My youngest daughter loves the Disney movie, The Little Mermaid. She has mermaid dolls, an Arial dress, and loves the entire story. So when my husband saw that The Little Mermaid would be a show at a theatre in Warsaw, he knew he’d found the perfect Mother’s Day present for me, a trip for me and my little princess. So this past Tuesday I raced home from the office, threw on my own “princess dress”, loaded my excited and very fashionable little mermaid in the car, and headed north.

This was the first theatre production my daughter has been to. She’s seen concerts in the park, she’s been to the movies, but this was the first time she’s seen the magic she only knew on screen come to life in real people, moving sets, and spectacular costumes. She LIVED that show. She was IN THE MOMENT. When Ursula showed her true colors, she practically climbed over my head, trying to get away. When Arial first saw her own two feet, she laughed and clapped. When the cast put on a dance number, she sat straight up, rapt, enthralled. She was watching magic on that stage, and for this mommy who so often feels overwhelmed by all the needs, the messes, and the everyday demands that we all juggle, this was the PERFECT gift. Anybody looking our way would have seen the tears in my eyes, and thought I was the biggest Little Mermaid fan in the room, but as excellent as that show was, I wasn’t watching the stage…I was watching the magic that is my child.

After every dance or musical number, the lights would dim and the audience knew that was our cue to show our appreciation. I’m an adult, and my applause has been whittled down by time and experience to a polite clapping, really barely audible and not very impressive. I could learn a thing or two from my little girl. After every number, she’d jump up and clap so hard that her little shoulders would shake. She hooted and hollered. She shouted with delight and let the actors know they were doing an awesome job, as far as she was concerned. She showered the stage with adoration, and that was quite a sight to see.

This wasn’t a Broadway show, and while the tickets weren’t priced in the hundreds, the entire trip was definitely more than I would have budgeted for as a “Mother’s Day gift”. I would have been happy with the handmade cards, the hugs and kisses, and the night of no cooking. But when it comes to making memories and experiencing the world with your family, I can honestly say that this past Tuesday was a priceless gift. It’s a memory that I’ve tucked away in my heart and will never forget. And while I live for budgeting and keeping my family on a path towards financial well-being, there really are some things that are totally worth the money. I’m Claire, the Afena blog mom. Thanks for reading.