Last night I stayed up until Midnight cutting out petals for Nutcracker.  The show is a mere days away and there is still much to be done!!  I’m very excited for the costumes, because I know the seamstresses have been working tirelessly to recreate many of the costumes for the show.
I’ve watched time and again while they try the costumes on and refit and re-sew.  It’s been crazy.  I have had the opportunity to help a few times, but nothing compared to all the efforts I have seen by others!!

Yesterday was kind of a let down.  They set aside a room and time to have volunteers come and help with the final details.  I ran about 50 minutes late and was hoping there would be a place for me.  But when I walked in, I found there were MANY places for me.  One seamstress sat there with the help of her mother and that was it!  I was shocked.  There at least 50 people in the cast; many having two roles each!  Just imagine the costumes that need assistance!  And no one showed up.

I know many have things to do and many have taken stuff home.  But this was a quick 3 hour pow-wow where we had the opportunity to bang everything out and be done.

And in the end, only a couple more showed up to help.  Most of the stuff was just re-loaded into the seamstresses car so she could go home and figure out what to do with it all!

And once again, I give a shout out to the volunteers.  Ughhhhh…….

Volunteering would be much easier if more people didn’t assume that everyone else had it handled.  I know I fall prey to this some times.  When I was working, I literally had to hand it over to whomever was available.  And I was thankful for their stepping up.  But I always emailed the teachers and put myself out there for anything that I could do if they needed me!

The thing about volunteers, that I have noticed, is when one step up; many step back.  And what inevitably happens is the one who volunteered, gets the brunt, gets burned out and then is hard pressed to want to do it again.

And who can blame them?

Over the course of my daughters journey through elementary school the same moms step up to volunteer year after year.  I’m very thankful for them.  And I admit, I have taken them for granted as well as many others.

Volunteering is giving up of one’s family time to give to many others.

I wonder how much family time our seamstress has sacrificed for the sake of this show?

Maybe I’m sounding harsh.  But as I was cutting out petals and patterns last night I was painfully aware that this was one tiny component of a much bigger picture.

I’m very anxious to photograph the Nutcracker this year.  It’s going to be beautiful!  It took a lot to pull it together.  I’m thankful to all the hands that helped.  But for our main seamstresses;  my hat is off to you!!!  I’ve seen the hours of hard work you have put in.  You are clearly passionate about this.

And as my daughter is up there in her russian costume, spinning around, I know for a fact it was the work of at least two women to get this costume done for my child.  I am truly grateful!!

Happy Thursday!