Dancing Through Life

Good music has always had a powerful influence on me. It can change a bad day to a good day or a sour mood to a sweet mood. It can help you blow off steam after a stressful day. For me, it takes me to a different place where I forget everything that's hard. All in all, music just makes me HAPPY.

Well, music + dancing = major happiness. Literally one of my favorite parts of my college experience was going to dance parties on the weekend, and they were doubly amazing when Todd came along. I have been blessed with a younger brother who is the king of expressing himself through dancing. Holy cow, this kid is amazing. When you're at a dance party, you want to be next to him. Heck, when someone plans a dance party for their wedding, they want to make sure Todd is there. He lightens up any room. He is so dang talented and makes you want to dance right along with him. No shame. I love that he just goes to town without caring at all what others think (and it helps when he's as good as he is).

I think that sometimes all we need to lighten our mood is a dance party. I'm serious. It does good things to people and is such a great stress reliever. Sometimes, Robbie and I have 10-minute dance parties (also, sometimes he sings girls camp songs with me in the car for 20 minutes, but that's a story for another day). Sometimes, I throw my own personal dance parties. Trust me, it's good for the soul. So hey, what are you waiting for?

I love this younger brother of mine.

School Girl

Well, this year marks the first time in 17 years that I haven't been getting ready for school. I'm sad, yet happy and relieved. Let me explain.

I have always been one of those "special" (as Robbie likes to call it) individuals that absolutely LOVE school. I love the learning, the structured schedule, the organization, the planning, and the coming home and getting your homework done right away (like I said, "special"). I loved planning out my first day of school outfit and laying it all out the night before. When we were youngins, Todd and I would even play school during the summer and I thoroughly enjoyed getting through my workbooks each summer. Can you blame a girl for loving learning so much?

The past two years of being in the teacher position hasn't been my favorite thing ever, as you know. I would much rather be the learner (which I did plenty of as a teacher, just in different way). This year, I'm feeling a huge amount of relief that I don't have to go back to that kind of school. I feel so blessed to move on and experience some needed change. However, my heart still aches for back-to-school shopping and planning and organizing. Those were fun, fun times, and hope I can help my children someday enjoy school as much as I did. That may not be possible, but I'm sure I'll have at least one daughter that adores it like I do. Right?

I couldn't find any absolutely adorable pictures of my starting my first day of school, so this one will have to do. If I haven't convinced you of how weirdly awesome I am, here ya go. I married someone weirdly awesome as well. We rock.

Now, excuse me while I go buy some brand new pencils and notebooks. I'll find a use for them somehow.