The Town Tree Lighting

We went to the town tree lighting a little over a week ago. Penelope was so excited for what she remembered from years past, and it was all new to Violet. I made our own cookies to bring with us, and Pen got a cocoa, which thrilled her. It wasn't too cold this year, and everything was so pretty. Santa gave the kids candy canes, Penelope was so happy to see the big blue snowflake that hangs over the street in the center of town. She thinks it is the most beautiful thing in the world. I loved all the beautiful decorated doorways and fronts of people's houses all over town. But I think I'll remember this year's town tree lighting by our experience in the church. Penelope wanted to go in to hear the children's choir singing. We were a little late, so we tip-toed in as quietly as we could and sat in a pew in the back. Both girls were listening and watching with big eyes. The children singing were so beautiful to look at and to hear, the whole thing seemed kind of magical. And then, belting it out at the top of her lungs, Violet joined in. She wasn't familiar with the church Christmas songs, so she sang her own song, but with all the feeling and passion of the choir. Maybe more than the choir. Certainly louder than the choir. And the song? She chose a selection from Disney's Fox and the Hound 2, which the girl's had borrowed from the library recently. The song was "It's Lonely at the Top", which is sung by Reba McEntire in the movie. Kind of howled more than sung at times, because Reba's character is a singing dog. And so in the beautifully lit with candles church, while the beautiful children sang, my little Violet could be heard above all - could not , in fact be silenced - singing at the top of her lungs, "Good Dogg-aye, no bone owowowowne! Good doggie, no bone, good doggie, no bone" And so we ran. My hand over her mouth, Penelope in tears that she couldn't stay to hear the children sing, and Steve and I both too embarrassed to meet the eyes of the man who was all to eager to hold open the door for us as we made our escape. Yes, I will always remember the year we went to the town tree lighting when Violet was two. Always and forever.