The Crazee Chick's View of Life

Last Friday night... was an amazing night for Mo and a bunch of her friends! No, they didn't dance on tabletops. No, they didn't go streaking in the park or skinny dipping in the pool. And no, they didn't break the law. Thank goodness. Nope, these lucky girls got to dance in the halftime show of the BC Lions game at the first game back in the newly re-opened BC Place! Sarah McLachlan singing the national anthem Dancing to "Raise the Roof" Dance has brought her so many amazing experiences! She's danced in a Christmas Parade, at the Paralympics Opening Ceremonies, at Disneyland, and now this. Next month she also gets to be in the Grey Cup parade and in the halftime show again!   In July both Mo and Kiki will be travelling with their dance teams to compete in Vegas!  I wonder if these kids realize how lucky they are?

  Yeah, that's my girl with a big trophy!  Tap Solo 2011 WINNER!! Quite a sparkly outfit, no? It looks so fabulous on stage!

For the last three years, we have faced decisions about dance. Decisions such as whether to go, whether to stay, and this year....whether to continue. For the record, just let me make it clear that none of these have ever been easy to make. Year after year we have shed many, many tears trying to do what's best for our girls. This year is no exception. After much thinking and praying, we have decided that Mo is going to leave the company team and reduce her dance commitment down to about 4 hours per week. Tap has always been her strength, and her love, so she will continue to dance with the company team in that genre as well as do a tap solo. The rest of the dance hours will be in jazz, jazz tech and a second tap class. She was honored when she was hand picked to be on an elite tap team but has been very mature in having to say goodbye to that honor as well. I am very proud of my girl. And sad. I will miss seeing her dance. To say that I love watching her leap, jump and spin...

Today is a time for me to reflect. On this day, one year ago, I was rushed to the hospital barely conscious, and very, very sick. To read about what happened, click here. It's a long read so I suggest you find a comfy spot, grab a cuppa tea or hot chocolate, and wrap yourself up in a blankie. I've thought a lot about what this past year has meant to me and I feel an overwhelming inability to put it into words. The only way I can really peg it is to say that it was a time of rebirth for me. After just coming off Easter weekend where we celebrate Christ's victory over the grave I hope you won't see this post as trying to draw any parallels between Jesus and myself because, clearly, there can not be any. What I do feel though is that this past year has been one of renewal, reinvention and rebirth. How apropos that my illness and recovery occurred in the spring: the quintessential 'rebirth.' I am not the woman I was 365 days ago. I love harder, work har...

It's off to Disneyland we go! Finally! We've been talking about it for years but now, because Mo and her dance group are going to be performing at Disneyland, we've finally got the impetus we've needed to go! We like to procrastinate. I'd tell you all about how bad we are with procrastinating but I'll do it tomorrow. Maybe. Okay. Focus. Disneyland! Did I mention that we're going?! We are! Finally! Whoops, besides procrastinating, I also like to repeat myself. Sometimes in different ways, but I always say things more than once. Just to make sure you got it. Did you? Get it, that is? We're going to Disneyland ! And we're really excited!! I sure hope we get to see... Mickey and his beautiful wife, Minnie: Nemo and Dory because I speak 'whale' and have short term memory loss so Dory and I are kindred spirits. Did I mention that I like to repeat things? I do! I really feel a connection to Dory. Wall-E, beca...

Tomorrow will be a sad day for my kids and me as we bid a loving farewell to our dance family. We have enjoyed two wonderful years with some of the sweetest people on the planet and our heart breaks to say goodbye to them. Why are we leaving? It’s complicated. But it comes down to opportunity. Since learning about 'company dance teams' a number of years ago at a dance convention it has been my girls' dream to be part of such a team. Our current studio doesn't have this so when we learned that a spot was available on the Intermediate Company Team at another dance studio we decided to audition. Morgan danced her little butt off and was successful in securing a spot. This left us with a difficult decision to make; should we stay at our current studio where we have established wonderful relationships and where we love our teachers, or close our eyes and jump into this unknown arena? Through much contemplation and prayer we decided to make the leap. It's my kid...

My life, Facebook-status style... Lisa is off to dance competition with Mo. Lisa is so happy Mo tapped so well! Lisa is mad that the judges are idiots and only gave her a silver. Lisa practised restraint when she passed the judges on the stairwell and didn't push them down. Lisa is proud of her self control. Lisa complained and swore to all her friends. Lisa calmed down. Lisa enjoyed Mo's group jazz routine. Lisa was elated that the jazz routine won first place. Lisa realizes that this is the first time Mo's group has ever won first in jazz! Lisa crawls home exhausted after a long day of dance competitions and wonders how the kids can keep up. Lisa woke up today and it felt like Groundhog day. Back out to dance competitions. Lisa didn't forget to pick up her friend's daughter. Lisa was happy to watch the Jr. Tap group perform. Lisa was disappointed in the silver medal. Lisa sucked it up. Lisa realizes that she can't be in two places at once so changes piano less...

At least, that's how my daughter lives it. Somedays I'm not sure if I have Annie, Sharpay, Sophie or one of the 2 million Von Trap children living in my home. Each day I wonder which of these musical characters will sit down at my breakfast table Instead of a gentle hug, Kiki feels it's necessary to fly across the room with arms stretched out wide, with a smile on her face and a song in her heart (it'd be perfect if there was wind for her hair and a beach in the background...but you can't have it all) into my arms and squeeze, squeeze, squeeeeze the living day lights out of me. No matter that I've just returned from a momentary trip to the bathroom and not a week long trip to Jamaica (like my friends just did! Lucky!), I still need to receive a hug that says 'I missed you. I love you. You are my whole world.' Of course I need that.... Instead of walking from kitchen to family room, Kiki needs to piroette, jette and chasse (not sure of the spelling but th...

Today I sneaked into the dance studio and watched the girls' lyrical numbers. They were so beautiful I cried. Not once, Not twice, But three times. Kiki's group is dancing to "The Prayer" by Celine Dion and Mo's group is dancing to "One Voice" by Billy Gilman. Two beautiful, very moving, songs. The dance truly is....a dance...an interweaving of beautiful music, beautiful movements, haunting symbolism and imagery. Truly moving... of both body and mind.

I've got the rhythm. I've got the moves. I've got it goin' on! Okay, not really...but I am having a good time shaking what my momma gave me! Last night I signed up for an adult *tap* workshop and I had a complete blast. Never mind that I've got the biggest thighs in the place, Never mind that my groove thang is hangin', Never mind that my girls are a floppin', I HAD FUN! ...and I plan on havin' more!

My little dancers... had a very busy week at dance competitions. Kiki's jazz group brought home a silver medal and Mo's tap group captured the gold! Both Mo's lyrical and jazz groups showed a vast improvement and even managed to land in the medal spots (for lyrical) this time around. Both the jazz and lyrical groups have a lot of new dancers and so they are still working out the kinks. Maybe next year they'll be contenders for those number one spots! I'm so proud of my girls...they just glow on the stage. Kiki's smile covers her whole face and when she dances she has so much energy that it's infectious. Mo's talent in tap continues to blow me away! I love to watch her dance and my mind often wanders back to 6 years ago...she was so shy and so afraid to leave me for dance class that I would literally have to put my foot on her bottom and push her through the door. I'd shut it quickly and pray that she wouldn't remain on the floor crying the entire...