It’s come to my attention that it takes about 2 1/2 weeks for me to transition. This is good information to know. I wish I had figured it out sooner.
We are 2 1/2 weeks into the new school year and I have finally caught my wave. I struggled to paddle, took in some water, had a few balance checks, and missed a few all together. And all I knew to do was relax into my board, keep breathing, take joy in my view, and wait for the next set.
This week…I finally caught one. And the satisfaction of finally feeling that wave take over…where all I had to do was stay balanced…was a bit of a relief. Like…Finally. I knew I could do this! I’ve done it a million times. School schedules, homework, sports, busyness is not new to me. I’ve balanced before. I just have to take my time…and get used to the feel of the ocean again. I just have to take some time to re-unite myself with the waves before I can ride one.
After begging all Summer, I finally said “OK” to ballet for Flicka. I had reservations. It has been hard for me to break free from what I know. I know Gymnastics. I know Soccer. I know Swimming. I do NOT know Ballet. Ballet scares me. Ballet is slow. Ballet is rules. Ballet is not me.
But it could be her.
So…she shall do ballet.
When I finally gave in, and pulled her out of gymnastics…I dug out my old ballet shoes that my mom had saved from my one and only bout with ballet. I was 3 years old. And they fit her perfectly.
And as fate would have it…she is taking from the same dance teacher that I did.
My mother tells me of my first and only experience with ballet with fondness.
“You took with your best friend. All the little girls were very excited to be in there. You were bored out of your mind. You wanted to be jumping and flipping. At the recital…you actually rolled your eyes. You said that ballet was too slow.”
This is what I half expect to happen with Flicka. She has too much of her mother in her to be satisfied with toe pointing and beach ball holding arms. But…I’ll be John Brown if she doesn’t look like a doll in the clothes.
I could appreciate the beautiful combination of pale pink and black for hours.
I could sit and watch her twirl unsteadily on her toes…wondering at the amazement of her flowing skirt for years.
I could watch my girl dance forever.
Maybe it’s not so boring, after all.
With Fall comes Crock Pot recipes.
And new hair-do’s for school. This particular day, she wanted her hair just like the girl in Teen Beach Movie.
She has the hair that I always wanted as a kid.
I made that inspiration list…and hung it loud and proud on the front door.
And then enjoyed a little bit of all of it.
She has the best big brothers ever. They let her tackle them every single time.
And all that tackling can make a girl hungry.
The Pumpkins happened. And not a minute too soon. I’m burning the last of my Summer candle…making room for the goodness of Fall scents like Pumpkin Spice and Camp Fire. There are calling my name, rather loudly.
Chad heard me telling Aiden about my favorite book series as a kid. He found someone who was selling some online and purchased them for us. I waited every day, like an excited child for the mail to come…deflating in disappointment until they showed up late last week. I surprised Aiden with them that night at our new nightly tradition.
Each night, everyone is to be finished with their homework and showered by 8:00. At 8:00, we all gather in the Lodge room…leaving our phones and laptops and ipads in the other room. We each sink into an over-stuffed chair or lounge under a blanket on the couch and settle in for a story. I started The Haunted House. Even the boys are interested in how Elizabeth is going to convince her twin, Jessica to influence Lila Fowler to stop tormenting Nora Mercandy at school. The 8:00 hour has become my favorite time of the day. And I don’t think I’m alone. There is laughter. There is conversation. There is sibling snuggling. There is warmth. There is connecting. There is love.
I carried this book around with me everywhere when I was little. I tried to get my hair to look just like Jessica’s. It never did. But I obsessively studied the front cover…willing my hair to grow. I remember riding in the car with my Grandpa one time…telling him that I wished my name was Jessica.
He laughed and replied, “Well…maybe some day you will have a daughter and you can name her Jessica.”
I don’t know about you…
but I like “A” names for girls.
And I guess I don’t feel the desire to be anyone but me now.
I kinda like Mindy.
But…my girl…
well…she does have the hair.
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Cheers to catching waves…and to Fall…
and to the magic that a new season brings with it.