The girl wore my old tap shoes. There’s something about this that makes me very happy. Those were my actual tap shoes. That I wore. When I hated dance. When I was 4.
And she loved that she was wearing them. And I loved that she was wearing them.
I also think that I might could pick up tap dancing. But that’s beside the point.
The day of the recital was beautiful. It was held at the Galveston Opera House…which just made everything seem more important. The sun was bright in the sky and the ocean was around the corner.
It’s no secret that she had been saying all year that she “was not going to go to the recital.” But after she picked out her wrist corsage…minds were changed. We went from “Ow not going”…to “Don’t watch me or take pictures.”
I said, “We will watch you”…and “I will take pictures.”
She really didn’t argue anymore.
Although she didn’t look like the picture of thrilled…she did get through it.
What she lacked in I-love-ballet-pizzazz…she made up for with extreme dance move accuracy. I mean…she is looking to that hand like nobody’s business. Just like the teacher told her to. And talk about a good toe point. My girl knows how to do what she’s told. And that bodes well for her in the teacher’s pet department. I got a call a couple of weeks after the recital from her teacher saying that she was a very special student and she really wanted her back next season. I told Chad that maybe we should encourage her. I mean…what if she is supposed to be a star in The Nutcracker someday?? What if the teacher saw some serious potential in her?? He didn’t entertain these notions. He also said that he wasn’t paying for her to do something she didn’t want to do.
Point taken.
But I can’t argue that she makes the most beautiful ballerina I’ve ever seen.
And that any reason to give tiny pink roses should be respected.
Everyone was very proud. Her teenage brother even put her recital on Instagram for his friends to see.
Now that…that’s serious business.
The very next day…Chase had his Spring piano recital.
He played a difficult number. His teacher was a little worried when he first picked it out…but didn’t want to discourage him from trying. He worked so hard. He practiced all the time. And by two weeks in…he knew it backwards and forwards.
He amazed us.
And then he graduated from Elementary School.
This was a difficult day for me. I can’t even put into words why it was so difficult.
It snuck up on me. And I just wasn’t ready. He was. But I wasn’t.
I am so proud of who he is.
And I know there are great things in store for him. The next chapter is always exciting and worthy of all the celebratory hip-hip-hoorays…you’re off on your ways!! With all the look how far you’ve comes and we are so proud of you’s!! Next chapters are wonderfully freeing…and growing…and deserved.
But with any ending…
…there comes the reminder of the beginning…
…and that beginning was just yesterday. And the reality of that…made my heart ache.
And I just wanted to hold him a little longer.