There has been a lot going on today, so I’ll
try to keep it in order for this update and start from the beginning.
It was warmer today again, though not so
warm that we could take Tai Chi outdoors this morning. The forecast is looking really good for the
parade in Maple Valley tomorrow too, and while cold and snow is definitely more
Christmassy; it will be a lot nicer playing our music outdoors when the
temperature is in the fifties instead of sub-freezing! Tai Chi was still fun this morning, and so
was having Michael stay for breakfast.
That was also pretty much the last quiet
time we had for the rest of the day.
Michael and I were on the go nearly every minute from the time we got to
school. We had a test and two music
practices to fit into our morning; we spent most of our lunch break helping out
with getting everything the band needed for the Seniors’ Christmas party over
to the church and set up; and then we had a busy afternoon of fun and
music. In addition to our band music,
Michael and I were also semi-drafted to sing and play a duet, and since that
was a spur-of-the-moment thing; we went with ‘White Christmas’. We didn’t have Michael’s guitar or my
keyboard; so I used the piano in the hall and Michael borrowed a practice
guitar that one of the praise team musicians leaves at the church. If we weren’t making the old ladies cry for
the wrong reasons; I’d say we did well enough with our version of the song; and
our entire musical program was a hit with our audience.
If all of that wasn’t crazy enough, Rowen,
Tim, and I helped with getting everything back to the school, and while Tim isn’t
in the band; it was after school by then; so he helped out too. Michael needed to get to the Inn to pitch in
for the dinner rush prep work, and once we were finished at the school; Rowen
and I multi-tasked getting ready for the dance with having dinner and getting
our homework out of the way for the weekend.
Tim didn’t join us for that, though he had offered to help Rowen with
getting ready for the dance while their parents were all working late, so after
picking up clothes at her house; we were able to use a little Magi power to
help out with getting everything done with time to spare before Michael and Tim
picked us up for our date.
Dad needed to take pictures before we left,
and Michael and Tim were suitably impressed with the effort Rowen and I put
into getting ready and dressed up for the dance; so that part of our night got
off to a great start. We also soon found
out that the members of the school band weren’t the only teens who had been
busy this afternoon – the decorating for the dance was wonderful; and set the
scene for what I hope was a perfect night for nearly everyone who was there.
It certainly was perfect for Michael and
me!
We danced; had fun with our friends;
enjoyed some awesome Olde Bakery Christmas treats; and dance some more. There were a lot of little things that went
into making the Christmas dance this year so much different for us than last
year – though our first one together will still always be magical for me
too. The most obvious is probably the
fact that Michael is a popular football star now and I’m a cheerleader; so we’re
able to mingle with pretty much every group of teens and tweens. We’re not in the middle of any teen dramas
either, and Rowen and I don’t have any other girls mad at us this year; so that
makes going to dances more fun for us too.
There have been some physical developments for both of us since this
time last year, and while that statement has my thoughts wandering off
somewhere fun and intimate; my point there is more about the difference between
Michael and me in height.
A year ago, I wore nearly-flat shoes
because there was only an inch in height between us. Michael’s now about three inches taller than
me; so my footwear options are expanding.
That doesn’t mean I’m trying to learn how to walk on six-inch spikes or
anything; but I am moving up a level or two on style. Some women who are reading this might be
feeling sorry for me while thinking about their first dances wearing any kind
of heels and the sore feet that usually go with those first hours of
dancing. Don’t hate me, but that isn’t
actually a problem for someone who self-heals – no foot-pun intended. ;^)
Getting back to the dance, though; let’s
cover a few favorite moments. Every kiss
with Michael under the Mistletoe made the top of my best-moments list. Dancing with Michael – especially to slow
songs – was number two; and cuddling with Michael while we sat and talked with
Rowen, Tim, and the rest of our friends was number three. There seems to be a pattern there. I did manage to notice a few other things
going on tonight that didn’t involve Michael and me, with one of those top
stories being Rebecca and Lucas’ first Christmas dance together.
I don’t really think about this much, or
mention it in my journal very often, but for those of you in the future who
might not know Rebecca; she is as stunningly beautiful as her father and
brother are handsome. While that gets
her some unwanted attention now and then; she loves seeing Lucas’ reaction to
her – a soft, earnest, and slightly astonished-looking awe. He truly is amazed that she’s picked him;
though he shouldn’t be. Rebecca knows
that he loves her for all of the right reasons.
The fact that she’s the hottest girl in the school is just a seriously
awesome bonus for him!
