The Morning They Danced

My plan was to steer clear of the blog until I caught up a bit on some SummerK work.  Blogging would be a reward of sorts, you know?   So, I guess I’m breaking my own rule.  Running a business from my home has taught me that there is always work that could be done.  Balance is essential.   I look in the rear view mirror of this year and see all the stories that have been left untold, photos that have been left untouched, and words that have been left unwritten.  Oh, how I grieve untold stories. 

I’m still working on understanding balance.

Chanelle and I took a road trip last weekend. (Another untold story).  Fourteen hours in the car and some much needed connecting with old friends.  It was lovely except for the part when I came home with the flu and lost two days this week.  (I know, cue the sad music.)  Anyway, I say all of this to say that I am breaking my own rules and blogging because the little moments have always been important to me.  The everyday surprises of being a Mama are the things I never want to forget. 
Before I begin, though, I want to preface this with a few things:

*The post is written by Running Chatter, not SummerK Photography.  Excuse these pictures.  It was dark, camera settings were stretched, and my girls were moving. . . fast.
*We’ve lived in our house for one and a half months and we still have nothing on our walls.  Check back with me in a month–my guess is that they will still be empty.

With that being said. . .

Dancing. 

I’ve written about dancing before.  I wrote about it here and again here.  That second post, written just about a month ago was about how Chanelle “doesn’t like to dance”. 

(Riiiiiiight.)

Just this morning the girls and I finished making little hand print turkey’s out of construction paper.  (Because we like to think we are crafty when, if fact, we are not.) I digress.  Anyway, when we were finished Chanelle asked if we could watch Dancing With The Stars.  (Yes, we DVR it on Monday’s and watch it when we have time during the week–go ahead and judge me.)  Truthfully, I love doing this with my girls.  Typically, they pay close attention.  Sometimes, they dance.  Often, they score the dancers.  (Though, Meadow always awards a very loud and boisterous “NINE!!!”.)

This morning, when we turned on the program and heard the DWTS band begin to play, Meadow took the lead.  As soon as she heard the music, Meadow raced toward me at the speed that matched that of a horse at the Kentucky Derby and pulled the fluffy brown sweatshirt she was wearing over her head.  She threw the sweatshirt on the floor, ran into the living room, did a full circle spin and then used her hand to call me upstairs. 

By now, I knew where this was headed, and Chanelle didn’t miss a beat.  Up the girls went to prepare for the show.  Make sure it’s a twirly dress Chanelle instructed. . .

Couches were pushed out of the way and the floor was set.  The show began. . .

And as they watched the show, I watched them. 

‘Round and around they twirled.  They kept “hold” and broke it.  They waltzed and they quick stepped.  Step by ungraceful step, they enjoyed everything about the moment. . . and so did I. 

Hair accessories were changed with each commercial break.  So was hair color. . .

And shoes. . .

I watched as they anticipated their scores with intense emotions. . .

. . . and did my best to pretend that this wasn’t the cutest thing ever.  (But really, it was.) 

They danced and I watched.  There really wasn’t more to it than that.  But you know what?  I can not imagine a more lovely way to spend a morning. 

Dude, I spy a rainbow on the bare wall!

And as I watched I knew that I would always look back to this simple morning and remember it as the morning they danced.  I mean, the morning that they really danced.  The morning they threw their hearts and souls into it and danced as if I wasn’t watching. 

I know that this morning was just one tiny page in the massive book of memories we are writing.  But it is a page I think I’ll return to again and again. 

 Because when I look into their eyes, I realize how fast it’s going. . .

. . . and the memories are what I will have forever. 

And of course, I’ll always remember how, ‘Chanelle doesn’t like to dance’. 

****************************

I’ll be back to celebrate a TWO year old on Sunday.  Happy Weekend!!