas stuff. When Dick and Ray got home this afternoon (without a deer), they loaded the loveseat into Dick's Explorer to be used in our church musical. I then rearranged my living room, and I like it so much, I don't think I want the loveseat back. We'll see.

This evening my sister Doris's church was hosting free babysitting as a community service. I took Destiny there and went to Park City in search of something to wear for my programs. As usual, it was a rather frustrating experience. I did find something I like pretty well at Penneys, but the $10 coupon I wanted to use is not valid until tomorrow. So they're holding it for me.

Okay, for a good laugh, click on the link below and wait for the picture to download. Maybe after you see it you'll want to make an elf of yourself too.

www.elfyourself.com/?userid=d1ad077f1888f7e85b981f6_20061208

Surely feels like snow

They were calling for snow squalls today, but apparently they missed us. Just this evening it got really windy outside and it's easy to imagine snow flying around. But every time I check, there's nothing white. I think last year we had off school on this Friday because we got about 8 inches of snow. I'd be in the mood for that. But I really, really do hate driving on snowy or icy roads. I've become quite a chicken, I'm afraid. (Now that's redundant!!)

Tomorrow Dick's stepmother, Arlene Stauffer, will be having her first chemo treatment. They have diagnosed her with non-Hodgkins lymphoma, very similar to Dick's. I pray she will handle chemo as well as Dick always has. Her broken leg has been healing very well and she's hoping to soon be allowed to stop using the walker. Pray for her and Dick's dad when they come to mind. First treatments are always scary when you don't know how you'll react.

Below is a picture of the eighth grade class dressed for the Merchandiser reporter this morning. They loved getting out of algebra class for this.

Here's the eighth grade class dressed for their various roles in the Christmas musical.

 

My "normal" Christmas activities

I'm still alive, just trying to stay ahead of all the practices and preparations for these upcoming Christmas programs. Others talk of Christmas decorations and baking, etc. I have seldom had much time for any of those "normal" Christmas activities because of my normal Christmas activities. But that's okay. I honestly enjoy what I do - not every moment of it, for sure, but most of it. Like today, when I had a rehearsal with five guitars, a trumpet, a violin, six glockenspiels, a keyboard, and a bongo drum (the guy who plays sax was absent today.) I led them all from the piano and it was starting to sound GOOD. I looked over at those sixth grade boys strumming away on their guitars with all their hearts, and I absolutely enjoyed that moment.

Tomorrow morning the reporter from the Merchandiser is coming to do a picture and story about the program, so I went back to school this evening to make sure everything is ready for that and also for the Mass Chorus rehearsal with all the instruments. Dick was helping me, of course. I couldn't do my job without his help.

God has been blessing us abundantly. This fall Dick has taken a lot of days off without pay (his vacation days were all used up after his hernia surgery in August, and they don't get paid sick days at B. R. Kreiders). So the four days he took off for his chemo treatments in October, plus the two he took off when I was in the hospital, plus the two he took off for deer hunting were all without pay, and then he will also take off next Friday to run the sound for my Christmas programs at school. But God is looking out for us . One evening this week we received a very nice amount of deer bologna from Dick's brother Steve. The next evening his brother Jim called and said he has a twenty pound case of chicken legs that a friend of his wants to give to someone in need. This evening Dick's brother Fred gave us about twenty pounds of deer burger. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Stauffer brothers!! And thank you, Lord!

I haven't had time to listen to any weather report, but my finger and toe joints are telling me that there's some kind of moisture on the way. Let's see if they're right!!

Happy 24th Birthday, Ray!

A good cup of tea for days like this

This is good "staying home" weather. After another busy day at school I needed to fill the car up with gas, and the wind was sooo cold as stood there. All I could think was, "I can hardly wait to be at home with a good cup of hot tea." Speaking of good tea, last year I discovered Celestial Seasonings "Candy Cane Lane" decaf green tea at Weaver's Health Foods in Manheim. It's only available around Christmas. I liked it so much, I went back after Christmas and got their last two boxes. My sister-in-law Nancy also liked it a lot, and discovered it could be ordered by the case from Celestial Seasoning's website. She got a case, and between her and me and Anthony's Lori and Jeremy and I'm not sure who else, we used it all. I've been out of it for a couple of months and was SO HAPPY to find it at Weis Markets on Friday.

Today is Ray's 24th birthday. He works 2nd shift, so we couldn't get together today. Tomorrow morning he and I are planning to meet for breakfast at 8:00. My classes start a little later on Tuesdays.

Ray joined our family right after his 14th birthday - ten years ago, I just realized. He had been in two different foster homes since the age of four, and a change was necessary. Our foster agency called on a Friday about an emergency placement for the weekend only. Dick was planning to go to the Manheim Central play-off game at Hershey that evening, so we decided to let him come and go along with Dick to the game. My head was saying, "No, not another teenage boy," but when he walked through the door, my heart said, "I love him already."

Ray gave us many thrills in high school as a track and football star. He has given our family many, many laughs being the family comedian. He also has an awesome voice. When he was in 11th grade he had a solo in the Spring concert, which was scheduled the very same evening as my Spring program at school. I was absolutely devastated. I did get to go to their last rehearsal. The following Sunday was Mother's Day. To my tremendous surprise, Ray sang a solo for me at church. My wonderful Mom's in Touch friends, who knew how tremendously sad I was to miss his concert, had arranged, behind my back, for him to sing for me at church! Talk about tears of joy!!

Ray is still single, has his own apartment near Lancaster, and works at Kunzler Meats.

Happy Birthday, Ray!!

I took these pictures at the Myers Reunion for my siblings who were not there. (If you click to enlarge them you'll be able to see the people better.)

 

On Saturday Destiny decorated some sand tarts (the prepackaged dough variety.)

 

When I asked Destiny, "What are you doing?" she answered with great flair, "Making COOKIEEEEES!!"

My feet are protesting

Yesterday was the first day of having rehearsals on the stage at school. I had rehearsals with all four choruses - Mass Chorus (which is the entire student body), Primary Chorus (grades K - 2), Intermediate Chorus (grades 3 - 5), and Middle School Chorus (grades 6 - 8). In addition to those rehearsals on the stage I had three regular classes in my classroom. The sixth grade girls are learning to play the glockenspiels for the instrumental ensemble, and there are at least five boys in that grade that play guitar (several are beginners). You should hear a classroom full of beginner glockenspiel players and guitarists working on playing new songs together!! The dear kids who don't play an instrument sat patiently (some more than others!) through it all. I was exhausted at the end of the day, but I did my grocery shopping on the way home.

In the evening we took Destiny to the rec center for their Parents' Night Out. We didn't go out though. Dick worked on things for the church musical while I gave Destiny's room a thorough cleaning. Every few months I like to give her room a good cleaning when she's not here. I always throw out a bunch of useless stuff and she never misses it. I also started the laundry.

Today I did a lot more laundry, caught up on two weeks' worth of bookwork and bill-paying, and made spaghetti sauce. I still have to finish the music preparations for tomorrow morning and I was planning to make another meal or two for this coming week, but my feet are protesting.

Tomorrow will be another big day. Right after church we will be going to a Myers family gathering. That is my mother's side of the family. Then from 4:30 - 6:30 we will have a rehearsal for the church musical. It will be the first time we are doing the songs and drama together.

Well, it's time to get off this chair and go wash Destiny's looooong hair. She's been playing in the tub for at least an hour.