Moving along, Rowen and Tim were having as
much fun tonight as Michael and I did; most of our friends seemed to be
enjoying themselves; and Lily and Reid were probably the top teen couple story
for our grade tonight as they were together for their first major teen dating
event since getting together at Thanksgiving.
While that story is sweet, there was also some teen or tween drama and
some occasional weirdness. I don’t
really want to go there when my night really was amazing; but I guess it wouldn’t
be fair to pretend that everything around me was perfect at the dance when I
know that it wasn’t.
On the weird side of things, I still find
it very uncomfortable when some couples take their public displays of affection
way further than I ever would – and I do mean ever! Yes, I know that’s entirely a personal
standard, and I’d likely be shocked if I went to a big-city school dance or
something; but I’m just being honest about how I feel. Since I have written about that before,
though; let’s not dwell on it. I’m not
going to spend a lot of time ranting about Christmas break-ups either, and I
won’t include names here either; but breaking up at a Christmas dance is right
up there with the worst ways of doing that.
Tonight, there were three guys and one girl who seriously deserve to be
on Santa’s naughty list – and I’m referring to the worst ways to break up with
someone – not the too-enthusiastic, making-out-in-public kind of naughty.
Here’s a suggestion for a few simple
Christmas dating rules. Don’t invite
someone or accept an invitation to a Christmas dance if you’re just going to
ruin your date’s night by breaking up with them in such a public way. Don’t go to a Christmas dance with a date and
then blow them off and hook up – and go home – with someone else. Finally, don’t go to a Christmas dance and
then put your date down all night and be rude and obnoxious to him or her. Setting the groundwork for a break-up at a
dance is nearly as bad as going ahead and making the big scene would be.
Oh, and as I’ve mentioned before, if you’re
breaking up with your girlfriend or boyfriend to avoid Christmas gift buying;
that should be an automatic for putting you on Santa’s naughty list –
especially if you’ve already planned the make-up’ for the week after Christmas.
Yes, this is a small town, and we generally
all try to be good, but we’re not perfect; and that kind of thing does happen
here too – if not to the same extent as in other places.
That’s enough of the downside of the local
teen zone; so let’s move this along.
It really didn’t cool off that much by the
time that Michael walked me home after the dance. We walked part-way with Rowen, Tim, Rebecca,
and Lucas; but split up to go to three separate homes. Michael came inside with me, and while that
was partly to give Rebecca and Lucas a little alone time before his mother
picked him up; we were okay with having some wind-down cuddle time too. We did that in the living room instead of
going up to the lounge; and Mandy joined us for a bit of telepathic chat time
while cuddling with us. That wasn’t
exactly hot or romantic, but it was fun; and a nice, comfortable way to wrap up
an amazing day.
We do have the parade in the morning, so
Michael only stayed for a half-hour or so before heading home for the
night. Mandy and I saw him out; watched
him walk home; and then came up to bed.
I’ve only been doing the basic nightly computing; and the only news I
have to report from that is from my favorite collegians. They’re all finished with exams now, and some
of them are here at home already; but others won’t be travelling until tomorrow
– and two of my favorite couples won’t be back until next Monday. Violet and Dillon are in Woodvale for the
weekend; and Josiah went home with Christina for a couple of days. I wish we could see them sooner, but at least
they’ll be here for Christmas – and then for the following weekend when our
families will all be home too. Jake and
Stephanie are flying home in the morning, and are staying in an airport hotel
tonight, but since we have the parade tomorrow; Michael and I won’t be going to
the airport to pick them up tomorrow.
Grandpa Grant and Grandma Eleanor are doing that instead.
Michael and I might not even see Jake and
Stephanie much tomorrow, depending on when they’ll be with his family and hers
after they get home. We’ll be busy with
babysitting tomorrow night while Mom and Dad are out for their Christmas dinner
at the Inn and party at Sheldon’s; so we won’t be able to hang out with them
tomorrow night.
Whatever happens with that, it’s going to
be a very long day, and I would really like for the entertainment schedule to
include some Michael and me time after the kids go to bed; so I’d better get
started on my nap time to make sure I’m rested up for that. I definitely don’t want to get to that part
of the day and just fall asleep! ;^)
I’ll let you know how that goes for us, but
that’s all I have for tonight; so let’s do the Christmas music video pick and
then I’ll listen to it while drifting off into dreamland.
When it comes to Christmas classics, White
Christmas is at or near the top of every holiday playlist. As I mentioned, Michael and I sang this song
this afternoon for the Seniors’ Christmas party, and while I think that we did
pretty well with our duet; this will always be my personal all-time favorite
version of this beautiful Christmas song.
May the Magi Force be with you!
