christmas program

this year was the first year that the girls were able to be a part of the christmas program other than the small part the nursery kids do every year. the girls worked hard at memorizing their lines, and were excited to recite them--until we practiced at church.
when it was ali's turn, she froze. i could tell by the look on her face that she was going to lose it. she had a melt down and couldn't even recite them with angie's help. sydney was right after ali, and she did fine. once we got back to the van, ali cried all over again. she didn't want to do her lines, and we weren't going to force the issue.
the day of the program, she surprised us all.

the nursery kids went up to the front to sing away in a manger,

and then they sang happy birthday to jesus.

it must have made ali comfortable enough, 

because when it was her turn to say her line,

she did!

"I is for simply little old me. i'm the one he loves for all eternity."

we were so proud of her. i know several of us were teary eyed. ;)

syd was next:

"R is for rejoicing, that's what the angels did. it sounded heavenly and quite splendid."

we were so proud of the girls that we got them a little surprise later.

and in case you're wondering, they were spelling merry christmas backwards

as a kind of puzzle. =)

* i swiped the pictures from the ones the church posted on fb, i think. so, thank you! i was lame and forgot my camera!