Self Improvement, Circus, Dance and Catching My Breath....

So this has been the craziest month EVER! I think I say that every May. I have literally been holding on for dear life as the activities, the school finals, school meetings,  the Married Life events etc. come all rolling together. Top all that with the fact that my husband has been working TONS. I hate that when the end of the school year rolls around I am so filled with anxiety. I try so hard to stay in the word, pray and keep focused but it gets insane when you are alone a lot. If nothing else mentally it's challenging. We survived though and with only a couple days of school left and one more crazy weekend I am looking to June to put my feet up. :) Morgan had her big dance recital this past weekend.

Dan was able to sneak over and see both girls shows which was so exciting because Morgan on the second night was awarded her Pointe shoes. If you know anything about ballet this is HUGE! These girls bust their buts to get accepted to dance on pointe. The crazy thing is, Morgan only started dancing last year and just turned 12. She only spent one year in pre pointe which is saying she pretty much busted her butt all year. When she saw her daddy standing there she burst into tears. It was so sweet.

Another exciting thing is that Morgan won a scholarship to dance next year in any class of her choice for free next semester. She applied and was awarded the scholarship by her tap teacher. She had never taken tap before Jan. of this year and was already in Tap II. You could not pick her out of the kids that had been tapping their whole lives. She just picked it up and allowed her teacher to correct every little thing all semester until she got it.

Both grandmas were bursting at the seams when she won her certificates.

Morgan and her good friend Kathy were crying and laughing and crying some more. They were determined to get in to pointe the same year and not let the other get left behind. I cannot wait to watch them grow together next year.

Ryanne also had her show this weekend. Yup' same days, same times basically. Sigh......Morgan birth mom, her fiance and Morgans half brother Dylan came to watch Ryanne in her show and then headed over to Morgans. It was special for both girls that they drove all that way and spent the day with us.

My little acrobat.

Sorry for the blur but no flash was allowed and it was crazy lighting in there.

She and her partner Sophia did GREAT!

Flying through the air with ease. :) Good job girls! Way to stick with it and support your class mates. Proud of you guys.

Over the years Dan has always asked me why I yell. My reply? I'm not yelling. Then my ever diplomatic husband would say,"Oh yes you are yelling. We're right here. Don't yell." I would then remind him that HELLLOOO I'm half Mexican and part Greek, did you think you married calm? So with that being said one morning while I was doing my quiet time God really convicted me that I am kinda loud; OK I yell there I said it. It was about the same time that I was reading this book "10 Days to a Less Defiant Child." I love how any good parenting book always (or at least should) point the finger back at the parent and give us the tools to make changes, not change our kids per say. My youngest loves to challenge me and strangely enough Dan also pointed out that I too am a bit OCD, like a challenge and am always on the go often dancing to my own music. Thus creating constant friction with the mini me version in the house. I want things done my way in my time and she dances to a different tune which I always thought of as defiance until I realized it's not far from the beat in my own heart and head. And it's not defiance so much as it's just the way I do things. So all this is to say is I am not cured of my yelling issue but I am more aware. I am trying to be more sensitive and patient and kind. I obviously cannot do this on my own so being in the word daily is key. Realizing I HATED being told as a kid things could only be done one way or it was the wrong way. Hated it! I am trying to show more grace cause frankly I need it and I see less and less of it in the world today. I love the colors Ryannes world is in and how she loves life. I think some of that reckless abandon for all things simple and carefree left me a little as I age and get caught up with adult responsibilities. I am working on slowing down, breathing in the good things and letting my kids have the freedom to succeed and sadly sometimes fail on their own in their own way. Work in progress. :)