I wish I could...

capture these moments forever.

Tonight Emma had her first ballet class. Since last spring (when this picture was taken) she has been REALLY into ballet and I kept promising her when we moved I would enroll her in a ballet class. We have done mommy & me classes, gymnastics, swimming, soccer and lots of other enjoyable activities. However, nothing prepared me for the excitement that would light up her face as she fluttered around the room in her tutu behind her lovely ballet teacher.

In fact every little girl in that room was over the moon about wearing ballet slippers and fluttering about as if they were ballerinas. I think the equivalent for boys would be an "Intro to being a fireman" class or "How to drive a trash truck 101". What little girl doesn't want to be a ballerina when she grows up just as every little boy dreams of being a fireman or driving that awesome trash truck that comes down the street each week.

As I listened to the ballet teacher with the beautiful French accent "raizzz ur ams waaaay up ento the ayre and raizzz up, up, up onto yourrr toessss" and the quintessential ballet music played in the background, Emma's joy became my joy. I had one of those a-ha moments when I remembered "this is what being a mom is all about". I little tear welled up in the corner of my eye as I watched her flutter around the room and oh how I wished I could capture that moment forever - seeing pure unabashed joy on her face.

Some days, the ordinary daily tasks of being a mom seem to overpower the joy that is supposed to come along with this job we signed up for. Today reminded me to stop and enjoy the ride, even if I"m arms deep in poopy diapers and laundry baskets. One moment of feeling such happiness with your children overrides a few days of a sink full of dishes.