The Contract Dance

It all started in North Carolina when Papa and William began the family tradition of dancing. Dancing when you're happy, dancing in front of the fire, dancing to show everyone just how cute you can be. And he would only do it with Papa. I tried to get it on video camera but I could never catch him in the act. He only did it a few times when we got back (John says he does it while he's brusing his teeth in the morning). But now Papa's back. So W is back to shaking his boody. The best moment came, though, when we bid on our new house. YES! Our new house. We put in the offer. They accepted and we went to Mimo and Papa's for a celebratory glass of wine and of course the New House Dance. When we got there, Papa promptly asked William if he would do a New House Dance. He honored the request. We cracked up laughing and there were Papa and William dancing across the floor in honor of the new house until John reminded us it wasn't really official yet. We had signed nothing. So the dancing stopped.

When we got home our agents came over, we signed the contract and it became official. But W was already asleep. First thing in the morning I asked him to do a Contract Dance and he shook and bopped up and down with more joy than you've ever seen. I swear. He was relieved. After 9 months in my belly dealing with the stupid house we bought, to the hurricane evacuation, to the selling of the stupid house into which we never moved, and being dragged from house to house on every Wednesday, some Sundays and various other appointments, he was done. Like M said, "Enough already".

"Just give me a room" I am sure he said. "I already have a room, but a room without clutter, a room without the Walmart evacuation chest of drawers, a room that doesn't have all of mom's stationery piled high enough to reach China and back."

So that's why he put his knees and his behind and his shoulders and his belly and his soul into the Contract Dance. I will never forget it.

Of course, we still have to go through inspections so although we have a contract, it's not truly official but don't tell William, until he learns a new dance, the Moving Day Dance.