Tumbling through thoughts

Well, it is easy to see I am done with the CC season..much more blogging action..LOL

Anyway today was Tuki's first day at tumbling at the YMCA. When we first entered the room, she was totally enthralled with another older gymnast who was performing on
the bars and vault. Tuks couldn't get her eyes off her. So when the instructors had us sit down, GOD FORBID, Tuks wanted nothing to do with stretching, and making a taco, or whatever the heck we were suppose to make in our stretching because she wanted to get up and jump on the vault, swing from the bars., etc., She and I were wrestling just to keep peace in the sit down stretch activity. My mind quickly professed that "I hope this 45 minutes flies by" BUT once we were free to jump, roll, tumble, hang, she had a blast. I think she will be enjoying this because all day she continued to tumble around the house. My hope with this is to get her hooked on the gymnastics while she is young and then continue it through at least or up to junior high. My reasoning is that girls that I have seen take gymnastics when they are young are usually very toned, aware of their bodies, and can easily transfer into any other sport if she chooses and still do well.

I also stumbled across this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rdpSELDxt8 about the celebration of the Day of the Dead in Guatemala. I loved watching it and strangely I started crying during the viewing because I realized that Tuks will never be able to experience this event in Guatemala, celebrating along side her birth and extended family. If Tuki's situation, or I should say the dire circumstances surrounding her birth mom didn't exist, quite possibly she would have celebrated this annual event, but now even when (because we will celebrate next year and every year after with smaller kites) I attempt it, it will be on a much smaller, low key scale. Not quite the same. I really empathised with her loss today. The loss of her Guatemalan life is so smoke screened over with her new life and she doesn't even know (at least not yet) she lost this part of her history. This was a light bulb moment for me. An uncomfortable one, yet one I had to see.

But, then I also, with research, realized that Haitians also celebrate the Day of the Dead. According to what I read, a little rowdy in celebration, but still a day to remember those that have passed.

Maybe I can come up with a tradition that incorporates both countries style of celebration, yet not lose the original flavor of the holiday. Any ideas??

Here is another question, or thought..is it just coincidental that Halloween is October 31, and the Day of the Dead is November 1, OR is there some correlation and just a different take on the celebration from different countries..

Any one in the know about this??? I'd sure like to be informed.