New York, New York

Star light. Star bright. First star I see tonight.

Do you wish upon the stars like you did as a child?

Speaking honestly, I do more wishing on the arrival of the mail; May your expenses be few and your income be plentiful!

Dreaming can be expensive. Dreaming with an empty bank-account can be heart-breaking.

I understand why programs like the "Make a Wish" foundation ask for generous monetary donations.

What do you do with the desire to help wishes come true, when from your pockets you pull only lint?

When my mother confided to her family that she was a bit blue that her 50th birthday was rolling around without the means to take a dream vacation she'd imagined would accompany it, we called up (using all the family phone numbers) the "Home-Make a Wish" Foundation.

Although we couldn't magic her to New York, we could certainly magic New York to her.

A Broadway play was a little tricky, but knowing several talented individuals we were able to call in a few favors and come up with a dazzling line-up.

Imagine, if you will, Emily as Annie singing "The Sun will come out Tomorrow."

My brother Brendan did a moving performance of "I'm not that smart" from The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.

Grandpa and Aunty Donna sang "Down in the Valley" from that play you've never heard of.

We were delighted by Tamsin and Ella's rendition of "Popular" from Wicked.

Grandpa was the very model of a "Modern Major General" from Pirates of Penzance.

Peter Pan and the lost boys even showed up to sing "I won't grow up."

Luckily my brother Sweeney Todd and my sister in law Mrs. Lovett were not offended that we did not ask them to cater the event. They preformed "A Little Priest" for us all.

Clap your hands if you see some potential in this "Home-Make a Wish" Foundation!

Hooray for thrift, ingenuity, spectacle, and especially; hooray for a family to live our dreams along side of us.

Comments

team cowan said…
Magical. What a lucky mom. We put together something special (and free!) for my mom on her 60th: http://teamcowanzk.blogspot.com/2010/09/do-it.html

And I'm trying to make a dream come true for our mutual blogging friend Maryposa over on my blog: http://teamcowanzk.blogspot.com/2010/09/do-it.html
Brieanna said…
love it, love it, love it. You're a wonderful daughter, mother, sister, and friend. Thanks for letting us be apart of the show.
Teresa said…
Love every single bit of this! So creative! So fun! So much love! Your mother is a lucky lady. You certainly did make her 50th one to remember!
What a fun birthday! I'm sure she will always remember this.
leigh hewett said…
Your life is beautiful!
Anonymous said…
Why yes I am. Very Lucky indeed. I'm so blessed to have a creative family. I love them with all of my heart, and the Birthday was the best it could have been. I love you all. Thanks for the hours and hours of secret planning. All of you are wonderfully talented. Thank you for sharing your talents with eachother, and most of all... me.
TheUnSoccerMom said…
Wow... your mother is truly blessed!!
Megan Marie said…
Here is a question I was asked about this post:

Why are you wearing white spandex underneath your skirt in your latest blog post?

I thought there might be more readers that may be wondering this same thing. Here is my answer...

Well, technically I guess they are white spandex shorts, aren't they. I've grown so accustomed to them that I hardly considered they might be an oddity. My comfort and openness in sacred religious matters could be considered a shortcoming.

They are undergarments worn by many Latter Day Saint men and women, meant to remind them of covenants they've made with the Lord. Throughout history many people have worn clothing to signify their beliefs; the Jewish, the Islamic. Even many Christians wear crosses around their necks.

Unlike a cross, the garments we wear are not really meant to be seen, as they are more of a reminder to the wearer than an outward representation of commitment. I guess you could call my having posted a photograph of mine showing a taboo of Mormon culture and perhaps a nonchalance unbecoming to my own convictions. While the modest me feels inclined to simply take the photograph down, my larger sense of pride asserts that I would rather answer questions honestly and unashamed.

Here is the information found on the Latter Day Saints' website about these garments...

"Once people are endowed, they have the blessing of wearing the temple garment throughout their lives. They are obligated to wear it according to the instructions given in the endowment. Those who have been endowed in the temple must remember that the blessings that are related to this sacred privilege depend on their worthiness and their faithfulness in keeping temple covenants.

The garment provides a constant reminder of the covenants made in the temple. The garment should be treated with respect at all times. It should not be exposed to the view of those who do not understand its significance, and it should not be adjusted to accommodate different styles of clothing. When worn properly, the garment provides protection against temptation and evil. Wearing the garment is an outward expression of an inward commitment to follow the Savior."

So here I am, feeling chastised and inclined to be more private in the future. I learn new things each and every day.

I apologize if I have offended anyone.

Visit http://mormon.org/ to learn more about what I believe.