Proud Mama

My school (which is also my oldest daughter's school) has a tradition of offering social dancing lessons to sixth graders for a six week span each winter.  I live in an area where seventh grade is a big year for bar and bat mitzvahs, so this is good timing for teaching kids not only how to dance a waltz and a cha cha but also how to behave appropriately in a social setting.  The boys get spiffied up in ties and dress pants and the girls wear dresses and white gloves (so they don't have to worry about sweaty hands).

The last session is Parents' Night, and the kids' parents get dressed up and join in the fun.  We sit in the bleachers and watch the awkwardness unfold.  Trust me... a gym full of sixth graders being watched by their parents as they dance... that's the full on meaning of awkward.

This was my favorite part of the night:

Molly danced with her daddy.  She looks so grown up and poised.  I couldn't help but flash back to  this:

It's hard to see sometimes how much she's changed when I'm with her every day.  And it's more than just the outside.  She's growing into an amazing young woman.  She's kind and friendly.  She's smart and talented.  She has goals that she wants to achieve:  write a novel, become a third grade teacher.  I'm sure she'll reach them, too.

All I know is... the roughly 9 years between those two pictures passed by in a flash.  I'm sure the next 9 will, too.