Tuesday, February 14

Many things happened today that could have been, maybe should have been, my happiest moment, but weren't.  Being Valentine's Day, T sent me two dozen long-stemmed roses.  They are lovely!  And I appreciate them, but I'm not sure they brought me the happiest moment today.  We went out to dinner with dear friends, then to the Red Wings game and watched them win their 21st consecutive home game.  Fun, enjoyable, definitely notable, but, again, still not the happiest moment.

I began this post intending to say that watching L dance for five minutes or so at the end of her class was today's happy moment.  I was able to see her practice the dance she is choreographing for her Grade IV ballet exam coming up in March.  She chose Hungarian Dance No. 5, by Brahms, for her music, and her choreography is just beautiful.  Especially this one part where she slowly forms and then holds an arabesque;  then the music goes "Da!" (note my musical prowess!) and she somehow flicks that raised leg back and cocks her arm and head to the music.  It's fun!  It's cute!  And it makes me happy to watch her.

But I changed my mind, even as I have been typing here.  Definitely the happiest moment today was talking to my oldest son, D, with T (on speaker phone) on the way home from the hockey game.  He was chatty and forthcoming with his thoughts.  He told us the situation with a girl he's liked for awhile, and I was so relieved that he (again) was able to see her for who she is -- which is, I'm sorry, but not good enough for him -- and he put a halt to their time together, at least as it resembles a dating relationship.  He also revealed that he decided not to go on Cru's winter break trip to Panama City due to finances more than anything, to which we were able to tell him, "GO!," and that it would be our joy to cover the financial end of it.  And it was a joy to hear him discuss his desire to be in God's will, with the girl, with marriage, with his winter break and with his career after he graduates.  None of his friends are planning to go to Panama city so it wouldn't be as fun for him as it's been in previous years, but if the finances were there, he would go just to provide leadership, set a good example, share the Gospel.  To hear your kid talk like that, not even Brahms' Hungarian Dance No. 5 can beat that beautiful music!

So there you have it!