A Memory I Want To Keep

This past week, all the kids attended camp. The boys went to Camp Invention, and I have never heard them to so excited about a camp. They get to compete, design, build, and invent, all things they love to do. (Colin's team even won two competitions, one of which was when his team had to design a shield to protect them from water balloons. The driest team won.)

Gwyn went to a dance camp in the evenings. It was princess themed, and she could not have been more excited about it. I bought her a new leotard for the class, which she proceeded to wear all weekend leading up to camp. The only thing she practiced at home was "jumping over the black water." (Practicing leaping.) She shows us how to point a toe to get ready, run, jump, and then bow at the end.

But yesterday the most adorable thing happened, and I want to remember it.

My friend from high school, Leah, has a daughter in the same camp. Her name is Ashley. (Leah's son Ryan is also at Camp invention with the boys.) Kevin (son) and I were picking up both girls and were waiting in the hallway since class was not over. Near the end of class it started raining very hard, and thundering. All 10 girls in the class would scream and run to the teachers crying and scared. They turned up the music and practiced dancing, but the thundering continued. Ashley was in one teachers arms crying the entire time. So they ended class a few minutes early to calm the girls down.

Kevin and I were ready to help. He has grown into an amazing brother. He instantly picked up Gwyn and tried to hug her, but she saw my holding Ashley and had to have me. So I ended up walking out with carrying two little girls in pick leotards.

The rain was torrential, and the thundering was still going on. And it was loud. I had to get all of them in the car. I planned to run to the car, get the umbrella, drive to the building, get the kids one-by-one in to the car, and go. But this meant I had to put down two terrified, crying little girls. I told Kevin they would cry and want me, but just being there would help them, and he was up for it. When I left to get the car (which was in a very-far-when-it-is-raining second-row spot) I saw Kevin with his arms gently around two sobbing, little blonds, crying and hugging each other for dear life. They were wrapped around each other so tightly. It should have been sad if it wasn't so darn adorable.

Anyway, I got the kids in the car, we turned up some Frozen music, and looked for "road rivers" to drive through and make the loud noise. (In reality, there was flash flooding and I didn't really try to drive through anything. I had no choice.) It turned out okay, obviously, but those girls hugging and crying from thunder was too sweet to pass up.

Tonight is the recital, where they show us the Tangled, Jasmine, and Frozen routines. I bet Gwyn is going to love it.