Beginning of Firsts

Saturday our family had a wedding shower for my cousin. Typically, the girls of the family all go together, but we were one less today. Just a few of my thoughts about the day.

Today a day filled with happiness has a bit of sadness overshadowing.
Today is the beginning of the firsts where your beautiful eyes, friendly smile, loving heart, and busy hands won’t be here.
But I pull myself up, wipe the tears from my face, and head out the door to celebrate.
Why?
Because although my heart is aching with a void, you taught me many lessons and the two I need today are: 1. Family is important…spend as much time as possible with them. 2. Life is short…LIVE!

Dance…While you can

One of the things those of you that have been following me know is that I have been trying to work on living the moment to the fullest.  This is not something that comes easy to me as, I am a very detailed scheduler and often miss out on things because it isn’t on the agenda.

While out grocery shopping the other day, this book caught my eye. I took it off the shelf opened the front cover and read the first poem.

First I was dying to finish high school and start college.

 And then I was dying to finish college and start working.

 And then I was dying to marry and have children.

 And then I was dying for my children to grow old enough so I could go back to my career.

 And then I was dying to retire.

 And now I am dying…

and suddenly realize that I forgot to live.

Author Unknown

So I splurged on myself and spent $13 on myself because this book combined something I needed and something I loved.

When I was a little girl one of my greatest desires was to be a ballerina, unfortunately when I was 3 years old I suffered a significant injury to my left leg and according to the doctor was not allowed to dance.  That is part of the reason I enjoy watching my daughter dance.

Daily Progress 2o minutes at a rate of 4mph.

You’ve come a long way baby….

Today is recital day…there are a few things that I knew will come true today:  1.  It would rain and 2. My girlfriend would get sick and miss the recital.  So far I am 3 for 3.

As a little girl, I dreamed of being a ballerina.  Due to an injury when I was 3, it was a dream unfulfilled.  When I found out I was having a precious princess, I must have purchased every outfit that had a pair of ballet slippers on them or looked like something a ballerina might wear.

Although eager to impart my passion for ballet to my princess, I had to wait until she was 3 to enroll her in the combination class(acrobat, ballet and tap).  We were blessed to have a wonderful teacher, Ms. Jenny, who the princess adores still.

1st Recital 3 years old

Fast forward 2 years….in addition to her combination class, and her Introduction to Jazz class; the princess earned a spot on the competition team.  There was a time at the beginning of this dance year that I didn’t think my little perfectionist would make it, but she pulled through.  She realized that she didn’t have to be perfect but she did have to practice daily and do her best.

Tonight she danced five dances on stage.  She was amazing and I was proud to see how her hard work her made her a better dancer.

3rd recital 6 years old

Here is to many more years dancing as long as she enjoys it.

I Hope You Dance 

By: Lee Ann  Womack

I hope you never lose your sense of wonder
You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger
May you never take one single breath for granted
God forbid love ever leave you empty-handed

I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean
Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens
Promise me that you’ll give faith a fighting chance
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance

I hope you dance
I hope you dance

I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance
Never settle for the path of least resistance
Living might mean taking chances but they’re worth taking
Lovin’ might be a mistake but it’s worth making

Don’t let some hell-bent heart leave you bitter
When you come close to selling out reconsider
Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance

I hope you dance
(Time is a wheel in constant motion always)
I hope you dance
(Rolling us along)
I hope you dance
(Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder)
I hope you dance
(Where those years have gone)

I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean
Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens
Promise me that you’ll give faith a fighting chance
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance

Dance
I hope you dance
(Dance)
I hope you dance
(Time is a wheel in constant motion always)
I hope you dance
(Rolling us along)
I hope you dance
(Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder)
I hope you dance
(Where those years have gone)

Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder
(Dance)
Where those years have gone
(Dance)

Today’s exercise consisted of running back and forth between the theater and dressing room to change the princess into her multiple costumes both for rehearsal this morning and recital tonight.

Pride

Such pride filled my heart when my students were so proud of their work that they wanted to share with their poems.  In turn I will share them with you all and hope you enjoy.  These were written by 9 and 10 year olds.

Dancing

Drum Beat

Flowing Music

Leaping, Twirling, Plie’

Tip-toe, Strength, Imagination

Spotlight

By: Olivia

Flower

So beautiful smell

Outside the smell carries me

Making my nose sneeze

By: Juan

Snakes

Silent Slithering

Choking prey in an instant

Toxic, Poison, SNAP!

