Thousands of emotions well up inside of me through out the day.
They are released when I dance. - Abraham Lincoln
If there was one thing I would go back and change about our wedding day nine years ago, it would be that we had dancing at our reception. Oh, how I wish that we had danced! You see, I grew up in a culture where dancing was considered inappropriate. It was even common to hear people joke that dancing lead straight to pregnancy. And my sweet, sweet grandpa was a firm believer of this. He, as well as several of my other relatives and friends, would have died right there on the spot had we busted out a DJ at our dinner reception and suggested that everyone shake their groove thangs. So we passed on the dancing and settled for yummy bar-b-que and karaoke. And it was still a most perfect and beautiful day, though inside I did secretly wish that I could have had a first dance with my new groom.
Over the past nine years, Boss and I have danced together on occasion. I mean, come on! How else do you think we got our three children! Ha! Just kidding, just kidding. Our first dance together was on our honeymoon cruise in one of their cheesy night club rooms complete with a disco ball. I could kick myself now for not paying attention to what song was playing the first time Boss grasped my hand and twirled me around the dance floor, but for the life of me I cannot remember. But I do know that we rocked it. And that was the night that I fell in love with dancing. It made me feel breathless, and alive, and beautiful! But sadly, I can really only remember dancing together one other time after that at a friends wedding. It just wasn't really something that we did. That is, until our girls came along.
Because my girls? They LOVE them some dance parties! And ever since I have become their mama, music and dancing have become a part of our lives. A most beautiful part of our lives!Now, before you start to judge (if you are so inclined to do), I am not referring to seductive dancing while shaking body parts that were not meant to be shook. I am referring to throwing your arms up in the air, letting your hair flow free, spinning in circles until you are dizzy while you hoop and holler that this is the best night ever! kind of dancing. I am talking about sisters grabbing hands and twirling around the kitchen while mama makes dinner and brother claps or tries to do something crazy like stand on his head. That is the kind of dancing that we do in our family. We have dance parties in the car if a good song comes on the radio, we have dance parties in the kitchen, we have dance parties at the end of most movies while the credits role. We have dance parties anywhere and everywhere, whenever one of us feels the itch. And it's kind of awesome.
Most recently we had a midnight dance party when my girls hosted their birthday sleepover. When the clock struck twelve, six little (and big) girls and I turned the Kids Bop CD up as loud as it would go and then we shook our groove thangs for nearly an hour. I remember smiling, and laughing, and thinking to myself that this was what happiness felt like. And let me tell you, it felt really good! It was silly, and fun, and my favorite thing was that my girls actually wanted me to be a part of it! I love that they are not embarrassed by my crazy dancing, and I hope that day never comes. I hope our dance parties are something they will store up in their childhood memory banks and think back on with happy thoughts. Most of all, I hope that my girls never, ever stop dancing , especially if it is to the beat of their very own drum. Because that is the very best dancing of all.
