71 Toes: another FLIPS performance

The human body is quite amazing.

Not only can it come to grips and survive two children graduating and leaving home in rapid succession (I, personally, am still working with that one, but I know it's possible:)...more on that soon), but it can also twist and turn and move in astounding ways when trained and practiced over and over and over again.

Claire had her last Flips performance about a week ago...at least her last for a while. And I tell you, that performance always makes me tear up it's so good. Claire's done this awesome program for a few years now and has loved it so much.

Now it's on to junior high and club soccer and track and she won't have time to be in the performance next year. So she sure sparkled through this one and made it her best.

We were so happy my mom could come be there for the big day.

...and Miss Grace who we miss performing in that great show with her sister (she gave it up a few years back when cheerleading took over).

These kids practice their hearts out for the big day.

(That picture up there is just here because I think Dave is handsome. And I get to be married to him.)

Check out that swirl of activity!

...and the amazing moves these girls are doing.

So much motion up on one stage.

These two, above and below, are Claire.

And they are extra special this year after kind of a rough road this last year. She had this weird mental block come over her and suddenly got too nervous to do a lot of the things that were so natural for her the year before.

It was crazy.

It seemed that there was nothing she could do could will her mind into pushing her body into them...one morning she couldn't even do a back handspring, which kind of freaked her out since she's been doing those for years.

We have this family friend who helped her so much, and she kept practicing her heart out. So it was an extra big deal when she threw everything perfectly on the big day with a huge smile stretched across her face.

Love that spunky girl.

Here's a video of her class's number:
Because they are a company class, they were in the opening and closing numbers as well.

Check out all those kids on one stage doing amazing things!

Here's a clip of part of one of the dances...wish I had grabbed my camera at the time they did ten standing back handsprings in a row. It was amazing.

I love Theodore Roosevelt's quote about being "in the arena."

Claire was definitely there this year...sometimes her face "marred by dust and sweat and blood" (ok, not blood, but a lot of dust and tears and sweat) when she arrived home from a tough night of trying to force her body to do something her mind wasn't letting her do.

But she came out triumphant and we are so proud of her!

Go Claire!