Still doesn't know

So, I decided to NOT tell her IF she had decided to go to the graduation. Because I did not want to make her sad, and what was the point, if we weren't even going to be here? And she definitely did want to go to the graduation, and then to the dance, so that is what we did. And now I am still left with the sad task of telling her about Mr. Barker. But she ended up inviting a friend over for the night, so it will have to wait until tomorrow. Time enough to bring her down from her party high!!! She had a blast, and looked GORGEOUS. And somehow I never took a picture of her. Won't she just LOVE it when I make her put it all back on tomorrow, for picture taking?!?!? :) And I WILL do that, believe me! :)

Blessings...Nancy

Sad today

Just got an email from my daughter's dance school, New Haven Ballet. The artistic director passed away yesterday afternoon from a long battle with cancer. Oh, how we will miss him! He came in the same month we joined NHB. But he had STARTED the school back in 1985, and then left to go on to other things. He was a brilliant, gifted dancer and he leaves behind a whole school of kids and faculty who will mourn his loss, AND a wife and 7 year old daughter.

And here's the part that at this exact MOMENT impacts my life. Do I tell ShaoXi today? There is an open house at the ballet studio from 6-8PM to honor him. No funeral arrangements as yet. BUT...tonight is her big 8th grade dance, the one I made a dress for, the one she has been so excited about. AND it is also graduation night for her old private school. St. Bridget's only goes to 8th grade, so her old fellow students are graduating and going on to schools all over the place. The original plan was to go to the graduation (it's 45 min. away!), leave there by 8PM and get to the dance by 8:45 (it ends at 10). But lately ShaoXi has been on the fence about attending the graduation, so I don't even know WHAT she wants to do tonight. And then there's the open house now. SIGH

This is the tough part of parenting. When and what and how to tell your child. Do you let them enjoy their big night, THEN tell them? But that means they miss the opportunity to choose to attend the open house. But then they will have even MORE confusion as to what to do. As do I. Oh, my goodness. These are the times I kinda wish I was married, and had someone to bounce all this off of! Times like these, it's hard being a single parent. It's a lot to deal with. Thankfully, I happen to have one of the most incredible kids on the planet, so I DON'T have to deal with behaviour issues on my own...not yet, anyways...hopefully, NEVER! :)

Pray for the Barker family...Noble's wife Ruth, and his little girl, Eliza. Pray for me as I struggle with what to do. Please pray for all the children of NHB who will be affected by Noble's death.
Hard times. Thank You, Father God, for walking this path with us!

Blessings...Nancy

100 Pounds Soaking Wet!

My little/big girl just came home from her Eighth Grade trip, soaking wet and happy as a clam (which, now that I think of it, prefers to be wet!) They go to a place called Holiday Hill, which offers just about every fun thing you can think of for kids, including horsebackriding. So my girl took her first REAL horseback ride today and really liked it! :) She has been up on the backs of friends' horses and on many a pony ride at fairs, but not truly ridden. Cool!

I got to hear every minute detail of her day, which I LOVE. Hope she ALWAYS wants to tell me stuff! And now we are headed down to our local nail salon to FINALLY spend our gift card there. Tomorrow night is the big end of the year Eighth Grade dance, and baby girl asked me to PLEASE make her a dress. So I did! I will take a picture tomorrow of it, I promise! So girly is getting a mani AND pedi! Woohoo! Pretty girl!

Blessings...Nancy

Absolutely right!

A reader named Sandy commented on my last post: I wouldn't just say that "when she is a famous ballerina, we will be able to say "it is because of schools like Waterbury'sCT academy of performing arts"... I think you should say it is because we serve a mighty God...don't you think? Give credit where credit is due. Only God orchestrated that."


