The End of an Era

It's the end of an era.
Faith retired from gymnastics last week.  She has taken classes at Jolley's gymnastics for almost nine years and it has been wonderful!  She has loved her time there and I cannot say enough good things about what this training has done for her. 

She is physically strong and mentally tough.  She knows how to stick with something even when it's hard.  She knows the value of consistent practice. 
She is taking those skills and putting them to use in the pool.  She started swim team last month and will shortly be starting water polo. 
Change can be hard and there were a few tears as she said goodbye to what has been a major part of her life as long as she can remember.  I am so proud of her for making a change into something that is unfamiliar, but feels right to her.  She is loving swimming and can't wait to get in the pool everyday.  And if I know Faith like I think I do, I'm pretty sure she will take to water polo like a fish to water.

 Sometimes, when Cannon comes out of dance class, he looks like this.  These dance teachers mean business and he is dog tired after his 1 1/2 or 2 hour classes.
I say, "Oh, man.  You look tired!  Was it pretty tough today?  I bet you liked it."

    And then he admits that, yeah, he likes it.

A friendly reminder to not crush your child's crazy dream.  Remember that time when Elinor told me she wanted to be a contortionist and and laughed and said it wasn't going to happen for her.  Yeah, my bad.

George experimenting with lemon juice and electricity.  I will tell you a secret.  I'm not really all that interested in science.  Eeek.  There, I said it.  I would ten thousand times rather read books together than do science experiments.  Thankfully, we've had some really great resources over the years to make up where I definitely leave off.