... show off her jazzy side:
... and shine in her world of hip hop:
From princess to bad ass - one year in the making was well worth the memories!
Sunday, June 27, 2010
The Life of a Super Star
One year of practice, three dress rehearsals and finally three chances to shine... all in one week we watched (with genuine pride) Hope tip toe her way through ballet:
Back on a High Note
Quite recently I sat around in the quiet of each evening just wondering and waiting. Life seemed to be on hold. Laundry was only washed out of dire necessity. Meals were prepared only when the troops refused leftovers or take out. My mind was overwhelmed with the unknown, hindering my ability to produce a publishable blog entry. Boxes sat stacked in my garage as a constant reminder of my interim state of mind. I couldn’t quite live life in a house that was perfectly prepped to sale but I also couldn’t allow myself to prep for a potential move out of genuine fear of setting false expectations. I was protecting myself from disappointment by refusing to live in the present and inadequately preparing for the future. The highs and lows of life somehow seemed to sidestep me while I secluded myself in the waiting game.
But life has resumed and we’re making up for lost time. The highs and lows that often resemble chaos in my life are abundant once more. I was spurred back into action only when every last “I” was dotted and every last “T” was crossed on the sale of our first home and on the purchase of our new house.
With only a few days to pack our overabundant belongings were thrown into boxes (without using one shred of newspaper, mind you). Through the help of my gracious family and my dear friend Elizabeth we made the move from one garage to another.
My generous Mother made the trek to Portland and with the help of my recently relocated sister Barb they kept watch on my children and scrubbed and organized my new kitchen while I immediately departed for an East Coast training tour. (Truth be told, we briefly lost our youngest babe for a few moments but he was safely returned without a scratch, although our hearts will forever be scarred by the memory of his momentary escape). While my Mom trailed my kids constantly to ensure their safety in my absence she still managed to disinfect and arrange my new kitchen. Dad left me with the nicest surprise as they left town – a freshly vacuumed house upon my arrival home after a busy day at work. Vacuuming my home is no small feat – there’s a lot of carpet in this new house! I will forever be grateful to my family for their unwavering support when I needed them most.
My last surviving Grandfather passed away only hours before I left for Boston leaving me with unattended emotions as I boarded a plane in the wee hours of the morning. My busy career and my chaotic life that so abruptly resumed averted my necessary grieving and hindered my ability to support my Father as he so gracefully accepted the passing of the first of his parents. I may forever feel guilty for losing my focus on family.
One truly talented and amazing little girl turned six years old and lost her first tooth shortly after my return from the East Coast. And my incredibly supportive family stepped up to the plate when I was preoccupied with life and arranged a fabulous birthday party for Hope, complete with diet friendly food for all, gifts of plenty to cover up my lack thereof, a delicious princess birthday cake from a delectable bakery and party favors overflowing in gift bags to entertain and occupy our rambunctious children. Maybe someday I’ll be able to repay your generosity.
I unpacked the last of the boxes in my new home just in time to watch Barb and Daryl move into their new residence, a mere mile down the road from me. The idea of having a sister close enough to arrive unannounced has already proved its worthiness. On the verge of unforeseen tragedy I called on my sister Barb who dropped everything to make a late night trip to the 24 hour emergency veterinary clinic to hold my hand and offer support as I made that final call to put our ornery Ariel to sleep. Despite the fact that Ariel was 17 years old and drove us all crazy I suddenly experienced some seriously unanticipated sorrow when Ariel came home injured. My heart was in pieces when I saw her in pain and I was simply not prepared to say my final goodbyes. Barb held me and up and wiped away my tears on that late night as we felt Ariel purr one last time. We recounted our many memories of Ariel along with all our pets that left this world long before this fateful day.
How thankful I am for all of my family. It seems as though I’ve been closing a few chapters in my life lately but I’m writing many, many more – as the old saying goes, “when one door closes another one opens” and I’m just happy to back living life one again – even if it full of highs as well as lows.
But life has resumed and we’re making up for lost time. The highs and lows that often resemble chaos in my life are abundant once more. I was spurred back into action only when every last “I” was dotted and every last “T” was crossed on the sale of our first home and on the purchase of our new house.
With only a few days to pack our overabundant belongings were thrown into boxes (without using one shred of newspaper, mind you). Through the help of my gracious family and my dear friend Elizabeth we made the move from one garage to another.
My generous Mother made the trek to Portland and with the help of my recently relocated sister Barb they kept watch on my children and scrubbed and organized my new kitchen while I immediately departed for an East Coast training tour. (Truth be told, we briefly lost our youngest babe for a few moments but he was safely returned without a scratch, although our hearts will forever be scarred by the memory of his momentary escape). While my Mom trailed my kids constantly to ensure their safety in my absence she still managed to disinfect and arrange my new kitchen. Dad left me with the nicest surprise as they left town – a freshly vacuumed house upon my arrival home after a busy day at work. Vacuuming my home is no small feat – there’s a lot of carpet in this new house! I will forever be grateful to my family for their unwavering support when I needed them most.
My last surviving Grandfather passed away only hours before I left for Boston leaving me with unattended emotions as I boarded a plane in the wee hours of the morning. My busy career and my chaotic life that so abruptly resumed averted my necessary grieving and hindered my ability to support my Father as he so gracefully accepted the passing of the first of his parents. I may forever feel guilty for losing my focus on family.
One truly talented and amazing little girl turned six years old and lost her first tooth shortly after my return from the East Coast. And my incredibly supportive family stepped up to the plate when I was preoccupied with life and arranged a fabulous birthday party for Hope, complete with diet friendly food for all, gifts of plenty to cover up my lack thereof, a delicious princess birthday cake from a delectable bakery and party favors overflowing in gift bags to entertain and occupy our rambunctious children. Maybe someday I’ll be able to repay your generosity.
I unpacked the last of the boxes in my new home just in time to watch Barb and Daryl move into their new residence, a mere mile down the road from me. The idea of having a sister close enough to arrive unannounced has already proved its worthiness. On the verge of unforeseen tragedy I called on my sister Barb who dropped everything to make a late night trip to the 24 hour emergency veterinary clinic to hold my hand and offer support as I made that final call to put our ornery Ariel to sleep. Despite the fact that Ariel was 17 years old and drove us all crazy I suddenly experienced some seriously unanticipated sorrow when Ariel came home injured. My heart was in pieces when I saw her in pain and I was simply not prepared to say my final goodbyes. Barb held me and up and wiped away my tears on that late night as we felt Ariel purr one last time. We recounted our many memories of Ariel along with all our pets that left this world long before this fateful day.
How thankful I am for all of my family. It seems as though I’ve been closing a few chapters in my life lately but I’m writing many, many more – as the old saying goes, “when one door closes another one opens” and I’m just happy to back living life one again – even if it full of highs as well as lows.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)