Memory Sandwiches part 2

Here's an email I sent to the music and art teachers...

I wanted to let you both know that Madeline tried her best to keep my tears to a minimum by playing all the songs for me beforehand.  I kinda shrugged, and thought, "If she wants a mom that doesn't sob at Fine Arts Night, she's gonna have to find a different version than me!"  

As I was sitting enjoying the music, I suddenly just had moments of flipping back through the years.  I thought about Ellie in a choir concert, something, we NEVER ever imagined would happen.  As she turned around for a movement, her pants were down enough to see her coin slot.   Then, I thought of Lotta's classmate, Walter, really hamming it up at Lapham, enjoying entertaining the audience.  I thought of Lotta wearing a fancy dress and red lipstick to a Fine Arts Night.  I thought of Benja waving wildly at me before his Middle School Orchestra concerts (because he knew how I struggled not to think of Ellie and her 5th grade graduation in the same space.  It always seemed such an incredibly brave thing for a middle schooler to do.)   Such a memory sandwich of that space!!  And I was suddenly filled with awe and wonder that in the blink of an eye the kids before us will be graduating from high school, because it seems just a moment since Ellie and Benja and Lotta were performing there.  And I wanted to make sure to soak up as much of that moment, with all those wonderful words and amazing art, to take with me into the future.  I left pondering how it isn't just this ONE night, it's the whole string of them that lives on.  So, while you may be contemplating the things that didn't go as planned (or maybe you are just sighing with relief it is over!!), please know that the families that attended are adding the night to their memory sandwiches.  Thank you for taking the time and energy to accomplish this feat.  

Much love on this tired tired Friday,

Debi