Failed Attempts Worthwhile

I'm pretty sure I take a trip down memory lane everyday because I had such a fantastic childhood. I'm sitting in the computer lab at school trying to get my head into an assignment and took a short break to check my sister's blog and was completely inspired.  My parents attitude on extracurricular activities growing up is something I have always sat back and admired as an adult.  It has not just influenced me but it has already influenced my future family as Will and I are waiting for the right time for them to come along so they don't have to make a choice between ballet and soccer lessons.  My parent's eagerness to take an interest and run with it goes beyond our dabbles in many failed hobbies.  Because of the encouragement and support they showed me, I have patience and joy watching my husband start 234 businesses until he finds the right one.  I have the open-mind and limitless wallet when he wants to become a fisherman and I quote, "ice fishing go-to guy".  When he thought we should get into tennis he equipped us with everything from the rackets to my tennis skirt with pink sweat bands. 
I giggled to myself when I reflected back on my sister's guitar days (short days), her swimming season, and college ballet.  I remember sneaking peaks while her private flute teacher came to our house and held a feather a foot away while Jenny played, monitoring her wind (I don't know if it was supposed to be moving or not? ...I don't know if Jen knew either :)).  These things seem so funny now because they were such a giant part of the search for of who we are and what we want.  I am so glad my husband has this same quality of support and adventure, even if my tennis skirt hasn't seen match 2 and his collection of random text books line our shelves with dust.

I had to write a reflection last night about what values I encompass and where I think they came from growing up.  The activities I dabbled in with the encouragement of my parents have definitely been a source of the values I feel I have.  I don't know if this was some master plan of my parents each time they encouraged another soon-to-be failed attempt at a skill/hobby....but I wouldn't put it past them. 

I got a giggle at reflecting back at Jenny's various hobbies so here are my own.  I would love to say Erik has a long list but he succeeded at most of them :) However, I do recall a football gig. ha.

I tried ballet with Shannon in high school.  However, I can say I succeeded more than she did because she faked an injury the day of the recital and watched me humiliate myself with an over sized pirate costume flailing my uncontrollable limbs.

I tried the trumpet and ended up making "spit shapes" during band, on the gymnasium floor.  After crying in my room while trying to form a song with blasts of air my lungs did not have, my mom made a "music emergency" call to Mr. Marston who promptly re-enrolled me in Orchestra.

I tried the flute but the coordination in my fingers was not any better than the coordination in my legs during ballet.

I tried gymnastics but got a foul taste after my instructor referred to me as "chicken legs" during my tender pre-pubescent years.  I called it quits when a girl spit in my hair right before a failed cartwheel.

I tried soccer but was too much of a girl.

I tried tennis but only lasted until I got the cool sweatpants with your last name down the leg.

I tried voice lessons but got frustrated when the teacher couldn't pound out a scale on the piano if her life depended on it.

I tried scrap booking and made one book.

I tried crocheting but made a triangular blanket.

I tried drama but didn't make it past an "extra".

I tried the violin and felt pretty good about it and still do.

I tried choir and felt pretty good about that too.

I tried art in college but the naked woman in the middle of the room was told to switch positions farrrrr to soon before I was even done with the outline. 

Mom and Dad- Don't feel bad about the backyard basketball court that hardly felt a bounce.  It was turned into so many other things by your creative kids.  The baskets of piano music left in the living room? Don't feel bad the notes were never mastered because they make your kids think about the inspirational trips to Griggs to pick a new piano book.  All of our attempts taught more important things than how to block a goal and I just turned in a paper explaining what and why:)