before the trip...

there was dancing. lots of dancing. and maybe lots of tears. joined by our moms and sisters plus one boyfriend (bless his heart for sitting through it all), we watched with great anticipation and excitement as these two girls took the stage. the show was spectacular, as always. this year the title was "old towne market". the back drops were beautiful and the costumes lovely and sparkly. the girls had been counting the days down until their big day, and the day before during rehearsal i may have stood in the wings with tears pouring down my cheeks as i caught the eye of another mom and smiled, "that's my baby out there"...which in turn made her eyes well up, we were a sight! can't help that feeling of being so proud.

the girls were ready, makeup on, tights and shoes on, hair done, potty trips taken, costumes on. i leave them backstage and take my seat with our families. i look at my mom and the tears come again. can't help myself. she smiles, maybe even rolled her eyes a little, but she is kinda used to it, she has two kids who cry at just about anything. the lights go down and the show starts. penny is out by the fifth number, "my baby and me", her smile lights up the stage and she can't keep her eyes off her assistant teacher. she would have stayed there for the whole show if she was allowed. i finally breath after she exits the stage, my heart is fluttering in my chest.

{penny is in the middle of these two girls}

sophie leads her group out for the eighth number "sparkling rubies and the soldier". she has practiced and knows her steps, she is brave and courageous. she seems so grown up, the tears come again. i am so proud of them, their abilities and confidence.

{sophie is the third from the right} curtain call at the end of the first act for the little dancers. penny spots us and waves with a huge smile. we may have all waved back with great vigor. their teacher and the owner of the studio come out to applaud them. there are awards/scholarships given out, one to one student from each division. sophie's name is called for her class. she accepts, curtsies, and returns to her line. there is an overwhelming sense of joy and thankfulness in my heart. both these girls have shown so much maturity in their ability to handle the long nights and days of the production, to remember their steps and even to step out on that stage. but beyond it all, i am most proud of their willingness to help each other out, to check in on each other backstage and to encourage each other at the end of it all.

that time again

we are about to head out again on a road that we have become very familiar with, a road that offers beauty, peace, and adventure with every bend and hill, with every sand dune and wave break. we are excited. the girls have been counting down. every night before we go to sleep the girls share "secrets" with us. they are the same secrets every night. penny's to me is "i love you with all my heart, and can we always go camping?" my reply is, "always, with marshmallows, and i love you with all my heart." tonight i smiled against her cheek as i whispered in her ear, "we get to buy marshmallows tomorrow!"

and so we are off to the coast, the oregon coast. not as we usually do, there is a difference this year and my heart is a little sad about it, maybe even shed a tear or two yesterday...scott just held me and reminded me that nothing is permanent, and that if this doesn't work out we don't have to sell the van. i asked if we could get another one one day, he smiled as only he could and said, "oh bud, of course we will get another one."

so new moments and memories await, with a new look this year.