The Talent Show

Rich and I went to Harry's High School talent show tonight. We were surprised at the talent.

Everyone is so worried about the disappearance of the arts in our schools- especially here in California. When cuts need to be made, it's never in the sports department- no one would ever cut funding to Football. But music and art and drama- somehow they are never important enough.

And yet I saw some really amazing singing, piano playing, dancing, even spoons tonight. The winner played the ukulele. I guess funding can be cut from the arts but not talent. Whether it's parents providing lessons and support or just the shear desire of the student to perform-the arts are still alive.

It was so encouraging to see teenagers applauding and cheering each other on- whether the performance was outstanding or a little off. It made me glad to be a parent of a teenager. Harry had a very small part playing the box drum in a small group and yet as we were leaving so many told him he had done a great job.

I'm a great believer in the importance of the arts in school. I wish somehow the powers that be would come to the realization that the greatest minds of all time were artists of some kind- I don't think Leonardo DaVinci played football, Einstein was not the most popular student in his class, and Mozart probably didn't win a state championship.

SHOES

I found these really cute shoes to wear with the skirt I bought for Easter. They're made by Born, so they are also expensive. But it was like putting cute pink flowers on my toes. I just had to have them. I went to Macy's to buy them, but, alas, they did not have my size. So Friday when I went to see Kelly we stopped at Macy's in Sacramento and YAY! they had them. I wore them to church yesterday and felt absolutely adorable and got compliments by friends who sat by me. I almost didn't want to take them off when I got home.

It got me thinkin about how important shoes are in my life.

I LOVE them!
They make me HAPPY!

No matter how much weight I gain, my feet are still small and cute. If I can't find that sweet little top in my size, I can always find a sweet little pair of SHOES. Sometimes I buy the shoes first and then the outfit to wear with them.

I buy more shoes in the spring and summer than in the winter. Probably because in the winter it's more about protecting your feet and really Converse in every color really does the trick (I have pink, sparkly red, black, and brown) Last year, I discovered DC's. They come in lots of prints and colors- so far I only have one pair- kind of a green print. For trips to Disneyland in the winter I have sturdy and comfy Keens.

But in the summer....

It's all about CUTENESS! Flip flops. Slides. Wedges. Sandals. Peep toes. Flats. Jellies. I love them all! Stylish and supportive Jambou's, Merrill's, Allegria's, or Keens for Disneyland. Cute little Roxy flip flops for around the pool. Colorful jellies from The Children's Place for fun. And of coarse all kinds of adorable shoes for church.

Maybe it's because we always look down on our feet but what we wear on them can change how you feel about life. Yesterday, with my pink, flower Born's, I felt WONDERFUL. Nothing could go wrong. Even wearing Converse on a rainy day makes me feel hopeful and young. I have a pair of Roxy flip flops with colored beads on them that remind me of the 60's, when all things seemed possible.

So...here in my messy closet...where all possibilities lay hidden...or in plain sight, I will find that special shoe that will MAKE MY DAY. And if not...there's always Macy's!

Anniversary

In 4 days, rich and I will have been married for 36 years.

We met in high school-sophomore year. He remembers me in Mr. Thornburg's history class. I don't remember him until we did a project together for our Driver's Ed. class. He was kind of a know-it-all that I wish would be absent so I wouldn't have to talk to him. We had friends in common-he dated one of my best friends until we were seniors. But I really didn't know him.

After high school, I went off to BYU-he went off to DeAnza in protest of being bumped from Annapolis. 2 years went by. Then we met again on a group date to the county fair. For some reason I found him attractive in a "geeky" kind of way. He had recently decided to enlist in the Navy and find some way to recapture his dream.

I remember our first kiss at Vasona Lake Park in Los Gatos. He showed me the stars, carved our initials i n a tree, and I thought he was so sweet.

We went to the beach with friends and I rode on his motorcycle. We went to the Renaissance Faire (on his motorcycle). I wish I could find the drawing I did of him while he was asleep. He put a new clutch cable in my VW.
I dated a lot of guys and Rich really was the most polite, courteous, and nicest of them all. Ya know what? He still is - a lot of the time- in that open the car door for you; "you look pretty today, dear" kind of way.

When he found out he was about to be stationed on a ship in Guam, we ran away and got married. We ate at McDonald's for our wedding dinner.

So...36 years later...4 kids...several moves and job changes...here we are. We love spending time together, even if it's doing different things in the same room. He buys me Tulips in the spring. I try to put up with his snoring. We argue and laugh. Our kids think we're cute.

I wonder what the future will bring.


P.S. Yeah, I know, it sounds all "rosey", but it's our anniversary- I didn't want to ruin it.