Enduring the Nutcracker

Last year Kate and I went to the Nutcracker together. It was such a thrill to watch her get excited as the day approached and then to watch her get totally absorbed during the performance. She was three. And I confess that, though I love ballet, I did get a little bored two hours into it, sooner than she did. And it was expensive, so I told Brent maybe we wouldn’t do it this year. I didn’t think much of it, b/c Brent had told me a couple times early in our marriage that he never planned on seeing the nutcracker again, and I specifically remember him saying he’d rather get his skin slowly peeled off first. Well today, Brent called me and said this: “I’m thinking maybe I should take Kate to the Nutcracker this year.” Woa, where did that come from? Of course I teased him. And he just said he doesn’t know how much longer it will be so magical for Kate, and she is so fun when she gets excited about these things, and how he really thinks he’d enjoy seeing her so happy, and how she could get all dressed up for it again. (What a sucker.) It was a nice little moment.