Samantha's first recital

"Tappa Tappa"

"Always and Always"

 Today, at the Alliance Theater in downtown Atlanta, Samantha participated in her first (probably of many) dance recitals.  She performed a ballet number first followed by a tap number.  Her class has been together since August and for many of the 6, this was their first time with dance. 

 Samantha LOVED every part of this experience.  She always was excited to go to dance class, loved learning the formal names of all the ballet moves and enjoyed the end result: getting dressed up for recital day.

 I would have to say, Samantha's eyes light up when she gets those tap shoes on!!!!!!!  She looooooves TAP!

We were so proud of our beautiful dancer today on the BIG stage.  The dance company she dances with usually holds their recitals at a local high school but due to some changes this year, booked a major theater in downtown Atlanta.  Although overwhelming for the moms, it seemed just right for our stars!!!!  Everything from the fancy dancers dressing room to the BIG stage and balcony made today's event seem like the "real deal".

We look forward to many more of these fun events but will never forget her first.  What a precious dancer she has become. 

Congrats baby girl on a job VERY well done.  We were all so proud of you.  Lots of love!!!!

Losing a friend......

In high school, I had several close friends.  Ashley and Josie were clearly my BFF's....they were "like" me.  I met Carla later in high school and we also became extremely close.  But there was another friend, a very special one named Chrystina that played an important role in my teenage years.  Chrystina was magical, beautiful and by anyone's accounts.....a wild spirit.  She was the first one to try something new, even if it was not the norm.  She loved to write and would write me these amazing letters/poems and notes.  In many of them, she thanked me for being her "best friend", accepting her and loving her for who she was.  Being a 17 year old girl is hard!  You feel pulled in many directions and reading those letters took me back to that time.  The lines between friends are not always black and white but I can say, I loved Chrystina and would have done anything for her.  I just was not always ready to try the same things she was, and that pulled us apart.

In college, Chrystina (whose name is really Christina but she spelled it with a "y" to be different in high school) came to visit me.  We had remained close even when I moved to North Carolina.  She expressed at that time that she was struggling a bit and we ended the visit on rocky terms.  I look back and think I took the selfish route then but I was not ready to give everything I had to help her get back on her feet, I did not know how.  But, I loved her and never forgot about her.

She ended up living in Greensboro, NC and we talked off and on during college.  Her sister came to Elon for school and pledged my same sorority.  I knew Christina had a son but then lost contact with her.  This Fall, I was at an Elon wedding and saw Jenny, her sister.  It was like time stopped as we found each other and reconnected.  I felt like I had been given a gift.  Through this encounter I learned about how Christina had been those years we were not in touch.  After I got home, Christina (who had a hidden profile on facebook) found me and we got back in touch.  She wrote me about being a mom, her sweet son and asked about my family.  I could tell Christina had found her happy place, after all these years.  It was SO nice to talk, as adults and make a plan to see each other next time I was in North Carolina.  I just thought I would have the opportunity to.

Last Friday, I saw her sister's Facebook status and shouted to Phil that something bad had happened.  Jenny had said something about missing her sister and apologizing for not being able to protect her from "him".  I spent the next hour on the computer going back and forth with Jenny finding out the terrible details.....

Christina had an abusive ex-boyfriend.  She had filed charges MANY times yet nothing ever became of them.  In February, he tried to strangle her and was due in court this week on those charges.  At that time, he was ordered to NOT have contact with Christina.  At 3am on Friday morning, Evan (her 9 year old son) awoke hearing his mom scream "stop it".  When he entered the room, he found his mother on the floor dying.  The man, Noah, was next to her, also dying.  Evan called 911 and 9 minutes later, help arrived.  My friend was pronounced dead at the hospital.  She was a victim of domestic violence one too many times!!!!!  This man, Noah, was allowed to walk free chance after chance after chance which resulted in him taking it too far last week. 

In beginning, the charges appear to have been smaller....each time Noah got more and more violent.  Each time, the court let him go and allowed him to act this way.  He HURT her the first time she called the cops, almost killed her the 4th time and he MURDERED her the 5th time.  Domestic violence is real. 

If you or someone you know is in a situation where they are not safe, even if it just started, remember Christina's face, her story and her sweet son.  Get help before it is too late.  National Domestic Violence Hotline, 1.800.799.SAFE (7233)

Although I could not be there this week to say goodbye to my friend, her father spoke about her and included part of a letter I wrote the family.  I was so touched to be included and know that her memory will live on.  Christina was a magical person.  In my yearbook she wrote "Remember, things are always good, somehow.  Love, Chrystina".  Then she drew a sunshine and butterfly.  Rest in peace my friend. 

http://www.news-record.com/content/2011/05/27/article/2_people_die_after_shooting_in_greensboro