The Dancing Queen

Many years ago, a certain little 3-year-old girl loved to twirl around our living room and say, “Look at MEEE! Dancin’ Queen!“

Trust me when I say this was nothing short of a miracle.

Not the twirling … the twirling wasn’t the miracle. It was the talking that was the miracle.

It’s the truth! In fact, these words were among the first full sentences she ever spoke. Until then, her vocabulary existed of about six one-word phrases:

• NO!
• MINE!
• Doe (for Joel)
• Nay (for Nathan)
• DaDEE
• MAAAAAAA!

Truly, these were all the words she knew until she discovered the music of ABBA and particularly the song “Dancing Queen.”

Fortunately, good music encouraged her to increase her vocabulary. One good phrase led to another and another and another until eventually she talked so much that in 1st grade she got to sit at her very own table in the back corner of the classroom because she wouldn’t stop talking to the other children — but that’s a story for another day.

Back to Dancing Queen … You know how Dancing Queen goes, right?

“You are the dancing queen

Young and sweet

Only seventeen

Dancing queen”

lyric of Dancing Queen

My little dancing queen is currently seventeen.

Let me tell you, from my perspective, seventeen has been a pretty good year for Julia. She’s come into her own, blossoming into a beautiful young lady with a unique personality .

Last year about this time, she was fretting over being the only child left at home. I don’t know what she might tell you about it, but on the backside I can tell you that I loved every single minute of her being the “only child.” She kept Jon and I laughing with her antics. All I can tell you is that this girl is a hoot and a half. If you ever get a chance to hang with her for a while, do it! You will have the time of your life.

“The time of you life” … another line from Dancing Queen.

“You can dance

You can jive

Having the time of your life

Ooh, see that girl

Watch that scene

Digging the dancing queen”

lyrics from Dancing Queen

That’s what this past year has been for me … digging my dancing queen. 🙂

It’s July 1st. Later this month Julia turns 18 years old. In six weeks, she heads off to college.

I’m gonna miss that girl.