(Change Is) Never a Waste of Time

It seems as though many of life's major changes are happening to us all at once....we're moving Memorial Day weekend, Madeline starts kindergarten in the fall and we're getting married next Valentine's Day. Besides adjusting to all these changes emotionally, there's also the financial aspect that we're adjusting to ;-) Suddenly we can't go and blow our money on something sporadic...so this is what it means to be a financially responsible adult?? I know the pay-offs are huge but sometimes I miss my $4 coffees, meals out and regular pedicures and hair-cuts. Don't get me wrong...I'm more than willing to live without all of those things (and many more) to get ourselves into a nice, practically new house, to give Madeline a high-quality education that also focuses on religion, and to marry the love of my life. Nothing else compares.

Speaking of...here's a photo of our new home. As I mentioned, we're moving Memorial Day weekend and I certainly hope this is the last move for a while. I really hate packing. I'm much better at just showing up at the new place and unpacking...not that I've ever gotten to do that. I'm just guessing I'd enjoy doing the easy part.

Upstairs are three bedrooms, an eat-in kitchen, living room with vaulted ceiling, front walk-in area and a bathroom. The unfinished basement houses the laundry room but there's room for another bathroom, a family room, two more bedrooms and a craft room (yeah!!) I love the idea of a two-car garage and a bit of a yard. A nice quiet street in what seems to be a nice quiet town. I must also mention that the BASEMENT DOES NOT LEAK!!!

This week I picked up a dress for Madeline to (possibly) wear for our wedding. I say "possibly" because I have yet to pick my dress out and I'd like them to match in color. The dress I found for her is ivory and she absolutely loves it. I warned her that it may not be "the" dress but I wanted to see her in it. She said it tickled her legs a little bit but once she discovered she could curtsy like a princess nothing else mattered. She even did an impromptu performance for me to show off the twirling capabilities of the dress!! I totally would have done that as a girl. I remember my favorite dress being a red, white and blue one (I think I was four or five) mainly because I could twirl around really fast then sit down on the floor and it would stay all spread out. Such simple pleasures as a child. Now a good dress is one that makes me look 50 pounds lighter and shows good cleavage...twirling doesn't even make the list of necessities anymore!

But I digress...

Here she is showing off the new dress...I sure hope I find one near this shade. How many more times would I be able to pick up such a nice dress for a mere $17 (regularly $70)? I'm guessing...never.

Her perfect curtsy...frontal view...

...and the back view.

I had no idea Madeline could do the robot!!

She loves to pose for the camera!

This is a shot from her ballet dance.

A work in progress...

A girl must try out all the possible ways to sit in a new dress!!

She's checking out all the details.

Potpourri

Madeline and I shared a very intense conversation a few nights ago. It all started with "where does God live?" I told her that I believe He lives in heaven. "And where is heaven?" I think it's up above the clouds and sky. "So it's not in the ground?" This one perplexed me. I asked why she thought heaven was in the ground and she said because our friend TJ was put into the ground and we told her he went to heaven. A-ha. Busted. I didn't even realize we'd contradicted ourselves but nothing gets by this four-almost-five year-old! So I explained a little about souls...how God makes everyone very special and he puts all of our goodness and kindness into our souls and our souls (sorta) live in our hearts. When we die we're buried in the ground so our friends and family can visit and bring us flowers but that our souls will go to heaven to be with God and all our family and friends that have already died. She got very upset at this and started crying."I don't want to die right now! I'm not ready to die! I don't want you to die either...I'll miss you!!" Oh my...maybe I was a little too real for her. I calmed her down and we talked about how people get older and sometimes their bodies get very tired and that's when they might die and go to heaven. Lucky for me she didn't make the connection that TJ was only 24 when he died...I wasn't up for explaining that one. But I'm glad she's thinking about things and trying to make sense of the world around her. She's open to the idea of God...which is great...so we're just going to try to nurture that curiosity. Maybe someday she'll choose to worship as a Catholic...or maybe not. Either way is fine with me just as long as she believes in something.



This evening I watched Madeline practice her recital dance. I hadn't seen it yet so I was surprised at all she's learned! I've been wondering if she'd be the little girl on stage at the recital that knows every step and dances it with vigor or if she'd be the one on the end that stands there stunned in a statue pose on the verge of tears. Now given her outgoing personality and her love of performing for family and friends I should have known she'd know her stuff...and she does! I was feeling very proud of her as I watched her tendu and plie her way through her ballet dance!! She knows it...she really knows it! She'll do great at the recital and I'm very excited that she's taken to dance the way she has. Maybe someday when she's a bit older we'll find her a theater program to try...she really is a drama queen!




If you're interested in seeing this little rising star on stage for the first time in all her glory, come on out to UIS Sangamon Auditorium on Saturday, June 14 for a 6:30 pm show. There's no admission and I guarantee you'll be entertained! If you can't make the show, there's always a dress rehearsal the night before at 5:30 pm. It's a little more informal as some formations may need to be worked out on stage, etc. but cameras are welcome as well as family and friends. Hope you can make it to Madeline's first dance recital!




As I write this Madeline is finishing up her bath. I hear her chatting to herself but I just now tuned into what she's saying...actually, singing. "1800 safe auto!" She's funny! She remembers commercials and jingles the way I do...her mind really is a sponge!!!