Elizabeth starts a blog (and more ballet musings)

About a year ago, Abigail started taking private ballet lessons with our friend Elizabeth. Elizabeth just started her freshman year at one of our local colleges and was "Ruth" in last January's ballet production. She was raising money to attend a summer intensive with a Christian ballet company, and I thought it'd be a great deal for both of us! She could make some extra money, and Abigail could get some extra work on something she loved.

Here is a picture of Elizabeth and Abigail with the barre we've installed at our home:

And I found this photo below of Elizabeth (left) as Ruth and Abigail together on stage together during the production:

Elizabeth has started a Blog of her own and I wanted to give it a shout out on my Blog in hopes that you all can give her some traffic.Here is the link to her Blog: Life with Izzy. Elizabeth is an amazing role model for both of my daughters but especially Abigail right now. She is the type of young woman you can only pray that your daughter will decide to emulate. She loves Jesus, people, ballet, and life in general!

Speaking of Elizabeth and Abigail . . . yesterday before her lesson started, Abigail and I made a little wager. She has always been able to do her left leg up on the door frame without trouble as shown in the pictures below:

However, she's never been able to do her right leg as well as her left. So yesterday, right before she started her private lesson with Elizabeth, I told Abigail that if she could get her right leg as good as her left, I would get her a stuffed animal she's been wanting. 

I honestly thought it would takes weeks or months for her to get it, but to my surprise, she had been working on it and was actually able to do it right away. Elizabeth walked in for the lesson and gave the final vote that yes her right leg looked as good as her left and Abigail had earned the stuffed animal. Here's a photo of the other leg:

I must admit I have come to have a great love and appreciation for the art of ballet. I love watching my incredibly athletic daughter excel in this art. I really think she could choose to play any typical sport, but this is the one that brings her the most joy. I must admit that I never thought of dancing as a sport when I was an athlete. But not only have I come to understand that ballet is a sport, but I am more convinced than ever that these dancers may be some of the best athletes there are!

We are also so blessed by Elizabeth. We live in a place where opportunities are limited with ballet. We have decided that driving to a big city (Knoxville or Asheville) to provide extra opportunities is just not in line with our family's priorities. But these private lessons allow us to continue to provide Abigail with opportunities while not compromising the slow life we strive for here on the farm. 

So blessed by Central Ballet and Elizabeth and my little dancer!