Time away...

This past weekend I was able to get away for a few days. Although I missed my family, it felt really good to get away. I went to Nashville, TN to the MOPS Int'l Convention. I was with 5 other MOPS moms from our group. It was fun to have some "girl time" as we sat around at night and talked late into the night. It was also refreshing to get to be with 5000 other moms as we worshipped and learned. We got to hear from some great artists and speakers. Kim Hill led worship. We also heard other artists including: Nicole Nordeman, Mark Schultz, Go Fish, and MOC (I must admit - not my favorite). We heard from speakers including: Elisa Morgan (CEO and President of MOPS Int'l), Ken Davis, Priscilla Shirer, Carol Kuykendall (another MOPS person), Donald Miller and Wes Stafford. It was overall, a great time of fun and a time to re-energize. I feel a little more relaxed and that helps me feel like I can be a better wife and mom. And that is ultimately my goal... to be the best wife and mother I can be.

Have you ever wished, "If only..."?

I have always wished I could be a great dancer. I took ballet briefly when I was a little girl. I don't even remember why I stopped. I did like it. It was offered after school in the music room. I remember it well. We pulled out bars and stood there holding on practicing our positions and pleas and grand pleas. I even did a dance recital. I got to wear the outfit, the bun, everything. It was fun. Then it stopped.
I tried again in high school. I took dance for my P.E. It was a combination of ballet, jazz and tap. That lasted one semester. The teacher thought I was terrible. I can still remember doing jazz walks across the floor and thinking I was at least doing an ok job. She looked at me and said, "What are you doing?!?" It really hurt my feelings. She could've at least been nice about my lack of dance ability. Then I stopped. I know why. Mrs. Blanchard crushed my hopes of ever getting it. Not just in that one comment, but throughout the semester. I wasn't trying to be on her dance team, I just wanted to take a PE class I thought would be fun. After that, I joined the track team.
Emma is just like most little girls and dreams of being a dancer. I took her to CSA and enrolled her in the only class they offered for girls her age -tap. As I watched her tap I kept thinking, "I want to do that!" The dream inside me never went away. As I tried living through my daughter, I knew that somehow I had to do it for myself. I watched the Christmas production she was in and there were adult tappers in it. They themselves were new to tap. If they could do it, I could do it. (Felicia, if you read this, you inspired me. :-)) So I signed up. In January I took my first semester of tap. I even performed. Can't say that performing is my favorite part, but I would still do it again. Anyway, the class was fun. There were 20 of us all trying something we had never done before. We had a great time. There were times that I thought maybe I would never get it...maybe you really can't teach an old dog new tricks. But still, I enjoyed it and my teacher didn't look at me like I was an idiot for even trying (thanks, Leslie!).
I am now two classes into my second semester. Last night was my favorite night so far. We were dancing. We were putting moves together and making noises with our taps. I felt like I was tapping. I probably looked as silly as I did in high school, but I was having fun and my teacher didn't wonder what I was doing... at least not out loud.
I guess it is never too late to realize a childhood dream. I may not have done it as a child, but I am doing it now!

"Rainy Days and Mondays always get me down..."

Remember the song from Karen Carpenter? Today is Monday. Today is a rainy day. I can't help but sing that song. I miss listening to Karen. Maybe I will dig out my cassette tapes (yes, I still own those!) and listen to her.

Rainy days usually are difficult days for us here in the Toevs household. Anna has JRA (Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis) and the rain seems to affect her. She complains mostly of her feet hurting. Usually she wants medicine, but today she doesn't. The day is still early, we'll see how it goes.
I keep thinking (hoping) she is going to outgrow the JRA. Some days I think to myself, she doesn't really have anything wrong. Other days, there is no question that something is wrong. I hate watching my child suffer. I wish I could take away the pain. I wish there was some instant cure. It just breaks my heart to hear her complain, watch her limp, see her frustrated, hear her cry, etc.
Then there are the times when she is smiling - dimples showing, running, laughing, playing, talking. I cherish those times. I pray that as time goes on we will see more of those and less of the other. I am thankful that over the last year, that has been the case. I am still hopeful that she will quickly outgrow the JRA.
For today... I will dig out my Karen music and enjoy it being a rainy Monday.

A Day in the Life of Our Family...

I recovered from my skating adventure... I wasn't even sore this morning. :-)
I apologize if I shut some of you (Deb) out of commenting on my blog. Somehow it said you had to be a member... I don't even know how one becomes a member... It wasn't on purpose... really. :-)

I think IT is contagious. What is IT, you ask? The blogging disease. I caught IT from someone who caught IT from someone else. I know a couple of people that have caught IT from me. What is this world coming to? There are even those that have caught IT from the unknown. IT is an epidemic, I tell you. But at least IT is a fun epidemic. Oh, and IT is addicting too. But I guess there are worse things to be addicted to. :-)

Tonight was quite an experience! Kendall had their first "Skate Night" of the year... Emma's first skate night of her life. In order for Emma to skate, I had to skate with her. It has been YEARS since I have put on roller skates. These were not cool rollerblades, but the old orange 4 wheel skates with the big orange stopper on the toe. I always get grossed out putting on rental skates. Who knows how many people have worn these... were their socks clean? Did they have a foot fungus? Did they sweat in the skates? Gives me the heebie-geebies just thinking about it! Anyway, after getting my feet in the skates, I had to actually skate! That came back to me easily, but teaching Emma was hard to do. She did pretty good considering. There were a few times when her body was flailing around uncontrollably and she landed on her bottom a couple of times, but other than that, she did great! Man, if I fell the way some of those kids fell, I would never recover. I can't imagine doing the splits on skates. Yikes! It was fun though to see Emma having so much fun. That is what it is all about anyway.

