[Nevertheless] The Show Must Go On

Today started yesterday. As in, I haven't slept since the night before last. It was a usual busy tech day for the mainstage performance in which several of my children are acting and for which I'm doing costuming and other things. I repaired costumes torn apart in a fight scene, added a pocket to a tech costume, made signs, and worked on positive post containers and cast gifts. I didn't make it into rehearsal because I was so busy, but with the pounding migraine raging in my skull, that was ok with me. I then shuttled children to the high school to attend friends' school concert and returned to do more last-minute things for the play.

Finally, Epoch Arts was shutting down for the night and teens were ready to be picked up. Soon, we were on our way home. That is, until the bridge over the river that we needed to cross in order to get home was closed due to an accident. I pulled into a nearby gas station to add some gas to my nearly empty tank and to call my husband to ask how the heck we were go get home, as I'm directionally challenged.

On our way once again, we ignored the GPS's instructions to turn around until finally we were far enough from the original route that I felt comfortable following the GPS directions. Comfortable, that is, until, at just shy of 11PM, the GPS told me to "board the ferry ahead." I've never had a GPS suggest a trip on a ferry, and definitely not at night. Back to the main road we went, praying the GPS wouldn't lead us astray again. 

After what seemed ages, we were home. I said goodnight to my husband, then made myself some food to eat before taking my nighttime medications. 

I tossed and turned all night, partially due to pain, partially due to heat and humidity ... and possibly due to the late-in-the-day macchiato that had found its way into my life. 

When my husband's alarm went off, I gave up on sleeping in favor of spending a little time with the man who I had barely seen for two weeks due to theater rehearsals and other activities. 

Shortly thereafter, our eldest daughter, Zephyr, emerged from her room with news of a sick boyfriend in need of medical attention and the imminent arrival of said boyfriend's parents. Checking in with the hurting teen, I hoped things weren't to serious, as I love Fynn and don't want him to be hurting ... and as he's an integral character in the play that opens tomorrow night. It touched my heart that he seemed perhaps more worried about the play than about himself. 

Contacting the directors of the play to let them know that one of the actors was potentially out of commission, I learned that one was up in the middle of the night dealing with a utility pole fire outside of their house. It was a rough night for several of us, it seemed.

Zephyr and Fynn off to the ER with the other parental units, I had to get on with my day. There were costumes to mend, last minute errands to run, and children to get to rehearsal. 

Word came that Fynn would be fine after antibiotics and rest, thank God. 

Arriving at the theater early, one of the tech crew informed me he was leaving to go to the get a tetanus shot, having stepped on a rusty hammer the night before. 

Sometimes life throws you a roadblock, emergency, fire, or otherwise - nevertheless, the show must go on. And it did. By opening night, all was well once again.

And then the bird flew into the theater, but that's another story.

Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse.  Philippians 4:8 MSG 

[This post was started last week, when I thought I had a few moments to sit and write ... and finished days later, because, well, life happens.]