invited

Avalon has been enrolled in a gymnastics class for a about 5 months now. She ADORES gymnastics, and even watches tv doing headstands. Her coach was the head girls' team coach and he mentioned a couple of months ago that he saw potential in Avalon and was going to try and put together a pre-team class soon, and thought she would be great for it. But he wanted her to keep practicing and get a bit stronger and he would let me know when the class was created.

Two weeks ago,  that coach (and one other team coach) left. Just one day they had their beef with management and left without notice. So, Avalon's class was assigned a new coach and that was that. No big deal, everyone was still having fun.

Her gym is closed on Monday for Memorial Day, so last week I scheduled a make-up class for her this morning. Funny thing, I forgot I scheduled it until 15 minutes before the class started, so we almost missed it! But instead we just arrived with mom having a bit of bedhead and no make-up. I'm sure it's not the first time they've seen moms roll out of bed into their gym.

So, Avalon was going through the make-up class with a strange coach she's never had before, and it hit me that her old coach had mentioned a pre-team class. So, I went to the office and asked if anything ever came about it, and the lady in the office said, "Ya know, let me go mention your daughter to coach Eileen and she what she says, she does the testing for team."

And off she went and I watched Eileen steal Avalon from her class and ask her to join all of the big girls. And I watched Eileen watch Avalon, cartwheeling and doing pullovers and hanging with all the kids 3 years older than her, and I knew.

I knew she was shining, and I knew she had no idea she was being watched and it was just awesome to witness it all. It brought back floods of memories to the day I was "tested" by the girls' team coach from my regular class with coach Javier, and I pondered how my parents must have been so proud, all the while I had no idea.

Eileen came up to me during the water break and said Avalon is amazing and so strong and she would love to invite her to join the pre-team class on Thursdays.

We let her finish the class and it wasn't until we got to the car that I told her what had happened and asked if she wanted to switch into the new class. Her ear-to-ear grin said it all. I'm sure the same way mine said it all to my parents.

I am so excited for her.

this is not Eileen, this is the coach Eileen stole Avalon away from  ;)