"The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance."
-Alan Watts
Sewing lessons continue, this week it was a Star Wars bag for James. Ashlyn was proud of her achievement, and James was happy with his bag. No fingers were sewed into cloth in the process, so I’ll call that a success.
This was the first weekend of hockey practice for Ashlyn and James. James got cold feet (get it? It’s a hockey joke!) and refused to go, but Ashlyn bravely suited up and got out on the ice. They had some buckets for kids who needed to get a feel for the ice, but Ashlyn asked for a stick instead of the buckets after only a few minutes. She did awesome, and is excited about doing it again next weekend. James has promised he’ll do it next weekend, so hopefully we’ll have more stories to tell after.
The rodeo was this weekend and the family got a box like we have the past several years. James didn’t get to go, but Ashlyn did and she had a great time watching the horses and bulls. Her favorite part was the calf scramble, and she even enjoyed getting dirt flung at her during the chuck wagon races.
Sunday was an abnormally warm day for February and we took advantage by going for a bike ride to a park at the back of our neighborhood. We swung, slid, ran, and played tag. It was a good thing to, as they were more calm than normal when we started to heat up the grill for the Super Bowl.
There was a Valentine’s Day dance this weekend and we thought it would be fun for Ashlyn and me to go. It was. We spent almost the entire evening out on the dance floor, alternating between Ashlyn dancing with me and Ashlyn dancing with some her friends from school. Ashlyn’s dancing mostly involved her spinning in circles until she made even me dizzy, but she had a great time and I’m the last person to judge anyone on their dancing abilities. We have more pictures coming, I’ll update this post when I get them.
Someday, many years from now, I’ll walk Ashlyn down an aisle. And shortly after that, she’ll take her first dance with the person she chose to marry. And when that day comes, I’m sure I’ll have the mixed emotions every father feels as they see their daughter taking that first dance. I hope, in that moment, I can keep from being smug. Because I know… the first dance was mine.