Proud

Us on Friday night in the elevator

"You're so proud of her." 

He said it as a statement, no judgement, a bit of wonder in his voice. Speaking the her in a plural, for both of them.

Another long day, long night, long weekend. He's a man who loves his chicks; he brings a laptop and reading material and sits at desks in hotel rooms instead of at home. He watches ever single routine. This man of ours hugs. He grabs bags of ice and rubs muscles taxed by hours of dancing on concrete in convention ballrooms. He kisses them goodnight and curbs giggling in foreign beds when tired turns to silly and I'm too spent to do more. When the weekend is over, her puts luggage in the car and drives and allows me to shut my eyes as a city disappears behind us.

How it's done...
Dad's attempt during a break at ASH

Never once has he said he wishes they were basketball players, or volleyball or baseball or....

or anything other than who they were made to be

 I do the preparation. Packing the food, vitamins, clothing, makeup and shoes. I get them up before the sun rises and form perfect buns that will stay in all day and pin numbers to tops so that they stay put. I sit in ballrooms for endless hours and observe, because they are still small. The Grace Girl is at the age I might leave until lunch, but Little Bit is still a smidge over four feet. Still small. For this season her first in the competitive world I've gone back and forth between their rooms, wearing a band which denotes me as an observer and watched them grow in their passion.

we love them and he loves me

 When I'm repacking all of our luggage at midnight so he may simply check-out, tired and cross, I need to remember that most girls are not so loved. Fathers are a rare sight in this world of ours. He is present. I am thankful.

I was taken off-guard by his passing comment last night. I responded defensively. I wanted him to see that my proud was of their hearts, the way she gives glory to her maker and reflects Him...

My proud comes from the same place my tears do. It's the spot I love him from.

Lord, let me show that the proud I have for them carries over tenfold for him. 

 how I love them all

After solos and duet at NUVO in Orlando

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