Who Will I Be?
"It's never too late to have a happy childhood." ~Berke Breathed
I could never have been a cheerleader. I couldn't turn a cartwheel and didn't have the form needed to make any team from elementary school through college. Any rhythm or movement talent that I have ever shown has been because of intense practice and work. When I was young, if you would have asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, a Cheerleader is not one of the things that I would have said.
Our daughter went to cheerleader camp yesterday for our local NFL team. In a flash I found myself immersed in a culture that I had never seen before. Spandex, long hair, loud music and big smiles everywhere. There was an advertisement on the radio early in the summer about this camp and it was something our daughter really said she really wanted to really do. Seeing as the youngest child had a week with our Major League Baseball Team for baseball camp, and our oldest child had a week of computer programming fresh out of MIT, it only seemed right.
We have never lived in an area that had any sort of major sports team. To have a national football team twenty minutes to the north and a major league baseball team nine minutes to the south is unbelievable. When we watch a game on the television and can see the blimp out of our front door that is televising the same game we really chuckle. Life just doesn't get any better than this.
Two days ago I overheard my children, prompted by middle child, talking about what they want to be when they grow up. They were having an in depth conversation about their futures and where they would be in just 15 years. Their wishes are so diverse. The oldest wants to own his own restaurant and be a world renowned chef or be a computer programmer. The middle wants to be a veterinarian or an animal trainer ( like the one with Shamu). The youngest wants to be a professional baseball player or help the oldest in his restaurant. As they talked about the future there were no limitations. The possibilities were endless.
As a mom this is where I want them to be. I can see their minds flipping through future scenarios like a person flipping through the songs on an old jukebox. Nothing is impossible.
It was with this thought in mind that I accompanied our daughter to that cheerleading camp. She doesn't know that her gene pool may not warrant her cheering her heart out at a football stadium. She has no idea that her own mom couldn't make the cut. She went in to the camp with excitement and energy and the childlike belief that this is where she was supposed to be. As I watched her learn her routine and practice with her coach there was one thing that stood out, her smile. That kid was so incredibly happy to be at cheerleading camp that she radiated. At one point in the three hour practice, when parental energy was lagging all over the arena, I looked at her smile and her energy and almost cried. Last night, if the moon needed to take a break, it could've, because our daughters smile would have lit up the skies.
I have no earthly idea what our children will turn out to be. What I do know is that I'll be there on the front row, cheering them on, with a really big smile.
I could never have been a cheerleader. I couldn't turn a cartwheel and didn't have the form needed to make any team from elementary school through college. Any rhythm or movement talent that I have ever shown has been because of intense practice and work. When I was young, if you would have asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, a Cheerleader is not one of the things that I would have said.
Our daughter went to cheerleader camp yesterday for our local NFL team. In a flash I found myself immersed in a culture that I had never seen before. Spandex, long hair, loud music and big smiles everywhere. There was an advertisement on the radio early in the summer about this camp and it was something our daughter really said she really wanted to really do. Seeing as the youngest child had a week with our Major League Baseball Team for baseball camp, and our oldest child had a week of computer programming fresh out of MIT, it only seemed right.
We have never lived in an area that had any sort of major sports team. To have a national football team twenty minutes to the north and a major league baseball team nine minutes to the south is unbelievable. When we watch a game on the television and can see the blimp out of our front door that is televising the same game we really chuckle. Life just doesn't get any better than this.
Two days ago I overheard my children, prompted by middle child, talking about what they want to be when they grow up. They were having an in depth conversation about their futures and where they would be in just 15 years. Their wishes are so diverse. The oldest wants to own his own restaurant and be a world renowned chef or be a computer programmer. The middle wants to be a veterinarian or an animal trainer ( like the one with Shamu). The youngest wants to be a professional baseball player or help the oldest in his restaurant. As they talked about the future there were no limitations. The possibilities were endless.
As a mom this is where I want them to be. I can see their minds flipping through future scenarios like a person flipping through the songs on an old jukebox. Nothing is impossible.
It was with this thought in mind that I accompanied our daughter to that cheerleading camp. She doesn't know that her gene pool may not warrant her cheering her heart out at a football stadium. She has no idea that her own mom couldn't make the cut. She went in to the camp with excitement and energy and the childlike belief that this is where she was supposed to be. As I watched her learn her routine and practice with her coach there was one thing that stood out, her smile. That kid was so incredibly happy to be at cheerleading camp that she radiated. At one point in the three hour practice, when parental energy was lagging all over the arena, I looked at her smile and her energy and almost cried. Last night, if the moon needed to take a break, it could've, because our daughters smile would have lit up the skies.
I have no earthly idea what our children will turn out to be. What I do know is that I'll be there on the front row, cheering them on, with a really big smile.
We love you middle child cousin at cheerleading camp!
Your uncle, aunt and cousins in VA!
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That's our god-daughter..... she always has that big beautiful smile and just brightens your heart. We know she grave her all and definitley touched others with her enthusiasm. What a day to remember and an item for her diary. Love you Sweetie!
GOD BLESS YOU ALL
OPA Scotty and OMA Dawn
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