Cheer

Last night Kamryn had her cheer showcase to celebrate the end of the cheer season. I won't lie, back in August I kind of forced her to try out for the high school team. It was something she mentioned to me a few times and we knew she would absolutely love it. She did cheer when she was in elementary school and one year for the middle school team but she's usually incredibly shy. So, she definitely needed that nudge. Sometimes as parents we have to do that and while it's really hard to put your kids in uncomfortable situations 9 times out of 10 it ends up being worth it. I will never forget dropping her off at that first tryout back in August and how brave she was. I teared up as my girl walked into that school not knowing anyone who was trying out and then just a few days later I was tearing up again when she came out of those doors and told me she made the varsity team! Fast forward and here we are 7 months later, and she's done amazing, made so many friends and cannot wait for things to pick up again this August!

Our future Panther is extremely proud of his big sister, although you'd never know. HA! 

Our first year being a part of the high school community has been a great experience for not just Kamryn, but our entire family. We always say our town is the biggest small town you've ever been in and truly that's never felt more true than during a Friday night football game. The stadium is always packed, and the crowd is loud and enthusiastic. It's a lot of fun!

Kamryn definitely enjoyed cheering for football more than basketball. However, the time she got with the girls and that extra time practicing her skills has really shown in her confidence and abilities as a cheerleader. She's come so far in such a short amount of time. It's so cool as a parent to see your kid find their "thing". She practiced constantly and worked so hard. She stepped into a team of really talented girls who have been cheering their whole lives (Seriously some of these girls have been tumbling since they were toddlers). That takes guts and I don't even know if she understands quite yet how huge that is. Cheer is so different than when I was a cheerleader. Last night Mike looked at me and said, "Does this bring you back?" I said, "I was never THIS good!" The stunts these girls do are out of this world. It really is impressive. 

We will all be anxiously awaiting that first game in September but until then Kamryn is looking forward to some down time.... and she earned it. Cheer is a huge commitment and one she took in stride. We've got a fun few years ahead of us. I'm curious to see if her little sisters will follow in their big sisters' footsteps. 

Go South and Go Kam! We'll see you in the Fall!