mmm...lycra.

While at home for Easter, I was able to see my adorable little cousins, Lexus and Leaha. Each time I see them I ask the usual questions. "How's school going? How do you like your teacher? and most importantly, How is dance class going?" No sooner they start answering me I find myself reminiscing about my years in the dance studio. But this time was different, I realized it's been 10 years since I hung up my ballet shoes. 10 years! Where did the time go?

When I think back I can literally smell the aroma of girls glistening in lycra and the sweet smell of the perfume squirt we were rewarded with at the end of Miss DiDi's ballet class. And how can I forget the excitement that surrounded recital time each year? It was almost unbearable. The 2nd best day of the year was when we got to try on our recital costumes for the very first time. We were allowed to end class 10 minutes early. That was such a treat. From a teddy bear, spider, arabian, 70's flower child, mary poppins child, wizard of oz munchkin, miss piggy, peter pan kid, I must have at least 35 costumes packed away in the attic.

Every year I wanted to take more and more classes until finally my mom convinced me that maybe it was okay if I stuck to just 4 a week. Each class must have run at least $100 bucks per semester, not to mention that she had to drive me to and from all the time. Oh the patience she had. I guess its better than having to watch my brothers lame baseball games.

After all the time that has past, I'm still trying to figure out exactly what it was about those ballet, tap, and jazz shoes that I liked so much. It was a great feeling walking into a class year after year and seeing the girls you've known since you were 3 years old. It sure did teach me a lot of discipline. It prepared me to be part of a group, and gave me a sense of importance. It fulfilled requirements of the soul.

I miss it.