On Beginnings

This morning we drove Katie to the airport and put her on a plane.  No, we did not let her fly alone; she went with six girls and one chaperone, all converging with one goal in mind- Peter Sklar's Beginnings Workshop.  Six months of mixed anticipation, careful planning and diligent preparation have finally culminated on this big day, Katie's birthday.  It is the first time she will venture out without us.

Last night I reminisced about the first time I left Katie at Mother's Day Out.  She was two-years-old.  I was getting ready to have Andrew and thought Katie might enjoy spending a few hours with kids her age.  I reluctantly dropped her off that first day and proudly watched as Katie put her arms around the screaming children and offered comfort.  I was so amazed...was leaving Katie going to be that easy? 

I drove around the block and then snuck back inside to check on Katie.  I peeked through the window and saw her sitting on the assistant's lap, listening to a story.  A sense of relief swept over me as I tiptoed back to the car.  The next time I dropped her off was different, though.  Katie cried and did not want me to go because she knew we would be apart.  Now Katie was leaving for a week, and I would be the one crying.

As you can guess, I have been frantically trying to get Katie ready while swimming in these mixed emotions.  What if she gets homesick?  What if she hates it?  What if she picks up negative behaviors?  What if the kids are mean to her, or the instructors ignore her?  What if...

I won't entertain you with the horrible thoughts I've had about Katie flying without us; you can probably guess what they are.  My poor father tried to alleviate my fears by offering a book for me to read by Greg Iles.

"What's it about?" I asked.

"Well, this huge airliner lands safely at an airport and then they find all the passengers dead...even the pilots."

The look my mother gave him could have melted ice. 

"I don't want to read a book like that!" I said.

My mom piped in, "Of course she doesn't.  I'm so sure, why would you even bring that up to a mother whose child will be flying without her?"  (More mean look).

"I just wanted her to know that the plane landed safely without the pilots, that's all."

Some difference this is between men and women, huh?  I heard men are like waffles (very matter-of-fact/compartmentalized) and women are like spaghetti (emotions and feelings wiggling all over the place), but that is a post for another time. 

As Pete and I watched Katie disappear through security, my heart raced.  I looked through that window so similar to the one I stood behind when she was two, and I did what any good spaghetti would do- I knocked on that window with both fists, hoping for one last wave goodbye.  I heard Pete mumble as he pulled me away, "It's time to go."

A big surprise

I have some very exciting news. But before I tell you what it is, let me explain to you how it all came to be, which I believe was divinely inspired.

Katie was sick quite a bit in January and had to miss several of her dance classes. Apparently while she was absent, a note had gone home about a man from New York that was coming to her studio to speak to the girls and their mothers. I knew nothing about this event until the owner sent out an e-mail about it, reminding those who were going to dress nice and be on time. So I replied and asked her about what it was. She is very busy and did not answer right away. But when she did, I was busy with some deadlines and read the e-mail, then forgot about it.

The day before the man was to come, the secretary called me to tell me what an inspirational speaker he is, and how he talks about believing in yourself and that anything is possible. I decided it might be worth our time, so I asked Katie if she wanted to go and she did. We dressed up and arrived on time (7:00 p.m.).

Let me tell you something- this man, Peter Sklar, was wonderful! He is a Broadway producer and has discovered many stars, such as Sarah Jessica Parker and Reese Witherspoon. He spoke until almost 9:00 and then invited the girls who wanted to be interviewed to stay (moms had to leave the room). Katie REALLY wanted to stay. I knew it was a school night, so I called Pete. He said it would be okay- this is a rare occasion. Well, boy am I glad we did, because Katie was one of the girls who got chosen.

This is where my good news comes in- Katie was selected to attend a summer workshop in New York, where she will study voice, dance and acting. It will be for a week and she will stay in a dorm with the other girls. They have very strict regulations and teach them the benefits of eating healthy (for more energy, not just to be thin) and taking good care of yourself. She will have an adult "trainer" with her at all times.

The whole miracle of this is that we weren't even going to go to the lecture, and now we're going to New York in August. I will stay with my dear friend Jeni for the last part of the week and get to do some fun things, too.

We did not get home until 11:30 that night, and Katie was very tired when she got home from school, but it was so worth it. Thank you, Jesus!