I'm so proud...

of this sweet girl!

Last night she had dance practice, and she won the "drill down"....again. She won the week before and got a cool ribbon too. In fact she wins almost every week! (A drill down is where her drill team follows the commands given by the leader, she goes faster and faster and calls more complicated commands and if you mess up, you're "out". Not smiling, flinching, looking anywhere but forward are considered "messing up".) I remember when Arissa joined the drill team.....I wasn't sure if it was a good idea, I didn't want her to do exactly what I did and then feel pressured at all. But she was the one who wanted to join, and I remember being so nervous for her, in this group with girls several years older than her, having to memorize complex routines. I wondered, she's only 6, can she remember a whole routine and do it while marching? But you should see her now, she has memorized several routines, plus 2 different "cheers" they do, as well as her tap dance for her tap class. And then not only is she able to memorize that stuff, but she performs it all better than girls in her group who are in middle school!

And, she is receiving an award at school this week....I'll post more details about it after it happens. But basically it's different than the district award she received last year which was for academic stuff, this award is for the stuff that in my opinion is much more important. The kids in her class voted which fellow classmate was the most compassionate, the most caring, the biggest and best peacemaker. She doesn't know she's won, and we're suprising her by being there at the ceremony. And anyone who knows Arissa, knows she deserves it....she is the definition of a sweetheart. I really don't deserve her, but I am so so so proud of her.