At first I felt taken aback...but then I realized. She is absolutely right. Of course she is! The thing is, THAT is a given. An absolute. In our home we firmly and fully acknowledge that EVERYTHING is a gift from God, and that He meets our needs and even longings of our hearts every day. Thank you, Sandy. It made me realize that here in the "bloggy world" we need to be ESPECIALLY careful how we word things. How would you know that we absolutely believed and confirmed this every chance we get? We've never had the privilege of meeting, so you WOULDN'T! But I hope this makes me remember that I need to be really clear in some cases.


YES...this was GOD, through and through. It was GOD who put this gift for ballet IN my child, long before she took her first lesson! And it is GOD who continues to show her teachers that she is a child who truthfully, it must be a privilege to teach. I say that because she LOVES dance, she is TOTALLY focused, she is loving, polite, and thankful...and gifted. If I were a ballet teacher, I would be delighted to have her as a pupil! NOT to negate the gift of her being ALLOWED to dance on scholarship. Not at ALL!!! But isn't it nice that not only do they get a gifted student, but one who makes them smile every day?!? :)


It is a wonderful thing to be able to point out ACTUAL things that God has undoubtedly provided, and to tell your child "THIS, THIS is God's hands stretched out to us, using His people to provide!" The fact that she is filled with faith, and loves her Saviour beyond measure flows from His direct Hand in our lives!

Blessings...Nancy

Memorial Box Monday...my daughter HAS to dance!

When we sold our house in 2006, I knew I would HAVE to find a new ballet school for ShaoXi. And I admit, I was worried about that. I KNEW New Haven Ballet was a really good school, but our old school had us there on full scholarship for years, and now what would happen? I was driving past their studio and saw a sign for a free registration/placement class. I noted the date and we showed up there that day. I had sent an email to the office a few days before, but that was at the NH office, and this was their satellite studio in Guilford.

I took her in and went up to the desk where 3 ladies were standing. I said something like, "Hi, I sent an email to the office this past week, but maybe you don't know about it. The thing is, I have NO money, am not working, and we just moved here from Waterbury. But my daughter HAS to dance." I told them I had inquired about scholarship possibilities, etc, in my email. They smiled, said no they hadn't been informed of my email, but why doesn't Shao come in and dance, and then we would talk? Okay...so I sit down in the waiting room, and she goes off with them down the hall.

45 min. later all the little girls and the teachers come out, and the head teacher comes to me and says "I'll be BACK!" She proceeds to go to every other parent in the room, telling them where she felt their child should be placed, etc. After they are all done and gone, she comes back to me, plops down on the coffee table in front of me and says, "Your daughter HAS to dance!" I smiled and said "Yes, I told you that!" Miss Diana said that ALL parents/mothers come in saying that, and it is as it should be...they think their little one is very special. But my girl? Oh, she IS special...and one of the ways is at Ballet. She takes my breath away, honestly. And so, this fall we will begin our fourth year at NH Ballet. And we are so very, very thankful for their support of ShaoXi. Some day, when she is a famous ballerina, we will be able to say "It is because of schools like Waterbury's CT Academy of Performing Arts, and the New Haven Ballet!"

Blessings...Nancy

Three weeks!!! EEEKKK!!!!!

Three weeks...my baby is leaving me in THREE weeks! YIKES!!!! Oh, man, I gotta start packing! :) Actually, I have already started but just little things like toiletries, as I thought of them. But I really have to begin to PACK soon. THREE weeks! And then I will be all alone for four weeks, unless she decides to come home on the weekends! Oh, my baby. When did she get big enough for all this? I miss her already! :)

THREE WEEKS!!!

Blessings...Nancy

Beautiful!

Tonight was ShaoXi's year end Dance Recital. It was stunning, and one of my favorites ever. I think because it was all Broadway music, which I love. The ballet suite at the end was all music from West Side Story! Very cool! I am so blessed to have this child! And she is so blessed with such rare talent. AND...her English teacher came to see her dance. Now how cool is THAT?!?! Very, very cool. Loved meeting her. We went out to eat afterwards, and just got home at 11:15. To say we are tired is an understatement....gotta go to bed. Girlie is already sleeping away!

Blessings...Nancy