Nutcracker Weekend!!!

(Above: Annalina ready for Nutcracker rehearsal)

For many months Annalina has been rehearsing for the Monterey Nutcracker and this past Friday was opening night! This has been a great journey for Annalina to see the work a production like this takes to put it on. She was worked so hard and for many, many, many hours. Just the week working up to the production she had about 2 1/2 hour rehearsals until late at night for 3 nights. Friday morning they did a performance for local school kids, Friday night was opening night (in between those 2 performance Annalina helped set up for the Gala party for opening night with me and another mother and her girl. Saturday she had ballet at 9am she left early to go to a church Christmas program rehearsal, and Saturday night another performance. Sunday morning was our church Christmas program (she had a solo and memorized parts) left there went to her last performance of the Nutcracker and then shortly after that she was headed off to the cast wrap-up party! YIKES! I was really concerned it was going to be to much for her but people were praying for her and she held up like a champ and honestly didn't want it all to end!

Above: Annalina backstage ready for her Baby Ballerina Part. I don't have pictures yet really of her angel part but I CAN'T wait to get the professional photos and there are some in there.

Yep, that is one proud mommy on opening night!

Annalina and Ross on opening night. Annalina wanted Ross with her in the picture which I thought was sweet.

Annalina didn't understand the tradition of opening night. She was THRILLED that tradition is giving gifts. Her Uncle Ben, Cousin Canon, and Brothers gave her 2 red roses, Auntie Flo and Auntie Grace came to opening night and brought her a dozen pink roses, and Daddy and Mommy gave her a pink Nutcracker! She was also happy about people talking to her because she was in the performance! Annalina loves to talk and loves people!

Annalina with her beloved Auntie Flo after the performance.

Annalina LOVES her Nutcracker we got her.

Annalina with Big Brother Gabriel! Gabriel loved the performance and wanted to go see it again! It was really well done! This is the 2nd night of the performance and Annalina got these flowers from an older performer. She was thrilled to get these from a big ballerina! Annalina made some friends with the older girls and when Babe took her to the wrap up party she sat with the 12 and 13 year old girls and had a blast. Ross went too and was insistent that he meet her friends. Too funny. Anyway, I was thrilled to find out that in front of those older girls Annalina took the time to bow her head and pray for her food causing her friend to pause and bow in silence! I was encouraged to find that Annalina (with God's strength) was influencing the world instead of vice versa. I know there are some that would question as to why we allow Annalina into ballet and performances such as this but doesn't God call us to be salt and light? I prayed that people would see the difference in Annalina which is Jesus Christ. When I would drop her off at the theatre I would almost always say "have listening ears and a sweet spirit".

II Corinthians 4:7

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be from God, and not of us."