If not now, when?

Today is September 11th.
No further explanation is needed for any American. September 11th is a day that we all pause and remember the moment that our world changed forever. It has prompted me to examine all that has happened since 2001. As good a time as any to resume Blogging. If not now when?

Wouldn't some of those that lost their lives on that day be happy to have the chance to have their voices heard and not squander the chance to be present in the moment at hand.

Eight years ago, Lucas was not yet in school. He was home with me, in this very room, as he is today. He is home sick today so it feels eerily similar.
Zachary was a Freshman at St. Joseph's High School (as it was known back then).
Regan was a K-4 student at St. Mary's Catholic School in Greenville...
David was in his office safely working for this family, thanks be to God.
Fast Forward 8 years:
Zachary has graduated from High School and Acting School, lived in NYC and is back in Greenville, living on his own, making a living as an educator at the South Carolina Children's Museum.
Regan is in 7th Grade at Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic School.
Lucas is in 6th Grade at Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic School. Two Middle Schoolers!
Then there is Rosey...she wasn't even born in 2001, so this day has no place in her consciousness. She is in Kindergarten at Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic School.
David has come full circle in his career and is back at IBM, the company he began working for out of College in 1983.

All those facts out of the way, the real story is that we are still here. We are still in this happy home with a couple of great life experiences under our belts, Breast Cancer for me, Job Change for David, Birth of Rosey, Graduations from Kindergarten, Elementary School, High School, Stella Adler, Engagement for Zachary to Mackensie, Rosey's Tumor and subsequent removal along with all the follow up that goes with a scare like that, Vacations to the Beach, Charleston,Paris, Disney World, Cruise to the Bahamas, Florida, New York Trips to visit Zachary while he lived there, the purchase of a Mountain get-away as sanctuary for this precious family.

There have been illnesses, fractured family ties, loss of some people that I loved dearly, but we're still here. We are "on this side of the grass" on this day as I look around and offer a prayer of Gratitude and Thanksgiving for having this day to look back and more importantly look forward to all the moments that lie ahead.

This is an anniversary of the heart, we all lost something that day and that must never be forgotten. May those who lost their lives rest in Peace as we remember.

Summer

So, I am still doing "this" but "this" has changed.
I'm not being Fanny Brice anymore, but I am still the Resident Production Assistant at F.I.R.E.
We are about to begin our second season.
Pippin
The Music Man
Broadway's A Christmas Carol
West Side Story
The Wedding Singer
The Last Five Years

It has been a crazy year since we "started the F.I.R.E." but rewarding for me as a Company Member and a performer.

Summer has been relaxed. Lots of swimming for the kids. We have acquired a second home in the Mountains of North Carolina, so there has been excitement surrounding that.
Tomorrow, Zachary returns to Greenville after being in NYC for four years as he attended the Stella Adler Acting Studio and worked as a Writer for The Alliance for the Arts.

Things are never dull around here!

Room Helper

Rosey started talking about the "jobs" at her Mother's Morning Out today on the way home from taking the kids to school.
"I hope I'm Room Helper today."
"What's that?"
"When the lights are off, you turn them on, and just do everything in the room".
"What's your favorite job?"
"Line Leader, and Snack Helper. I like the jobs that last all day, like Door Holder".

I realized that this is when the Mothering begins. Either you like it, or you don't.
Rosey likes the idea of being room helper because she likes to "do". She'll do anything you need her to do, gladly, and offer to help with everything.

I'm Room Helper, Line Leader, Door Holder, and Snack Helper, today. David is out of town. I usually share the jobs, like in the Pre-school that Rosey attends, but somedays, Mothers are all those jobs and more. In my case, I share the load with a very capable Father, but some parents aren't good "helpers"...I wonder if they didn't like the jobs in Pre-school. Rosey talks about these jobs often and the responsiblities that go along with the assignments. I always ask her favorite and she always says "Line Leader" first.
Be careful what you wish for Little One~

Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace

I am in one of those cycles when I know that there is a greater message than the petty "chatter" that seems to be going on around me.
I have this process of discernment that I only pay attention to when the "noise" around me gets way too loud. I'm in that place right now.

