One More Concert...End of an Era Coming Soon - Dec. 19, 2011

 Youngest daughter has been singing the 80s for about a month now.

 The song Do They Know It's Christmas was recorded for African famine relief in the 1980s by a supergroup known as Band-Aid.

 Many of the international singing stars from that era combined their efforts and made the fundraising song.

 Now, it's all I hear.

 It's in preparation for tomorrow's Christmas concert at Park Street Elementary and is indeed the end of an era for our family.

 I can remember taking the youngest in arms to see her bigger sister perform on stage and whispering in her ear that it would be her turn in a couple of years.

 Now it's her final turn with classmates as they prepare for next year's big leap to middle school...and all that brings with it.

 The Scrooge in me can't wait until it's over, hundreds stuffed into a cramped gymnasium to watch scores of children blast out holiday tunes.

 Then, I get whimsical.

 It's huge for them and we get to see them toward the end of the innocence as elementary school seniors.

 True, it's a battle to park and a battle to find a seat, but once there, you can get some good laughs, particularly watching the younger children amble onto the stage dressed in their Sunday best.

 We're all rushing all over the map this week to prepare for Christmas and this is something you schedule your day around.

 At the end of the day, it's what it's about...watching our youth for a few minutes during a morning of excitement for all of them.

 Can't believe I'm saying this, but it makes me a bit sad.

 The girls are growing up.

 Middle daughter officially beomes a teenager tomorrow. Youngest has her final concert. Oldest is trying to buy a new car.

 Where did that all go?