Elisabeth's Dance Recital

When I thought about all the things my kids would miss out on this Spring, my heart kept coming back to Elisabeth's Dance Recital. I grieved over it more than most other cancellations. Her recital is one of her favorite days of the year. She loves performing, she loves special attention, she loves getting dressed up, she loves it all, and the Spring recital is always the driving force that keeps her choosing to do dance every year. I knew that a packed auditorium in the middle of May was super unlikely to ever happen, but I was ecstatic when her dance teacher announced they would be having an outdoor recital at the end of May! I knew it wouldn't be the same, but I also knew that for Elisabeth, it pretty much would be the same. She'd get to dress up and get her hair and makeup done, she'd get to perform, and she'd get to have special attention. She and I couldn't wait for May 30 and her big day.

We did her hair and makeup that morning, and before we went to the studio, Matt took some great pictures of her in her costume.

I really loved the back of their costumes- super cute!

I think I might love recital days as much as she does! I'm so thankful God gave me daughters to experience these girly special moments with them.

She was so excited to see all her friends in their costumes.

The girls took professional pictures in the studio before they danced.

Then they performed on a giant outdoor stage. Elisabeth loved the stage. I think it was way bigger than she was anticipating, and she loved it. She said she really liked the way her tap shoes sounded on the stage.

She did a great job at her dance. She was a little rusty thanks to two months off of dance and the distraction of being outside and seeing everyone in the audience, but I LOVED her giant smile at the end when she popped her knee and blew a kiss. It's her favorite part of the dance, and she is all about everyone cheering for her at the end of her dance.

These best friends had a fun dance year together.

Miss Kristy had popsicles for everyone for the outdoor recital.

We were limited to only three guests at the recital, so after her dance we met up with Papa Joe and the boys and Katherine for lunch to celebrate our dancer. Since it was a small recital, I wanted to make it special for her and take her to lunch.

I also got her a small gift and Papa Joe brought her flowers and cupcakes.

It definitely was a different recital. We're used to a two hour dress rehearsal in the morning and a two hour recital in the evening. This recital was ten minutes taking pictures and a three minute dance and we were finished. Matt was a big fan, ha! Elisabeth also said she liked it more than the typical recital, and that warmed my heart so much after grieving for her when there was a possibility she wouldn't get to participate in a recital at all. I think the only part she was disappointed about was the big bow at the end of the recital.

Two things that she said that day really stood out to me.

First she said, "One thing I love about the Coronavirus is that I got to dance outside." We can learn so much from our kids and her positive perspective of everything going on right now is a lesson to me.

She also said "It was the BEST DAY EVER except for Disney World, the beach, my birthday and Christmas."

The minute we got home this Little Girl had to have her turn with the costume, and she's worn it every single day since the recital. She's so excited that she gets to take dance next year. And her dad is super excited that after a three minute recital this year, he gets to go to TWO, two hour recitals next year, ha!!