I apologize for my long absence. I have been so busy with many things, and I barely have time to breathe lately. The weather has been glorious, which means I'm spending more time outdoors in the sunshine and the daylight - which now lasts more than 18 hours per day! It's so rejuvenating!

I'll try to catch you all up on how the last week has been for me...

Last Sunday, I attended the First Holy Communion of six adorable kids, and took many photos. The lighting was very challenging, but I managed to get some decent photographs. I was very stressed about doing this shoot - mainly because it was a special "once in a lifetime" experience. Much like shooting a wedding (which I've never done, and don't know if I could handle the pressure of doing), I was fearful of messing up the entire day with blurry photographs and missed moments. But things went as well as can be expected. Once I started shooting, I went into auto-pilot. Here's a small sampling of the photos I took:

Tuesday, Steve and I both went for eye exams. Steve's been wearing glasses all his life, and goes once a year for his regular eye exam, but I haven't been to the eye doctor in 12 years! Twelve years ago, I was prescribed glasses for night driving, as I had a hard time reading signs in the dark, and the oncoming headlights caused temporary blindness if it was a dark road. It made me fearful of driving in unfamiliar places, where I have to be vigilant of directional signs, etc. In familiar territory, I drive by landmarks and not signs, so I'm fine. During the day, I never wear my glasses - I never really needed them.

About a year ago - on a whim - I put on my glasses when we went to the theater to see a movie. I was amazed at how sharp the screen was! It's a good thing the theater was dark, because I wouldn't win any fashion awards with these huge frames. I started wearing my glasses whenever we'd go to the movies.

Not long after I started having issues reading the small print on the back of products, and then in the newspaper. I bought a pair of those cheap magnifying glasses you can pick up at any department store. I was amazed at how clear everything became - especially when reading a book. While I can read without them, it was much easier to read with them, so I started reaching for them regularly.

My eye doctor visit went much better than I expected. My prescription hasn't changed at all in 12 years. I have 20/25 in one eye and 20/30 in the other. I'm legally not required to wear glasses to drive, etc. although I will use them at night for clarity. As for my close-up reading, the OTC glasses (1.5 magnifiers) are perfectly fine for me. I was afraid I'd be a candidate for bifocals, and I'm relieved that I haven't reached that stage yet. I did order myself a new pair of driving glasses, in a much more modern style. I was happy to find out that Steve's insurance through the gold mine covers exams and glasses up to $250, so no 'out of pocket' costs for me. I should have them in about a week.

On Wednesday, my travels took me to Creamers Field, after reading about the arrival of the sandhill cranes. The cranes signify the arrival of spring, and are a thrill to see. There weren't as many as I remember seeing in years past, but their appearance has been a wonderful mood lifter for many of us. The parking lot was full of cars - lined up at the fence - watching these birds. Some people had cameras and others had binoculars. The sun was shining warmly - a perfect spring afternoon. Rain moved in a little later, but that made for some awesome cloud formations.

			For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; the flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land. ~Solomon~

The thing that has kept me really busy the past week, has been dance practice and rehearsal. I've written about my dance class a few times in this journal, but now it is time for the class to end for the year - and for us (and the other classes) to perform in public. To say I'm nervous is a huge understatement! I am petrified! I am not fond of being in the limelight - let alone dancing in public on a stage.

I've been taking Middle Eastern Dance - which most people refer to as belly dance. I've attended class every Monday night since September and all of our hard work and practice culminates tonight in a public performance. One of the main reasons I decided to take this class was because it looked like so much fun! After seeing Tundra Caravan perform last summer at Pioneer Park, I was mesmerized by the fluidity in which the dancers moved. I was also very pleased to see that Middle Eastern Dance is enjoyed by women of all ages, shapes, and sizes. Here was something my middle-aged body could learn and even enjoy! Being a "curvy" gal is practically a requirement.

I invited my friend Carmen to join me in the class, and the two of us went from knowing absolutely nothing and having two left feet, to learning an entire dance routine. Sure, we still feel like we have two left feet, and sometimes we totally forget the next step, but we've had so much fun learning the dance. Our fellow class members are a fun group of gals too. We have a wide range of ages too - from Tara who is our youngest at about age 8-9, to Carmen who is older than that. *chuckle*

Our costumes are harem pants with glittery threads running through them, and matching tops which tie at the front. Under it all, we wear a unitard called "sugar petals", which essentially is a full body leotard, with a mesh mid-section. This provides us more modest women with coverage (and support!), but still allows for the midsection to be seen. Our hip scarves are a variety of colors - mine is hunter green - and draped with gold coins which make a lovely jingle sound when we move.

On Thursday night, we had a full dress rehearsal and had our photos taken. We had to go to the theater in full costume, with our makeup and hair done. Steve was at work, so I had to take photos of myself using a timer/tripod, and handheld. They're not the best, but you get the idea. (The photo at left is a bit grainy. I had the exposure totally wrong and had to brighten it in Photoshop.)

I took my camera to the rehearsal, so I could take photos of the other dancers who will be performing. It's going to be such a fabulous show! I wish I was a spectator for the entire performance, rather than up on stage being a part of it.

I just love the colors of the costumes, and especially those who dance with veils. The swirls of color made for beautiful photos showing movement. This recital will include beginners (such as us) and professionals (such as our instructors) - and everyone in between.

This is my teacher, Souzana	My friend, Nina	There's even a guy in the show	I love swirling skirts1
A little Polynesian flavor	Brilliant colors!	Tribal flavor

I will be glad when tonight is over, and this performance is behind me. I've been nervous all morning, and I'm sure the overabundance of coffee isn't helping. Despite my nerves, I think I may enroll again in September. It was wonderful to get out of the house once a week - especially in the winter - and get in touch with my "inner Goddess".

Tomorrow is Mothers Day - and it is bound to be a sad one for me. I miss my kids. I miss my mom. I'm not going to spend the day thinking about the sad things though. Steve and I are going to Denali Park. The park road is finally open to mile 30, and we're both excited about being in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by majesty. A perfect way to spend a Sunday.

Happy Mothers Day to all the women reading me who have mothered, grandmothered, or mentored a child!