Shopping for Shoes is like Walking Barefoot on a Hot Sandy Beach

Shopping for shoes for you is no easy task!  You don't like to wear socks, you can't stand to tie your shoes and if allowable you would wear flip flops or go barefoot to each and every place you travel.
Additionally, the inside of every shoe must be seemless, soft and smooth.  It can't be too snug or too loose.

So....with all of this in mind, I tried to take you shoe shopping, so you could pick a style, a texture, a SHOE....any SHOE!  You said, "No, you didn't want to go." So.....unwillingly, I went and didn't know where to start.  I thought you were a 1 and after day 1 figured out you are not a size 1 nor a size 13.  You are a size 12 1/2 or size 12.

After days and days of shopping for shoes, I have bought 7 pairs of which 3 have been returned.  One pair is still too large; however, is a keeper and will stay in the closet until your foot grows.  The other pairs include a dressy flip flop, a hannah montanah tennis (you can wear without socks and does not have any shoe strings), and a ROXY blue & white canvas slip on.

I still don't think we found the perfect shoe but for now, they will have to work.  Never in a million years did I ever think that shopping for shoes could be this exhausting!  It is!  So get some rest and be prepared because next time....you are coming with me!

The POWER of YOU!

Today had me realizing how powerful you can truly be.  You walked into the basketball camp, moments after Antonio Daniels had started talking with the campers.  Everyone was lined up by age in a row captivated by what he had to say.  You wanted to be a part of this moment but didn't know where to go.  So with confidence you walked straight up to Antonio and tapped on his hip.  You said, "Excuse me, I'm here to attend a basketball camp." He looked at you and said, "really?  That's great because we are too." He then showed you where to go.  All the campers and parents were oohing and ahhhing!  You had just captivated the entire audience!  I could hear parents in the background saying, "oh how cute, how adorable."

I had a smile, then let out a chuckle and then a thought: WOW!  If you only knew! After that moment, I decided I would stick around for just a few minutes more!  I contemplated talking with your coach to discuss the challenges we have but instead decided to hide so you would not see me.  For a moment, I wanted to see you as others see you and feel what others feel when they meet you for the first time!

As Antonio continued to talk, you innocently captivated the entire audience once again.  This time, it was because you were playing with the round rubber circle used to mark the line for your age group. And Antonio (still smiling), came over to you again.  Of course, hiding in the back, I scooched to the front to see what was happening.  I missed it and squatted next to a mom to find out the scoop.  She leaned over and said, "this cute little girl was playing with the circle piece on the floor!  She's so cute!  Is she yours?"  And eagerly so, I said YES!

So as I drove home, I pondered these short little moments and thought about how much GREAT moments like these mean to a family like us.  For just these five minutes, you were able to CAPTIVATE and receive positive attention from those around you!  The POWER of your smile, the CUTENESS of your demeanor, and the INNOCENCE in your voice make me want to remember you this way FOREVER!

You ARE powerful little miss ashley!  You ARE great! You ARE captivating and AMAZING!  And if you remember the feeling of these moments, the ones where you receive positive attention, you will soon see that making the right choices and doing things the right way, even though it is sometimes the harder or longer way can bring on even more great moments and feelings! 

Campers Running to their Spots!

It's only Monday morning.....but I got a feeling -- this is gonna be your best camp yet!  So go get'em and have fun!  Be funny, be daring, be caring, and most of all be yourself!