My shining star

By Robin

Sunday was Lillianna's dance recital. My family and I enjoyed her performance from our 3rd row center seats. It was a good thing Rich waited in line for 9 hours to get these tickets because they were fantastic!

I watched my enthusiastic 6-year-old shake, wiggle and strut her stuff across the big stage. Gone are the days when she looked to her teachers for her dance cues. She knew her routine and she danced with the confidence of a much older child. I laughed when she shook her hips with so much force I thought she would propel herself to the opposite side of the stage. That hip action was something to marvel at.

For the most part, I sobbed uncontrollably during both of her routines. I couldn't stop the huge tears that continued to roll down my cheeks and splash onto the recital program that I held in my hands. I was bursting with so much love and pride I couldn't contain my emotions.

When I met Lillianna in the hallway after her first dance routine, I hugged her tightly. She asked, "How did I do, Mama?" I choked back my tears and said, "You were wonderful!" She looked at me and asked, "Are you crying?" I confessed and said, "I cried through the whole thing! You were kind of blurry through my tears but you were my shining star up there! I am so proud of you!" And my tears started all over again.

Do any of your child's accomplishments move you to tears? What has made you most proud?

Comments

[VJ]

Every new accomplishment is a proud moment for me, but I think when unexepectedly won a trophy was when the buttons on my shirt were about to burst. We were visiting a state fair as out-of-state guests, and found a Pee-Wee rodeo. Tony entered it and was the very first contestent. He was a "horse bronc rider" with a stick horse and had to jump up and down for about eight seconds. He was given a score and then had to wait for about six other kids in his catagory. He won. For his efforts he got a participation ribbon, and a real six inch trophey. I couldn't have been more proud. I was ready to call his daddy back in the midwest right then and there to share the proud moment, but waited when I wasn't around all the other parents.

[Ann]

The moment that made me most proud of my daughter was watching her walk across the stage at Grade 8 graduation, dressed in her army boots and blue plaid dress -- and with her hair dyed blue to match. :-) She had resisted the peer pressure to dress the same as everyone else -- no easy feat when you're 14 years old. She also managed to pick up the art and music awards. (No surprise there. She's a very arty kid!)

[sprout]

I cried and smiled so hard that my face ached as I watched my Boo, age 3.5 and the youngest dancer in her school, perform in her dance recital the day before Mother's Day. I'd never been so proud. (I'm tearing up again now as I type this - I'm so leaky). Except that I am so proud, every time she and her friends carry up the gifts at mass. I cry a lot because both my girls make me so proud and they are the best tears in the world.