Dog Days of Summer

It is a sin that we live 5 minutes from the beach and go so rarely. A goal of mine this summer has been for Loulie and I to go more, which we have, but Bert has only been twice (maybe). I decided Friday night to remedy that. Instead of packing up for or usual Friday night at Freshfields dancing, we decided at 6:30 to throw on our bathing suits and head to the beach. Besides, it has gotten so humid here, by the water is really the only place anyone wants to be. 

6:00 is my favorite time of day to spend at the beach. There were still a good many people there, but if you have ever been to Folly, there is no pretention or reason to be at all self concious. So Bert and I both joined Loulie riding waves and rolling in the sand. We played until dark and then threw on cover ups and walked through the little downtown for dinner. It was a sweet family night--the kind that isn't big plans but that you will probably remember with more fondness than the nights you did have big plans.

The rest of the weekend was pretty low key--a birthday party, church, ice cream date with good friends.  Bert and I did have a movie date Saturday night--The Way, Way Back.  Loved it! We are pretty particular about movies and always rave when we see something different. It was a dark comedy and we were still talking about it Sunday afternoon. Not giving anything away, I did have a hard time seeing Steve Carrell play the antagonist. 

This morning starts a busy week--I am so towing the line between schedule and just having fun. On one hand, I feel like we need to be working on adjusting bed times for the early school time we have coming to us but I also want to pack in as much fun and freedom as we can into the next few weeks. Looking at the calendar though, I think life is beginning to force us into good behavior--early bedtime, eating better and getting organized. I can handle--I thrive on structure. But oh how I am going to miss those late nights at the beach.

A week of performances...

I have found that it is impossible to experience anything now without viewing it through the lens of motherhood. Whether good or bad, I think there is no going back.

With the weekend starting, I decided to squeeze in a quick Piccolo Spoletto performance before the festival ends this weekend. I look forward to Spoletto all year and try to get to at least one performance each season. I dropped LB off at the Children's Museum with a sitter and hauled down Meeting Street arriving hot and winded at the Footlight Players in just enough time to find my seat. I have always enjoyed the Dance at Noon series because it allows you to see a variety of different styles and schools as well as support young artists. This year, while sitting in the cool, dark auditorium watching the high school dancers; my mind floated back to how much dance has always meant to me. There was a shorter girl in the front row who couldn't help but share her love of dance with the huge smile she was beaming. I wondered how much she practiced and whether dance was a "popular" hobby at her high school.How many Saturdays had she spent at her studio? DId her mother wait in the car or come in and watch? There was only one male in the entire company--strong and handsome, I wondered too if he caught any slack from friends for being a male dancer. And then I remembered how much I used to love performing on stage and how dance was such an outlet for me--in my teen years when everything seems difficult and then just for fun as I moved on into my twenties.

Suddenly, I felt so proud of these kids and how hard they had worked and what a big deal it must be for them to be performing in Charleston for the festival. And then, because these lenses are permanently screwed in, how proud their parents must be. And then I thought of how next year Loulie can come with me. And I wonder if she will love dance as much as I do. And before I knew it, I was all choked up and teary eyed in the cold, dark auditorium watching these kids perform.

Which is EXACTLY why I LOVE dance--because if performed well, a piece will always evoke some kind of emotion from the audience. And then a mother "woohoo"ed! And everyone cheered and one of the dancers started smiling bigger.

 I don't know if Loulie will love dance as much as her mother or even more but I can't wait to see what God places on her little heart to be passionate about. If it is not dance, then I can't wait to learn all about what she gets into. Because I can promise you this, whether dance or soccer or cross country or challenge of the gladiators; I will always be the mother obnoxiously "woohooing" in the back!

Just like I did last Wednesday...

(yes, that is me in the background along with Bert shamelessly yelling "Go Loulie WOOO.")

Dang--and now I am teary eyed again. 

Have a Happy Weekend!