Lights, Camera, ACTION!!

Here they come, giddy & smiling from ear to ear. “EVERYONE SIT DOWN!!! WE HAVE SOMETHING TO SHOW YOU!!!” I just know that I am being re-paid seven fold for the endless plays and musicals my family had to endure as I was growing up. There must be a drama gene in all little girls that explodes around the age of 9 or 10. Once again, my friend K & I sit and watch as our five daughters act out the numerous plays and dances they have so painstakingly rehearsed in their rooms. We obviously have an invisible stage located directly in front of our television. No harm in that, right? Simply forgo your choice of TV show for the evening & retreat to another room. Oh no, this stage can and will be transferred to ANY occupied room of the house, including the kitchen or bedroom. Don’t try to run folks, they WILL hunt you down & find you!

I do believe the girls last few performances have consisted of the same song & dance, only upgraded and improved. They dance & we laugh. I’m not quite sure if the laughter is from actual amusement or the delirium that is slowly taking over, but we laugh nonetheless. “PIZZA PIZZA! Hi, my name is "Marsha". PIZZA PIZZA! I do not mess around. PIZZA PIZZA! We turn around, touch the ground, get back up & pop it down.” This song continues on through all 5 girls, oldest to youngest, followed by "Jan’s" commentary….”Well, we used to say boogie down, but we changed it to pop it down because we like the dance move better.” Then Marsha, “No, no girls…that isn’t the way we practiced it, turn LEFT not RIGHT. Let’s start over!” AH!!! So close!

As K & I sit slouched on the couch, dazed by the third showing of the evening, we discuss our eternal apology to our families for our own invisible stages. 17 years later I can still remember every word to “Let’s go camping”, the rap my cousin Mike & I made up while on vacation in Yellowstone one year. Oh, we were so talented. The song was “sang” to the tune of Ice Ice Baby. (Yes, you read that correctly). “Alright, STOP, pack your clothes, throw in some jeans, & some doe. Drive for a very long time. Keep going, keep on going. After 3 days you’ll be there. You might even see a couple of bears. So Let’s go camping….Da na na na na na na. Let’s go camping....Da na na na na na na. At YELLOWSTONE, yeah. Oh man, were we COOL! I am 27 years old, singing a made up song, bobbing my head & doing all the hand actions…..Greeeaaat.

There was the brilliant “This is your Life” play for our grandpa’s birthday that conisted of 5 cousins and a pair of grandad's boots. And of course, my directorial debut, “The Birth of Christ”, preformed one Christmas in Aunt L’s family room. This one I remember quite clearly as I am the oldest grandchild, thus the bossiest. I can’t recall much about the play itself, just that I spent the majority of the time adjusting lines & stage direction. And that I had the distinct impression that this one dragged on FAR too long!

Those days hold fond (and often embarrassing) memories for me. I am sure they opened the door to my very wild & vivid imagination. I enjoyed acting well into my teen years, although those closest to me might say I still have a flare for drama (wink).

As I watch my little girls sing, dance and act out the SAME play for the umpteenth time, I keep in mind that this is what bonds us. Laughter. Sharing. Love. Creativity. These are sweet memories in the making, and I am going to cherish them. “PIZZA PIZZA…..”