Every Girl Wants to Be a Dancer

Grace has just begun her second season of dance competitions.  Her first year, at the age of 7, was just a little "taste" of what being part of a competitive team was all about.  She is now at the ripe old age of 8 1/2 and is learning what being part of a team is really all about and how hard work pays off.  This year has not been as easy but she has enjoyed it even more.  The expectations are fairly high, sometimes she needs to practice on her own and it can be very tiring.  She has had weeks where she has spent quite a bit of time at the dance school and I heard her say, only once, that she is getting tired of dance... that was a tough week.
Last week she participated in her first competition of the year and there was no doubt that she had FUN.  We had a very full day including three dances with three make-up, hair and costume changes but it was so fulfilling.  As much as Grace has a team, I feel that I now have a team as well - our team of dance moms!  Despite the reputation that precedes us, we are a supportive, proud and happy team of moms all ready to do anything for our girls (and boys)!  I have found a little group of ladies that share some commonalities with me and we can support eachother and our children as they step out on the stage, in the bright lights, in front of harsh judges and we can cheer together and cry tears of joy together.  It makes this whole experience even richer. 
After this first competition, Grace's dance team has qualified for Nationals in July.  We have 2 more local events, a dance recital and a community performance and then it is off to the Muskokas for the National Competition.  No words can describe the pride I feel when I watch Grace dance and I know that it is all worth while.

There is no mistaking that Jean wants to be a dancer to - she's got the moves and the atitude, that's for sure!

That Comforting Feeling of Being Content

Sometimes I forget what it feels like to "feel" content.  Sometimes in my crazy busy life I am running around without a sense of comfort and happiness.  I know I'm living a great life with a family I am proud of but there are many, many times when I have a sense of uneasiness.  I guess that comes with the territory of new endeavors, completing big projects and feeling just plain stressed out.  I am just beginning to feel content again - it has been a little while.  I felt absolutely content on our winter holiday, where our regular life was put on hold for two weeks, but before that, it was a while.  I'm not saying it is a bad thing though - during the past few months I had the feeling of excitement and following our dreams but I have realized lately that I missed our regular, plain-jane, daily routine.  Now I'm feeling on track again.  I had to make peace with a few things in my life and I had to take stock.  Moving forward I'm going to take things in stride (or at least try, right?) and give myself a break.  I'm going to get back to my creative side, which I have been missing so much, and get myself into some projects I can sink my teeth into (or fingers...).  It doesn't mean I'm going to abandon all the areas of my life that are new and exciting but I'm going to put them off to the side more often.  This feels like a good decision.  I spent my evening on Pinterest and looked around for some creative inspiration... and it wasn't too difficult to find.  Now if only I can duplicate myself so one of me can be crafty and the other can do life's usual jobs...

I just love this picture... editted by Aunt Janie

Now don't they look content... so sweet.  Alex with his cousin, Ross.

Feeling the Love From Our Support System

Do you have any support systems?  I hope you do.  I know we certainly do and are thankful every day for them.  My support systems come in many forms: my amazing husband, my oldest daughter, my two youngest (in their own little way), my mom and step-dad, my mother and father-in-law, my siblings, my friends... the list goes on. 
We are exceptionally lucky to have some very special ones that many people may not be lucky enough to have so close by and so supportive.  My husband's "McGregor Aunts", I so affectionately call them, are a support system that I feel extremely lucky to have in my life.  Ian's dad is the oldest of seven children.  He has six sisters and they have been in my life since the day Ian brought me home to meet the "family"!  The story is actually very funny as it is not my fondest memory of our past together.  We travelled from Guelph to Ian's family home to be at his Grandparent's 50th wedding anniversary way back in 1999.  Yikes!  That would be the first time I was meeting his extended family and there was no doubt I was nervous.  We arrived at the event and he proceeded to leave me standing beside his brother and sister to go visiting with all of his neighbours and family members.  I couldn't believe he left me standing there.  I met each of his aunts (in a blur as there seemed to be a never-ending amount of them) who were so very nice to me but I certainly couldn't remember them all.  The evening continued on and I left in not very happy spirits about this new love of my life (or was he?).  As time went on, we made it through that first little issue (he thought I was fine on my own since I am always so friendly to people... hmmmm... trying to butter me up!) and we obviously got married and here we are well over 10 years later.  He still leaves me alone at family functions but I can manage because now I do know everyone very well!
Those many aunts that I met that day are in our lives on a regular basis.  They support us in so many ways such looking after our children, they treat our children as their very own grandchildren, they swoop in when we need them, they participate in our family business and they are extremely supportive of me in my own small business.  I cannot count how many times they have looked after our children and we never worry about their care.  Our kids absolutely love them so much and have a connection to them on so many levels.  One being that they share a heritage of being fortunate to grow up in the same home. 
My circle of support is so large that there isn't words to explain how blessed I feel.  Every day we feel their kindness shine down on us and it is so nice to know that they will be there for us.  My hope is that we can repay them someday.  There is nothing like having a strong support system and they come in many forms.  We are lucky... they are like our very own Fairy Godmothers!