By: Rashad

Headed back to the park today but it was a very hot 95 degrees.  I did a mile sticking with the 1:30 walk and 1:00 jog in 13:09.  Due to the heat and trying to fight off a hormonal headache, I abandoned the heat and did 20 minutes on the elliptical.

Mother’s Day

6 years, 1 month and 28 days ago, God blessed me with the birth of my precious princess.+

I never imagined the amount of emotion that would consume my being.  Love for this tiny one inundated my being along with a fierceness to protect her and ensure that I was the perfect mother.

Lord, knows I have fallen short on that many times…but my heart and desire is always to do what is best for her.

We laugh, we cry, we play, we sing, we dance, we cook, we talk, we snuggle, we battle for control and oh so many other things.  Motherhood by far is the hardest thing I have ever done but also is the greatest.

I know she is only six and it may seem I have all the time in the world to grow our relationship, but I know I will turn around and soon she will be a mom.  I vow to cherish each moment I am given.

Turn Around

Author: Recorded by Harry Belefonte, N. Griffith and K. Loggins

Where are you going, my little one, little one?
Where are you going my baby, my own?
Turn around and you’re two, turn around and you’re four,
turn around and you’re a young girl going out of the door.

Turn around, turn around, turn around and you’re a young girl,
going out of the door.

Where are you going, my little one, little one?
Little dirndls and petticoats, where have you gone?
Turn around and you’re tiny, turn around and you’re grown,
turn around and you’re a young wife, with babes of your own.

Turn around, turn around, turn around and you’re a young wife,
with babes of your own.

Where are you going my little one, little one?
Where are you going, my baby, my own?

1 month and 18 days in….

After 2 days off it felt good to pound the pavement again.  Headed back to the park but the gates were locked so parked and took a different path.  The path was a nice change with a few inclines.  A little slow after 2 days off but did 2.8 in 45:50.

My students have asked to spend some more time on poetry so I thought I would share another that I have attempted.

It broke last night in the dark stillness

With the moonlight streaming in.

As it broke the water rushed up…

out of the heart…

past the throat…

through the brain…

down to the eyes.

It poured like a faucet,

Until sleep overtook it.

Yet with the dawn’s light,

It began again.

Bless the plumber with the magic pill who can make it stop.

They get it revisited!

After reading the poem of my student who I have struggled with having him complete assignments, I had to share.

When in life am I going to use poetry?

Why do I have to learn to write it?

It is more useless than a broken arm,

and two severed legs.

Many teachers I know would have been furious with an assignment turned in like this because they view it as blatant disrespect.  Not me, I saw it as a poet who used visual imagery to share his feelings about a subject while invoking emotion in the reader.

So to my reluctant worker you have earned an A+.

There was no jog/walk today as I have been fighting a migraine all day and came home and crashed in bed.

They get it!!!!!

As a teacher I am constantly reflecting and wondering, are my students understanding what I am teaching and then deciding how to proceed.  Having time during conference night, I read over some of my students’ poetry pieces and was thrilled- they seem to be developing their own passion for this genre.

After reading Isn’t My Name Magical? by James Berry, students were to write a short poem that shows how they feel about their names.

One on my girls wrote they following:

My name is for me only!

I don’t like when someone answers for me when I’m being called.

It makes me feel like there is another me in the universe.

Neglect

A tiny seed was plant,

Then given such tender attention.

Food…

Water…

Fertilizer…

Weeds pulled…

and even pruned.

And soon the bud was opened.

And for a fleeting moment,

its beauty, fragrance, and all it had to offer,

held it master’s affection.

But as time passed,

for reasons unknown,

the master begin to neglect this thing of beauty

that could bring  such delight.

As days turned into months,

and months into years, its head began to droop.

Its color began to fade away.

Its petals began to drop one by one.

Would there be any one who would be willing to bring life back to this object of great beauty…

or would it be forever gone?

Funk

My day went well but for some reason a funk has come over me. Don’t know if it is tiredness or hormones gearing up for their visit. I didn’t want to jog but knew I must.  The funk did hinder me a little as it took me 30:15 to complete my 2 miles.

Emotions are ever-changing and I am ever learning how to manage them.  This week I am introducing diamante poems. So here is my attempt to contrast the feelings swimming throughout my being.

Happiness

Glorious, Wonderful

Merriment, Laughter, Joy

People, Emotions, Variables, Mental State

Hurts, Cries, Silences

Awful, Blue

Depression