Impressive

Recently I was conversing with someone and we ended up talking about people who always have to one up you. Do you know those people? You tell them how bad your day was and they tell you how much worse theirs was. You share some exciting news and they have something more exciting. You are proud of an accomplishment and they have already accomplished the same thing and then some. While having this conversation I became paranoid that maybe I am one of those people. Even as my paranoia crept in it made me laugh hysterically. Like, for real, what would I brag about? Thinking about impressing people or being impressed caused me to draw the conclusion that it doesn't take much to one up me and my crew or to impress us.

Several years ago Sarah was riding in the car with T (her grandma) and a couple of her sophisticated, city kids cousins. At that point we were still in Ms. without TV (not just cable, but NO TV) and we actually lined up at the kitchen window to watch the cows change pastures for our entertainment. You think I'm kidding, but I'm not. Well, one of the cousins started bragging about her new Ipod and how most kids her age didn't have Ipods and the whole deal. Unfortunately the impressiveness of this material possession was totally lost on my child who immediately asked in her countrified southern drawl, "T, what's a Ipod?"  Bless her socially isolated, technologically outdated little heart. She didn't know to be impressed. :)

Eli proved to be equally as cultured and sophisticated as Sarah. Several months back we were out to eat with some family friends when their daughter started telling my kids about all of the fancy food she liked to eat. Not to be outdone, Eli added to the conversation. He informed us, "You know what's good on bread? Peanut butter and jelly."  True son, very true. I can only hope that all mothers out there are broadening the food horizon for their children the way that I have.

After I wrote this blog about Sarah I started worrying that it might have come across smug, like I think I'm the mother of the year or something. Well, if it makes you feel any better, just a day after that special experience I looked out in the playroom to see this....

That would be my daughter. Dancing. On a table. Also known as table dancing. You might think this would cause me to panic. I mean, I teach dance, but not THAT kind of dancing. It's okay. Sarah did the same thing when she was this age. In the nursery. At church. Can't you just hear me the next time someone is bragging about their 3 year old that reads and speaks four languages? Well, let me tell you what. My Kate, she dances on tables and she is *almost* potty trained. Wink.

There was once a time I felt like I could impress people with how young I was. Because I had Sarah so young it would always surprise people that I was as young as I was. Well, my dance classes have now stolen that glory from me as well. They make me feel old.as.dirt. I teach Sarah's jazz class and I have chosen the song "What a Feeling" for their recital dance. You know the one from "Flashdance"?  Oh my gosh. If that song doesn't make you want to get up and put on some leg warmers and do some leaps I don't know what will. I've been really excited about it. The first night I played the song for the girls they weren't too sure about it. It starts out slow and they were saying, "This isn't a jazz song!" But, then- wait for it, wait for it.....WHAT A FEELING/IS BELIEVING! Oh yeah, you totally want to twirl across the room, don't you? Well, at that point one of the girls looked at me with complete awe in her eyes and said, "This is awesome". Yes. Yes it is. :)  They were all saying they had never heard it (what a tragedy) and I explained that it actually came out when I was close to their age. Yes, it is that old. Well, tonight there were two new girls and when I played the song one of the girls told them, "It's from the 1900's". WHAT?!?!  I corrected her that it is from the 1980's. Then I realized it's all the same to them. I'm just old.

Another exciting moment happened this week. I was going through a bag Sarah brought home from my Mom's and found a dress she had given Sarah to play in. It was a blast from the past. When I was little my parents would go to my Dad's Christmas party every year and my Mama would always get a new semi-formal. I loved seeing them all dressed up. Well, here was one of those very dresses. I found myself looking at the tag and was shocked to see that it is the size I wear. My Mom has always been super tiny. I couldn't resist. I had to try it on. Apparently sizes have changed over the years. I was able to squeeze my big ol' booty (haven't had time to get the reduction yet) into the dress, but oh boy it was more like a shirt on me. Still, I couldn't help feeling a little bit proud that I could even get it zipped. I have to show y'all this picture of my gorgeous Mama and handsome Daddy.

I would have taken a picture of me in the dress to show you, but, well, being arrested for indecent exposure just doen't look good for a preacher's wife. Let's just say the dress doesn't quite fit me exactly the way it should. Speaking of indecent exposure, Kate has added photographer to her resume this week. Sarah got a new camera for Christmas and thankfully we can't figure out how to upload the pictures. I say thankfully because the other day I was changing clothes and turned around just in time to see Kate capturing the moment with Sarah's camera. Scandalous. Those weren't my first X-rated pictures either. When I had Sarah we asked one of the nurses to take a pic of Josh cutting the umbilical cord. Well, seems she got more in the picture than we planned if you know what I mean. That was before the days of digital cameras. I didn't find out about these pictures until AFTER they were delivered. At Winn-Dixie. Where Josh had worked for several years and knew every person, including the photo person. I don't know how these things happen to me. You know those people who have amazing birth pictures minutes after delivery with a full face of make-up and a professional hair do?  Yeah, I don't have those. I have the ones where my face looks like I just swallowed the Pillsbury dough boy and my hair looks like I slept in a bush. Personally, I'm just thankful for the ones that only show my face........

Well, I must say, it's hard not to brag when you have a life like mine. :) So what about you? What impresses you? What does NOT impress you?