The Fine Line Between Happy-Surprised and Horror Movie-Surprised

The preschool's Spring Festival was last Thursday and Friday.  I can say many funny things about this, but shouldn't.  (There may be some fine print about blogs in my contract.)  I'll just say it was quite a scene.

This being my first year as teacher, I didn't really know what to expect.  All I knew was that there would be several key ingredients to our festival: a Spring Fairy, a Mother Earth, a Father Sun, a Sister Rain, and a Brother Wind, all of whom would be played by parents of our students.

The day before the festival, parents and other teachers brought in bouquets of flowers, garden clippings, cherry blossoms, pots of tulips, and budding garlands.  The "garden room" was assembled (as shown above), and then the parents got into costume.  The director, as seen, made sure that "characters check their sillies at the door", and instructed each character on what they should do when the children come around.

Other parents (not playing a part in the "show") waited and sat in the rows behind the row of miniature wooden chairs.

Then we (me and other teacher) led our students up the stairs of the old church building we share a space with, and into the garden room (church Sunday School room that we rented for the day) to sit in those miniature chairs and wait for the Spring Fairy to escort them around to Earth, Sun, Rain and Wind. 

Oh yeah, and all the while we sang this:

"Mother Earth, Mother Earth,take our seed and give it birth.

Father Sun, gleam and glow, 'til the roots begin to grow.

Sister Rain, Sister Rain, shed thy tears to swell the grain.

Brother Wind, breathe and blow, 'til the blade all green dost grow.

Earth and Sun, Wind and Rain, turn to gold the living grain."

Terry (aka. best husband in the world) took the morning off to not only play guitar for our class, but also for Neve's class.  I can't imagine how awkward singing that song acapella would have been had he not been there.

Anyway, we were told to remind parents to keep this whole thing TOP SECRET from their kids, especially if the child's parent was going to be a part of the "show".  We really wanted the kids to be surprised.  

Our class is made up of the coolest families.  They were such great sports about everything, took the morning off from their jobs to come out, and they all really did keep it secret from their children.

After most of the class had carried their peat pots and seeds around to get Mother Earth's dirt, Father Sun's beams, Sister Rains tears, and Brother Winds breath, they sat back in their chair. 

All but two kids were down with the gig.  Two, however, were not about to leave their seat.  Interestingly, those two kids had mothers playing parts in the "show" (Spring Fairy and Sister Rain).

So, as we walked out of the garden room and back down the stairs of the old church building, I held Sister Rain's son's hand.  He was one of the two who did not want to be a part of the festivities.

In a soft trembling voice, eyes the size of silver dollars he says, "Mrs. Dera?  That lady looked like my mommy."

Holy Peat Pot, does he not know?!?  The poor kid was too scared of his mother's vernal equinox doppelganger to move!

I hugged him and whispered, "Buddy, that was your mommy!"

He takes a moment to process what I just said, and then...

"That was my mommy?"

I nod.

"Yes!  That was my mommy.  Mommy went to work, and she works upstairs.  Yes!"

∞

Shedding tears to swell grain (in a church's attic) is a tough job, but somebody's got to do it.