Kansas City Feis- Kansas City, MO

     I am finally back competing after a four week break due to bone bruises and arch pain.  I'm not fully healed, but sometimes you just have to push through.  

     

     Last weekend, Aubrye had her very first feis! She did so well and we are all so proud of her.  She even got a stuffed animal out of the deal!

     This weekend I traveled to Kansas City, MO with another dance family who was kind enough to keep me with them over the whole weekend! We drove up on Friday and stayed in the feis hotel which was connected to a mall.  We ate dinner at an Italian place inside and then hung out in the hotel room for the rest of the night.  

Dance buddies

     Saturday was quite eventful.  Being an older champ dancer I got to sleep in, since my competition wasn't until the very end.  I got to relax and watch some other girls from my school compete before getting ready.  I was trying not to be nervous, after all I didn't need to qualify and was only competing for more practice.  But with a four week break and only one week of practice, I felt slightly unprepared.  I finished my final round feeling upset that I hadn't danced my best.  My friend felt the same way, but all we could do was go down and wait for results.  They hadn't posted what time our's would be so when they announced it we quickly scrambled into our dresses.  I got second in both rounds and overall while my friend got first! It seems we are each other's good luck charms.    

With the stress of competing behind us, we spent some time at the Irish festival going on that weekend.  It's an annual thing and they have lots of food, vendors, and music, among other things.  I tried haggis for the first time and must admit that I was not impressed with the taste... so I'll leave it for other's to eat.  Afterwards we ate dinner at the Crayola Cafe (a kiddie restaurant themed around Crayola crayons), and then went out on the roof to take some leap pictures.  

     We ended the night by jamming out at the Gaelic Storm concert and getting autographs from their fiddle player.  Unfortunately, we had so much fun that I didn't get any pictures! (sad face)

 Instead of a trophy, I got Irish porcelain!

 Goofing off at the festival

We discovered our emotions...

 

Oireachtas Bound

                                 

     Saturday was nerve-racking.  I warmed up, stretched, practiced, and still felt nervous.  Standing in line, I closed my eyes and listened to the music.  I envisioned the dance in my head and prayed.  God, whatever happens this is for You.  Thank you that I made it this far.  I came off stage shaking from excitement, relief, and adrenaline.  I didn't want to admit it out loud, but secretly I wanted so badly to place.

    When the time came for awards, our small circle of dancers joined hands while we waited to hear our results.  As they announced the numbers I imagined hearing mine.  It was more than my imagination.  I placed sixth out of eleven dancers, enough to qualify for Oireachtas!

     I'm still a little bit dazed that I actually made it.  I've still got a long way to go, but this is progress.  This is what I was hoping for.  And God allowed it at just the right time so that He could reveal to me things about myself and about His faithfulness.

Dance Buddies

     Other highlights of the weekend included several other dancers from my school qualifying for Oireachtas, an ice bath for my feet (it was FREEZING... I took a video of my reaction but I refuse to post it).  At the end of the second day some girls and I participated in the Rockin' Reel.  This is a chance for us to simply have fun and choreograph our own dance to a pre-chosen song for each age group.  My partner and I went all out and dressed up as nerds (apologies to all the nerds out there... you are so much more than your stereotype).  As you can see, it was quite fun!

Posing with the winning Rockin' Reel team!

Senior ladies Rockin' Reel teams

         

                                                     

May you remain in His joy!

Hello Faithful Readers

     It has been quite awhile since I last made a post.  If you are actually reading this right now, I'm quite impressed.  Kudos.

     A lot has happened.  Like, a lot.  Since Milwaukee, WI I have traveled to Cincinnati, Chicago, Nashville (to see the musical Newsies), Indianapolis, Louisville, Lexington, and Rhode Island for the Irish Dance National Championships.

     I am quite pleased to announce that I finally made it to PC! It feels so good to be at this point.  The completion of one goal motivates me to reach for the next!

