We’re in the final stretch before CC’s dance nationals.

In just a few weeks, we’ll be loading up our 12-passenger van and driving our whole crew to Florida. We’ll be there for 5–6 days, plus stopping along the way because 20+ hours straight with a five-month-old and toddlers just isn’t doable.

Dance, as many of you know, is a year-round commitment. Between tuition, costumes, competition fees, and travel, it adds up quickly. With the cost of everything going up (especially gas 🫠), this season has stretched us a little thinner than usual. I’ll be taking a 9 days off work, and Joshua will too, so we’re doing our best to make it all come together.

We’ve always tried to make our fundraisers meaningful and fun. We’ve done bake sales, costume parties, and babysitting nights, and we’re working on putting together a talent show soon. But I know some of you have asked how to support from afar, and this is the easiest way.

The truth is, dance isn’t just something CC does.

She was born with gastroschisis, and at the time, I didn’t even know if she would live. Seeing her now, up on stage, thriving and doing what she loves brings me to tears every single time.

She’s been dancing since she could walk. When she was little, I asked if she wanted to join a studio. She tried it for a short time and then told me, “I just want to dance at home.” And she did. She made up her own routines, watched other dancers whenever she could, and just never stopped.

I still remember one night we were playing the Game of Life, just CC, her dad, and me. She ended up winning with a very fitting path. She skipped college, chose to become a dancer, and start a family. It made us laugh at the time, but it stuck with me, because even now, her dream hasn’t changed.

She wants to be a choreographer. For her, dance is not just a hobby, it is part of who she is.

A couple of years ago, I reluctantly signed her up for a short summer dance camp, and that ended up changing everything. One of the teachers there encouraged her to try out for the competition team. She was hesitant, but she gave it a chance. That same year, her group placed first at nationals. Just this past weekend, both of her routines earned special awards at regionals.

She works incredibly hard, but what stands out even more is her heart.

She is the kind of kid who notices the ones being left out and makes sure they feel seen. I have had parents tell me their child did not have a friend until they met CC. She has already chosen to spend next year helping special needs peers at school. She is the one asking to stop and get coffee for a teacher who had a hard day or putting together a bag of things to cheer up a neighbor.

She just cares, deeply.

And when she is the happiest, it is almost always because of dance. She loves the art of it, the people, and the joy it brings her.

Thank you for being part of her story and for helping us support something that means so much to her.