I am trying to listen to the voice that guides me. I heard the "Prayer of St. Francis" at the Children's Mass at Our Lady of the Rosary, last Thursday morning, and it has been stuck in my head ever since. It is a very simple message.
I think all the important messages are simple.

Love One Another. Does it get any more simple than that?

We're making some very important decisions that are going to affect our family, and I know that our lives are going to change. The lifestyle changes are all for the better, but nothing happens without some adjustments to what we're accustomed to.
Growing Pains.

It most likely has everything to do with ...a New World calling across the Ocean.
As usual, Art Imitates Life and Vice Versa!

So now I'm doing this.

I have spent a lot of time thinking about the whole blog thing, because I wonder who really cares what I have to say...
I care, and even though I'm not Funny Girl any more, I am still going to be doing things that some people think are crazy, so I'll keep blogging...
That being said.
I love reading blogs and I have found the ones I love because there is a huge online community of crafters that blog and those are the ones I read most.
I'm going to start looking for Theatre Moms and Community Theatre Blogs to follow because those will help me find my voice, because I'll want to be different.
I spent a lot of time on our wonderful vacation thinking about the day to day stuff that I do and how I can change our life as a family to make it all more efficient and I hope to implement some changes soon about some of the things that I have notoriously procrastinated about. I'll blog about that and how I'm making it all work. Next school year, I'll have three of my four children at the same school for the same number of hours per day. That will be a first for me in my 22 years of being a mother, except for the days when Zachary was an only child (K-5 - 8th) before Regan began K-4.
That feels like a hundred years ago.
So, that's what I'm doing right now....thinking about "what's coming next?" as Lucas used to constantly ask when he was a baby...

Spring Break

Perfect timing for Spring Break. I feel like Fanny has been following me this week, so it will be good to change the scenery.
I wasn't aware of the depths to which I would become involved with Fanny's story, and it is time to gain some perspective.

Cruising and Disney will be just what our family needs to unwind, this show was a true family affair for us.

I'll turn 44 years old on this vacation.
I wouldn't believe that if I didn't know it was true.
I feel younger than that.
What does one do to mark their 45th year??

All Good Things...

...come to an end. Funny Girl is over.

I have lived a childhood dream. How many people get that chance?

To my castmates, I say bravo. There has rarely been such unwavering support for an actor in the local theatre community. I know that because I'm usually backstage listening to the chatter.
I couldn't have begun to play this role if every single person hadn't been onboard.
Thank You, everyone.

To my Nicky, there is no way to thank someone for what you gave me. You were the perfect Nick Arnstein for my Fanny Brice. The comfort that I feel with you, personally allowed me to push Fanny to truly let down her guard and fall in love.
What a gift to have you looking out for me(Cheryl) to make sure that my(Fanny) was able to shine. Pushing me and pulling me into the light...turning me ever so gently to face away from you, things that only an experienced Leading Man could have or would have done. I will love you always.

To my director, trusting my inexperience with a role as large and important as Fanny Brice was one of the greatest leaps of faith that I have ever witnessed. Of course I know, as your friend, that faith was exactly what allowed you to do it. There is much to be said about a friendship like ours. I felt the encouragement that was cloaked in criticism because I knew what you expected. If I hit the mark even once or twice, I hope that you were proud. I only regret that it is over just as I feel that I hit my stride.

To my family, the support was unbelievable. My husband never raised an eyebrow about the piles of laundry, the lack of groceries, the exhaustion of the past two weeks as we prepared to open the show. My children were so unbelievably proud of me that it wouldn't have mattered if another person in the audience applauded. The love of my family near and far has carried me always and continues to do so.

To the City of Fountain in, which is what I call Van Broad and his staff, which is what I call Dee-Dee and June Broad...Thank you for giving me a place to bring Fanny Brice back to life the way I felt she should be. Thank you for giving a home to a dream of Anita's and mine, and believing that Theatre is important. Again...Faith.
Fanny will live in my heart forever as will the memories of the outpouring of love that was showered upon me. I hope that she would be proud of the tribute I paid her this weekend. Unfortunately, I'll never know.

I'll continue to BLOG. Funny Girl was the catalyst, but I feel like I might have more to share.
Here's to Songs For A New World...Another opportunity to change people's lives through Theatre.
Off we go!