Monday's Matters

I ran a ton of errands today-I even filled up my car, washed it and (don't fall over) vacuumed it out. I only had $.75 on me and that's what it took for the vacuum, so I sped through so I wouldn't run out of time on it, but I managed to do a decent job. And then it rained on my newly washed car. *sigh* Thanks, Murphy, ole pal.

Kaylee had a busy evening-she had ballet and tap from 4:30-5:30 pm, and when she was done there we drove right to her very first cheerleading practice, which went from 6:00 - 7:30 pm. In between I got her a small snack and had her change clothes. She LOVED the cheer practice. They worked for 45 minutes upstairs with music, dancing and cheer, and then came downstairs for 45 minutes to do tumbling, floor work, lifts, and some exercise. They were holding their body weight up by their arms with their knees tucked, etc. That takes some decent abs and good arm strength too. They also got to be lifted up, and practiced safe ways to do that, with three (sometimes four) spotters. I'll be honest-I'd rather she not be interested in cheerleading. In fact, it's probably the worst thing (that is legal anyway) I can think of for my daughter to like. But she does like it, it's good exercise, and she's not me, she is her own person. I'm not going to try to make her be like me. She came out of there today totally excited and pumped up about it, she loved being "lifted", she loved learning something new and fun, she loved jumping around, and she can't wait for next week. So, while the irony in this is pretty deep, here are four words I never thought I'd say: "My Daughter the Cheerleader".

(I really hope she outgrows this before Junior High/High School....really really. She doesn't have to like airplanes, but does it HAVE to be CHEER??)

I have to add, I just had another first-I went to my first ever cheer and pom pom website to order shoes for Kaylee. Naturally they have special shoes for cheer too, didn't you know that?? :)

I just finished a book written by a pastor here in Kokomo. He grew up in Germany during WWII, as a half-Jew, and he and his family suffered quite a few trials. Ironically enough, he lived in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (close to where I lived), Lincoln, Nebraska (where I lived), and Kokomo, Indiana (where I live.) He's also a pilot. That's about where our likeness stops, as he's a very...different...fellow. But anyway, he learned to fly out of our airport quite awhile ago, and occasionally flies with Steve. He gave Steve a copy of his book, and that's what I just finished. I thought I'd quote the paragraph where he talked about Glenndale, because it made me laugh.

"I took my first lessons at a little airport about four miles directly south of our home. The grass landing strip was about 2,000 feet long and 100 feet wide, with a low spot in the middle that turned into a mud puddle every time it rained. There were some high tension wires on the north end of the runway, so when landing from the north, you had to clear those wires and then make a steep descent to ensure enough runway to come to a stop. Then, of course, if it had been raining, you had to try to leave as much mud puddle on one side of the airplane as you could. Learning to fly at that particular airport sometimes included plenty of adventure, and at other times nothing but, "Help me, Jesus!"

That made me laugh. And a little proud, I admit. ;) To this day he flies out of the bigger, paved airport by the way...(bawk bawk!) lol