Anika

Anika has been going to a classical dance since October and just loved it.  She is not very athletic and even has a hard time balancing sometimes when doing some dance moves but she never gives up and just enjoys every moment of it.  I'm so glad she is able to do that and not get down on herself.  We thought this would be good for her physically and it has been great even though there were so many nights I wished we didn't have to get out of the house for the dance.

I have been taking her faithfully to dance every week until I went on my trip to Slovakia.  Of course, the week I was gone they had 2 big practices, pictures and the big recital on Friday.  I was really bummed I had to miss it and had to leave very detailed instructions for Ehren so he would be able to remember everything.  He did great and thankfully Ehren's mom did Anika's hair really nice for the recital.  One thing I was not impressed with is how big of a deal people make of these recitals.  It was our first year and had no idea we are in for a bit of "Toddlers and Tiaras".  The girls had their hair and make up done as if they were going to some pageant or something.  Luckily Jessica (my sister-in-law) heard about people getting flowers to the girls at the end so she got some for Emily and Anika.  The whole dance session was so low key that I had no idea they would make it into that for the recital.

Below is some of what Ehren wrote to me about Ani's big day since I wasn't there to experience it.  It was so sweet and brought tears to my eyes.  Then there are a few pictures I got to see too.  It's just unbelievable what we're able to do in this day and age with technology.  We can skype with Kade and Ani and giggle (or cry) even though we're thousands of miles away.  We can see our pictures or videos almost instantly.  It's just crazy when I think back to when Ehren and I first started our long distance relationship and how we had to wait 10 to 14 days to get a reply in the mail. Now I'd be back home before I would even hear from Ehren. :)

Here's the e-mail from Ehren from last Friday:

"Tonight was a lot of fun.  First it was in the middle of a snow STORM so that made the running around all the more fun.  I tried to dress up Ani's hair with a bow or something to dress it up (after mom braided it) but Ani said  that she justwanted it as it was.  We got there at 6. Ani had her tights on but not her outfit so I took her to a bathroom by the gym to change.  Didn't know she could have changed in the back...  Oh well.  Then it was the waiting game. Ani first dance was 6 songs in. She saw me right away and smiled.  She loved it up there and
just had fun.  I was too busy the first time with the camera to show her to ook at the teacher but I went up there again for the 2nd song and was able to direct her to look at her teacher.  I just loved those seconds when she
had that smile just for me.  I think she loved it that she could see me.  She was beautiful.
I didn't know about the flowers to give to the girls but Jess knew I probably wouldn't, she didn't find out til yesterday, so she brought some there for me to give to Ani.  I had Kade give them to her which was perfect because she was asking for him right away.  She was just wired afterwards. We went to DQ with mom and dad afterward and they both had a strawberry/banana smoothie.  As she went to bed I was telling her how proud
I was of her and how beautiful she looked.  I then told her how proud you were of her and how much you wanted to be there.  She cried.  We avoided talking about it all day but she needed to hear that.  She really misses
you. She went to bed at 9:30, voice hoarse and tired.  She was asleep 10minutes later.  After all this week was, I can sit down and really appreciate it.  It was worth it."  

Ani and Emily

Excited to get flowers afterwards