and this is why i love it.

i've loved dance since i was a wee-little one of about five or six. my mom put me and my sisters in a dance class and i loved going. i still remember some of the dances (especially our patriotic number to neil diamond's coming to america...with pom-poms, of course). my parents have some stellar pictures of us in our costumes, thankfully. i didn't continue to dance formally after elementary school (minus that year or so in middle school). but, my sisters and i would make up routines on our back porch to paula abdul and salt'n'pepa songs (thanks for the tapes, kris). we used lots and lots of jazz hands (laurie might be laughing-uncontrollably-right now...she is the one that used to make fun of my jazz hands). later, we branched out and made up skating routines on our roller skates. so, you see, i've always had an appreciation.

i spent many june evenings in the logan high auditorium, watching my sisters, and then later, just the one sister (a fine dancer, she was/is). several saturday mornings were spent at dance competitions. and then there were half-time performances and performances at the fireworks. and i liked going and watching. maybe not so much the competitions, but still...i love watching dance.

and that is why my favorite tv show is so you think you can dance. despite my lack of blogging about it this summer, this is the best season by far...for reals. and this week's performance by melissa and ade shot to the top of the best sytycd performances ever. and i was moved.

and i know that this is just a dance routine, but the grace and strength that the dancers display in this piece remind me of my aunt mary...enjoy, and be moved.

i was moved enough that i felt like i needed to dedicate this to my aunt mary. she is an angel on earth, fighting cancer with such grace and strength. she is an inspiration to me and to the rest of my family and to everyone that knows her. i love you, aunt mary...you are in my thoughts and prayers every hour of every day. thank you for showing us and teaching us all how to be graceful fighters. we love you, we love you, we love you!