I am not big on forwarded emails. Infact, I usually delete them before even opening them. I actually asked one of my friends to forward this email to me. Some of it is pretty funny... I do remember some of this stuff... and some of it I was too old for... I really feel dated!
I changed a few a things on the list - taking some away and adding others. I have even commented on a few. :-)
See what you remember.... or don't remember....

You Know You Grew Up In The 80's if:

1. You've ever ended a sentence with "PSYCH!"
2. You can sing the rap to the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
3. Girls wore biker shorts under their skirts and felt stylishly sexy.
4. You owned those lil' Strawberry Shortcake pals scented dolls.
5. You know that "WOAH" comes from Joey on Blossom.
6. Two words: Parachute Pants
7. You had plastic streamers on your handle bars
8. It was actually worth getting up early on a Saturday to watch cartoons.
9. You wore a ponytail on the side of your head.
10. You saw the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on the big screen..and still know the turtles names. - I never saw this, but I do remember it being in the theater!
11. You got super-excited when it was Oregon Trail day in computer class at school. - I never had computers in my classes. I do remember those ancient Apple IIe's though.
12. You made your mom buy one of those clips that would hold your shirt in a knot on the side.
13. You played the game "MASH"(Mansion, Apartment, Shelter, House)
14. You wore stonewashed jeans.
15. L.A. Gear....need I say more?
16. You wanted to change your name to "JEM" in Kindergarten. (She's Truly Outrageous.) - Who is JEM? Am I too old for that?
17. You remember reading Tales of a fourth grade nothing and all The Ramona books.
18. You know the profound meaning of "WAX ON, WAX OFF"
19. You wanted to be a Goonie. - I remember the movie, but I never wanted to be one!
20. You ever wore fluorescent clothing. (some of us...head-to-toe)
21. You can remember what Michael Jackson looked like before his nose fell off and his cheeks shifted.
22. You have ever pondered why Smurfette was the only female smurf. - When will Smurfs make their come-back like Ponies, Care Bears, Cabbage Patch Kids and Strawberry Shortcake?
23. You remember the CRAZE, then the BANNING of slap bracelets.
24. You still get the urge to say "NOT" after every sentence.
25. You thought She-ra (Princess of Power!) and He-Man should hook up.
26. You thought your childhood friends would never leave because you exchanged handmade friendship bracelets.
27. You ever owned a pair of Jelly-Shoes.
28. After you saw Pee-Wee's Big Adventure you kept saying "I know you are, but what am I?"
29. You remember "I've fallen and I can't get up"
30. You remember going to the skating rink before there were inline skates.
31. You ever got seriously injured on a Slip and Slide.
32. You have ever played with a Skip-It.
33. You had or attended a birthday party at McDonalds. - I don't remember doing that, but my brother took his Prom date there...
34. You've gone through this nodding your head in agreement.
35. Don't worry, be happy
36. You wore like, EIGHT pairs of socks over tights with high top Reeboks.
37. You wore socks scrunched down (and sometimes still do..getting yelled at by younger hip members of the family) Is that not cool anymore?
38. You remember boom boxes and walking around with one on your shoulder like you were all that.
39. You remember watching both Gremlins movies.
40. You thought Doogie Howser/Samantha Micelli was hot.
41. You remember Alf, the lil furry brown alien from Melmac.
42. You remember New Kids on the Block when they were cool...and don't even flinch when people refer to them as "NKOTB" - They played at my grad night, along with Samantha Fox.
43. You knew all the characters names and their life stories on "Saved By The Bell," The ORIGINAL class.
44. You know all the words to Bon Jovi - SHOT THROUGH THE HEART.
45. You just sang those words to yourself.
46. You remember watching Magic vs. Bird.
47. Homemade Levi shorts.. (the shorter the better)
48. You remember when mullets were cool!
49. You had a mullet! - Can't say I ever had one of those!
50. You still sing "We are the World"
51. You tight rolled your jeans.
52. You owned a bannana clip.
53. You remember "Where's the Beef?"
54. You used to (and probably still do) say "What you talkin' 'bout Willis?" - Dave and I have even taught this to Emma!
55. You had big hair and you knew how to use it.
56. You're still singing shot through the heart in your head, aren't you!
57. You crimped your hair. - Oh yes! I loved to wear a crimped side pony tale.
58. You remember when Cabbage Patch Kids FIRST came out.
59. Bangle bracelets!
60. Everybody wore espidrilles - male and female.
61. Pretty and Pink was your favorite movie. What ever happened to those sappy John Hughes films?
62. You had a picture of Ralph Macchio in your locker.
63. You read The Outsiders.
64. "Like, Oh my gosh!" "Gag me with a spoon!" "I am so sure!"
65. You knew the words to "Stray Cat Strut"
66. You ate frozen yogurt. - I even worked at a place called "Heidi's Frogen Yozurt".
67. $10 could fill up your gas tank.
68. You remember Ronald Reagan as president - the first term. - I even went hear him give his campaign speech!
69. You wore shoulder pads in your tops.
70. You know the word to the "The Super Bowl Shuffle"

Can you think of anymore?