Cheerleading!

When I was growing up, my mother enrolled me and my siblings in many things: ballet, Jazz, swimming, gymnastics, tumbling, singing, watercolor, cross country, tap, clogging, etc.  We did not become the next Jackson 5.  I was not the next Olympic Gymnast prodigy to rival Russia's Nadia Comaneci.  Some things stuck and other things taught me valuable lessons (that I totally missed at the time because of the embarrassment, awkwardness, or immaturity of my age.)

One thing I thought I wanted was to be a high school cheerleader.  (I was naturally shy, afraid of tumbling, rather pudgy, and not a naturally enthusiastic/bubbly/effervescent type of girl).  I admired all that a cheerleader seemed to represent and had a crush on a football player--so why not attend try-outs and go for it?!

Try outs came and went and so did the list of those girls selected.  I was not on the list.  I came home dejected and sulked in my room.  My mother was fed-up (overwhelmed, over worked?) and had no patience to listen to my lost hopes and dreams.  Ridiculous--me being a cheerleader?  Yes, at the time I was about as suited to cheer leading as a walrus to the Sahara.  Little did I know that God had cheer leading in mind for me--just years later, when I would become a mother and would cheer on baby steps, drive the "team bus" to soccer meets, practices, sports and dance stores, parent meetings, concerts, games, meets, or volunteer and cheer at Track and Field Days and SHOW UP--each and every day!  I love being a cheerleader!  (I just didn't know then I would have to wait several years, marry, acquire a team, adjust several waist sizes larger,  to find myself rooting for the right team!)