     This weekend will be my very first competition in PC.  Lots of things change:

          1. The stage will be bigger

          2. I will only compete two dances, not four

              

          3. There will be three judges instead of one

          4. I will dance three steps instead of two

Goal for the weekend: "Don't let them know you're a newbie." (As my dance teacher says it)

     It's all about the stage presence.  I'm nervous.  Sometimes I just want to break down and cry.  And then I remember why I'm doing this.  I love to dance.  I love to move and use every muscle I have because it makes me feel alive.  I love to use my physical strength to glorify my heavenly Father.  I'm learning to love feeling weak because then I'm reminded,

"This is all I know how to say,

Hallelujah

You're my everything." 

     

     

               

 

Wisconsin Spring Feis & Celtic Spirit Feis- Milwaukee Wisconsin

May 2

     The competition here in Wisconsin is pretty tough and they are definitely giving me a run for my money.  I placed in most of my dances, but did not even come close to first in my Treble Jig.  This is my first feis going solo, and by that I mean with none of my immediate family.  Mom decided to stay home with the rest of the family since she’s already been gone two weekends in a row.  A dance family was kind of enough to let me carpool with them so that we could split the cost of the trip.  The hotel we’re staying at is gorgeous and has a great view of Milwaukee… I think I could live in the city. 

Views from our hotel room

Feis stage the night before

     We were up bright and early at 6:00 am and I successfully put my wig on without assistance….phew.  I wasn’t worried about most of my dances, but I knew I would have to prepare myself mentally for treble jig.  My parents hid little notes in my bags and I found them throughout the morning, as I got ready.  Words of encouragement feed my soul, and they admonished me to focus more on chasing God’s glory and dance simply because it’s an ability that He has given me to bring joy.  So I did just that.  I didn’t place.  You know when you just have a feeling that you didn’t do well? I didn’t expect first, but I at least hoped to see my name on the board.  As I walked up to the board, I simply asked that God’s grace would be efficient enough to get me past whatever I encountered.  I was disappointed but managed to recover.

May 3

     Today Treble Jig was my very first dance, without much time to mentally prepare, I told myself to focus on turning my feet out, the main comment I received from the judge yesterday.  I felt pretty good about it, but again I really didn’t think I had gotten a first, I don’t know, maybe my expectations are just influenced from previous experience.  Instead of waiting to check my results like I usually do, I went up right after my Traditional Set, again praying that God would meet me right where I was… I didn’t think I could handle not placing again.  I placed fourth.  Still disappointing, but better than the day before.  I looked to see who won first and found it was the girl who had danced next to me.  She was in another one of my competitions and I had the chance to congratulate her on her win.  I found out that she’s pretty much in the same boat as I am, except that she just moved her Treble Jig up to Prizewinner a month ago and was not expecting to win it anytime soon.  Somehow, in the midst of my disappointment, I was able to be excited for her.

 End of day two

(Am I really that short?)

Starbucks!

     I am learning that disappointment is okay.  Emotions are a gift from God and it’s not wrong or sinful to feel things such as anger, fear, resentment, or disappointment.  It’s how we respond to these emotions that really matters.  My natural inclinations are to harbor bitterness and resentment in my heart, leading to anger and a fear of being judged.  But I am learning to lean on God’s grace.  I’m still not really sure what that means other than saying a prayer and looking for some way to keep my mind off of me.  I’m learning to rest in the fact that I am not any one other than me, and I don’t want to be in anyone else’s place.  God knows the desire of my heart, He knows how much I want PC, how much I want Oireachtas.  And as much as I hate waiting, I hate going up and being disappointed again and again, I can be thankful.  He is teaching me that He knows better than I do, He’s teaching me to trust that the first will come when He wants it to, and that my worth, my value, my affirmation, should not and does not come from my performance on the dance floor. 

     It’s hard.  To be perfectly honest I’m having a hard time staying motivated and not getting angry.  But I’m learning that His grace IS sufficient in each and every moment.

     That makes this all worth it.