by Sarah Darling

Created on: July 26, 2008   Last Updated: October 31, 2008

We all have moments that make us proud that we are parents. Set back and I will tell you of such a moment. The year was 1988.This was a year that we would learn just how beautiful our daughter was.

We had not been doing very well. I was at home with my little girl. My husband had been working , but was laid off. The money was short, and my daughter was looking foreward to Christmas. She had no idea that things were as bad as they were. We tried to keep it from her, but she was not stupid. She knew something was not right, because I could not always hide my concern. It was almost time for school to be out for the holidays. We worried that we would not have enough for rent, food and utilities, let enough Christmas. Let me tell you it was awful.

I decided that we would have whatever Christmas we could and have faith it would all work out. My daughter Cassie was told to make her list, and not to worry. We found out that her school would have a special event for their Christmas program. The kids would sing and put on the Christmas story. The stress was getting to both me and my husband. We did not always put on a happy face, and out little girl was beginning to really worry. Everyone knows what it's like to tell your child that no presents were coming for Christmas. We did not know where to turn. We had no one to turn to. But we decided to go to the part at school, and try to have some fun. The decorating was finished at home, such as it was, and the tree up.

The night for the play arrived, and we dressed up warmly, to walk to the school and it was not very far thank goodness. It was about a ten minute walk. We got there about five minutes to seven. We took our seats. They were also giving out prizes to kids that had excelled in school during the school year. They were all excited, and wanting to win. My daughter didn't even get excited, because she figured she would not get anything. School had been very hard for her that year. She was feeling like an outcast. The neighbor kids made her life terrible, and they followed her back and forth to school constantly hurting her, and taking her things. It had been a bad year indeed. She was so small, and we wanted nothing more than to see her happy. She was a good kid, and she deserved to at least have a Christmas.

The teachers came in and the students and parents waited for the crowd to settle. The announcement was made. It was almost time to announce the winners of the prizes. Well, we figured the prizes would consist

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