Last week, Julia’s class built a float for the Phoenix St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

She and a friend learned a collection of Irish songs and they sang acapella on the float. It was absolutely enchanting.

When they pulled up in front of the Grand Marshall, the announcer said she was going to stop talking so that everyone could just listen to them. You could have heard a pin drop. They started singing “Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ral (That’s an Irish Lullaby)”. The announcer picked up her microphone and began to sing with them. The Grand Marshall picked up his microphone and began to sing harmony with them. It was amazing – so stunning.

I’ve grown up around parades. When I was young, my father fixed Volkswagen Beetles as a hobby. One summer, we had eight at one time. Mom was always upset that there were engine parts in her cute yellow sink. Dad always said it was nothing a little Comet Cleanser couldn’t get out. We would wax his cherry red 1966 VW bug, wrap it in red, white, and blue streamers, and walk in the parade.

{Plano, Texas – the corner of Parker and Custer, about 1985}

Dad still participates in parades. A few years ago, the kids walked with him, someone from the AP snapped their picture, and they were in newspapers everywhere. The kids were sure they were famous!

{Image Credit}

I’m so glad that Julia is carrying on our parade family tradition!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day,

Kate