Our Amazing Time with the Harlem Globetrotters

Life has been so busy (as usual), and I am so behind on my posting.  We had such an amazing experience though, and I wanted to make sure to share.  

A few months back the girl’s dance studio, Dancing in the Streets, asked if they would like to be part of a dance in the Harlem Globetrotters halftime show.  I asked the girls and of course they very quickly said “yes”.  

After multiple practices the day arrived and we drove to Phoenix for the game.  The girls were beaming when they went out on the court.   It meant so much to them, they are still telling everyone they meet about it.  Their outfits were beautiful but paled in comparison to their smiles.  They were on cloud 9!

I vividly remember a conversation I had with Madi when she was younger and our other two girlies weren’t home yet.  She was dancing at our local community center and she was sad because she didn’t get to dance on stage.  She shared with me that her dream was to dance on stage. I called so many studios, but never found one that would work.  I tried again here in Tucson to no avail. Then we found Dancing in the Streets.  Thanks to their amazing work, all the girls have been able to fully participate in their shows and shine onstage.  We never thought to dream bigger, though.  It didn’t occur to us that there was something bigger for the girls than onstage.  It turns out that there was; the halftime show was their opportunity for their “bigger”.  Watching them out there brought tears to my eyes (and I never cry!).  Dreams do come true, and sometimes you find your dreams weren’t even big enough because God has something even better.  It was a day we will never forget!

Kicking off Spina Bifida Awareness Month

Today kicks off the first day of spina bifida awareness month.  When I was 22 weeks pregnant, Madi was diagnosed with spina bifida.  I had no clue what spina bifida was and I was so scared.  I felt like my world was crashing down.  I had no idea what it meant for her and the doctor made it sound like a death sentence (literally).  I remember pleading with God and telling him that I could deal with anything He threw our way, but to please let her make it through the rest of our pregnancy and in to my arms.  Not long after Madi was born I realized how much of the story the doctor left out.  Sure, there would be surgeries, therapies, appointments, wheelchairs, etc...., but more importantly there would be smiles, laughter, joy, determination,  and LIFE.  He forgot to tell me the “stuff” would all start to feel normal, and it would all be ok.  Fast forward a few more years and Madi’s diagnosis also brought us Ramya, because we had learned over the years that spina bifida and wheelchairs really aren’t scary.  Now we get the privilege of watching both girls grow, thrive, and live their lives abundantly. I hope by sharing our lives we have helped everyone see that we aren’t defined by our list of “cant’s” (and trust me, every person on this earth has a list in one form or another).  That list doesn’t rob us of our joy or keep us from living our lives to the fullest.  We don’t live life on the sidelines.  We are truly blessed beyond measure.