Wedded bliss

August was a big month at our house. Miss A started kindergarten. We found a new place to make memories for years to come (more on this one to come). Plus we got to celebrate a wedding and add a new member to our extended family.

Our girls even got to be part of the big day as flower girls. They were beyond excited to be included in the celebration.

The party started with a morning of pedis. Everyone got to pick their own color. Lots of little toes in warm, bubbly water. Lots of brightly painted toes in perfect shape for dancing the night away. So pretty!

Then it was off to IHOP. Nothing like pancakes to complete a morning of fun.

Practice makes perfect.

Wedding day. A beautiful, very warm, sun-shiny day. Off to the salon...not surprisingly Miss A was ready to jump up and get the curling started.

Miss K, on the other hand, was happy to wait until last and then not so sure she wanted anything to do with that funny looking chair. Fortunately a partly melted Kit Kat saved the day. Chocolate makes everything OK.

The smiling results.

Picture fun.

A beautiful ceremony. A beautiful location. A beautiful couple.

A little dancing. A few props.

Proof of a good night...Miss A's feet when she woke a bit sleepy eyed late the morning after.

Thank you J & D for including us in your celebration. We were all honored to witness a beautiful day. Miss K's flower girl dress still has a few sparkles on it after many days of wear including a few speech sessions. Nothing like a fuchsia flower girl dress to turn heads during a walk across campus.

Piano dancing

Most days Miss A spends part of the day sitting at the piano. She started taking lessons last fall. Since I play myself it was a thrill that she wanted to try lessons. Luckily we found a wonderful teacher who is helping her learn a skill she can enjoy for years and years to come.

She can also be found at some point every day dancing around our home. It might be in the living room, the front yard or her room. There may be music playing that I can hear or there may be some song playing in her head that keeps the dancing going.

One afternoon while we were spending a quiet day at home Miss A said, "Mom, can you come play piano?" I answered that I most certainly would as soon as I could. So I wrapped up the current project and headed to the piano. "What would you like me to play?," I asked. Her reply was, "Lorie Line or whatever you want."

So I grabbed a book and began. I'm lucky enough to have a beautiful, tall upright black Yamaha piano. That fact allowed me to see what unfolded behind me. My Miss A quietly putting on her ballet shoes and choregraphing a beautiful dance right before my eyes. I kept playing and she kept dancing. When the music got faster or louder her movements got faster and bigger. When the music slowed or quieted, so did her dancing. I've been aware for some time of her innate sense of timing, rhythm and movement but that afternoon I was reminded what a gift she was given.

God put something in her that makes her a great little dancer and lover of music. I hope she is able to continue refining those gifts and uses them to make people smile. I'll try to help her in any way I can.

In the meantime, thank goodness for my beautiful, shiny black piano that lets me sneak a peek at my dancer and her spontaneous choreography.