Beginnings and endings

My best friend Erin just brought the most beautiful baby boy into the world. His name is Brennan Joshua and he is absolutely perfect! Of course I've only seen pictures, but I have spent so much time in prayer over this little angel that I feel attached to him already.
Seeing the pictures of Erin and her new baby instantly took me back to the day when each of my little girls were born. Both births were so completely different, just like the different children they've turned out to be.
When you have a baby, everything is about beginnings. The first bath, the first bottle, the first poo.... I guess even as the babies grow into toddlers and children, we still have those beginnings - the first day of school, their first lost tooth, and so forth and so on. You don't really expect to have endings when your kids are young, so when they do, it's a bittersweet moment for the parents.
My girls had an ending this weekend. It was the end of competitive all-star cheerleading. And even though it was expensive and time-consuming, it was a little sad to know it's all over. Zoë and Miá loved being on their squads and all the things involved with being a part of their team. I had the opportunity to see both of my girls shine on a big stage. I got to see them overcome fears and anxiety. They worked hard (very hard) and exhibited self-discipline and poise under pressure. There's something special about seeing your kids strive towards a goal, work towards that goal and then excel, that's extremely gratifying for parents.
So why are they giving it up?
Because it's expensive and time-consuming! Well, not just that, but also because they've outgrown it - already! There are new expensive and time-consuming activities on the horizon and so a choice had to be made. In the end, Zoë made the choice to go to the next level. She will take the lessons and behaviors she's learned and apply it to a new school cheerleading squad. She'll also be able to play basketball (which she loves) and maybe even piano lessons - if I can find a place for her to practice.
As for Miá, well, the second child always loses out. Since big sister's not doing it anymore, neither will she... but I'm sure we'll find something for her to do. She is only 5 after all!
Oh and they're still going to do gymnastics. So it's not a complete drop.
One funny moment occurred this weekend. They had their last competition in Panama City at the UCA national competition. After competing, the participants each received a goodie bag from the UCA sponsors.
Zoë opened up her goodie bag to find tampons and a razor and shaving cream. Yeah, those are a couple of beginnings that I'm just not prepared for yet!