The Joy of Being the Mother of an Irish Dancer

My daughter is an Irish Step Dancer. She saw Riverdance when she was about 4 years old and decided she wanted to be an "Ilish dancer" (she didn't say her "r"s so well). Now, 11 years later she is a mere 1st place away from being eligible to audition for Riverdance when she becomes an adult.

Needless to say, St. Patrick's Day is a big day for her. She is in great demand. It began the Saturday before the big day and continued throughout Monday. Actually, it began on that Friday. She has yearly danced on or close to St. P's Day at our school's All School Sing since she began dancing when she was 8. So, basically, it's a tradition. I picked her up to dance and then I had to run her back to the high school. She's running track this year. She's running the 100 hurdles right now, and occasionally the 4 x 400 relay. She is doing well and enjoying it alot. She was invited to the invitational at Chico High. The only freshman. (Yes, I'm bragging a bit) She raced the 100 hurdles and placed 4th, with a time of 19 seconds. This time advanced her to the finals. Did I happen to mention that she was the only freshman? She didn't finish very well in the finals, her time was 21.5. She said that her rythm got off. This was her first real track meet. She participated in practice meet the Wednesday prior to the real meet. She really amazes me, and makes me so very proud.

She had to dance Saturday at the Shamrock Shuffle at Chico State. She had to be there at 8:30 am. She was and she was ready to dance. In spite of the fact that she had a nasty headache and was coming down with a cold or a sinus infection or something. She danced for 2 hours at the Shamrock Shuffle, for another hour at the Home and Garden Show, and then for another 30 minutes at Oakmont, a senior assisted living facility. She talked with the elderly residents, and charmed them all. Sunday, we had the day off, but not the evening. She had been invited to dance at the Chico Women's Club at a ceili (kaylee) they were throwing. She danced for 15 mintes and floated on air around the room. It nearly always brings tears to my eyes to watch her dance. I stand in awe to know that she is part of me, and that I had anything to do with creating such grace and beauty. Monday, we were up at the crack of dawn (4:45 am to be exact) to be on "Wake Up!" on channels 12 & 24. She had been invited to dance on the news! What an interesting, exciting experience that was. She and 2 other girls danced on TV. R was the designated speaker, so she got to talk too! We raced home and were home at 7 am, and at 9 am we were at another assisted living facility for her to dance. She danced at two other retirement homes that day, then packed her stuff up and with a fellow dancer went downtown and danced in front of Duffy's (her dance teacher was dancing inside the bar). She made $40 in 1 1/2 hours of dancing. She was exhausted.

I got to drive her all of the places she needed to go. Our relationship has improved greatly in the last 6 or so months. I love her so very much and daily I am reminded that my time with her in my home is growing so short. She is amazing, creative, beautiful, talented, humble, kind, and I still sometimes wonder where she really came from. I love each and every one of my children fiercely, and find wonderful things about them all.

I have promised myself, that I must blog at least once a week. I need to blog. It makes me find the wonderfulness of my life.