Dance

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I really liked this post by one of my favorite bloggers about how we view missions, etc. Please go to that link (and, if you have time, follow the other links she uses). I’ll wait…

So I got a new (to me) computer from a friend of mine. She (the computer) is beautiful and fast and sleek. I love her. I feel a brand new excitement over blogging because things actually happen when I ask them to and that is very new and refreshing. It’s also easier to post pictures. Yay!

In the car Tariku and I fell asleep. When I woke up he was draped over my shoulder with his hands encircling mine. We have come a long way, my friends.

Dailah is in a new dance studio this year. It is SO much better than her last one. I loved this quote from her studio, “Today is your day to DANCE lightly with life, sing WILD songs of adventure, soar your spirit, unfurl your joy.”

Went on a date with the hubs. I don’t love Valentine’s Day. I hate anything that feels forced and unnatural. A day to celebrate love is my kind of day but a day to celebrate love forced on us by mega corporations? Nothankyouverymuch. So every year Zach and I pick a different day to celebrate love. It’s our way of throwing our fist up at the man.

The kids went to their first Iowa Hawkeye wrestling meet. The Hawks are really, really good so it was a lot of fun. The big 3 got front row seats with their grandpa while the rest of us sat a little higher. It was so much fun.

Tomas had his first piano “recital” last night. He has only been playing for a few months so it was mostly just showing us what he had learned. Regardless, I was so proud of him.

Tomas was SO nervous-as evidenced by his chewing his fingernails off. But he killed it. My precious son. A lot of our family came to watch his debut. For our kids from hard places there is something so profound about people they love showing up. When Tomas woke up yesterday he put on the nicest outfit he owns. All black with a red tie. Upon seeing his outfit the rest of his siblings emerged with similar looking outfits in solidarity. It meant so much to him. I just think that is the coolest. I think he is the coolest.

Not to be outdone, Zach and his brother Jake performed a little Heart and Soul as well. They looked like a couple of twins. I loved every second.

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Dancing Queen

A few weekends ago Dailah had her dance recital. She’d been super excited (and nervous) about it for a month leading up to it always asking when it was. It (and by that I mean “she”) did not disappoint.

It’s no secret that Dailah holds a special place in all our hearts as the only girl in the family. The brothers dote on her, make wonderful exclamations when she steps out in a new outfit, “You are beautiful!” As for Zach and myself, we admit to shamelessly doting as well. It’s hard not to when some days she’s the only one that smells good and hasn’t tried tackling me all day. 
So when we got a few minutes to celebrate her very girl-ness, we jumped at the chance. She was beautiful, and precious and perfect. 
I mean, seriously.
She had so many people come to support her we took up 2 rows. Her village is rather amazing. Here with the Dawson contingency. 

Just ‘cuz I can’t help it.

With her flowers we bought her. But would you be able to help yourself?

My babes in all their long haired glory.

With my niece Adley who LOVED the whole show, pretty remarkable for a 1 1/2-year-old!

Jealous of her, don’t mind saying it.

Klipsch contingency (with Aunt Kait just home from Japan!)

Can you feel all of the doting? Yeah.