Happy Birthday, Courtney!

Hopefully I can backdate this blog one day so that it looks as though it was published on Courtney's actual birthday! The post took quite a bit of uploading that went past midnight. Sweet - I think I just did it!!

In the Earl household, this middle child is certainly getting more than her fair share of attention these days. I have been running to Utah about every other week (or so it seems) to watch Courtney dance. And when I am not doing that, I am working on wedding planning for this same child. Courtney's gotten more attention in the last 6 months than she got her whole childhood! Just kidding!!...We loved Courtney like our own child and almost always remembered to pick her up after we had dropped her off somewhere.

 

Click here to see how what this little cutie would one day accomplish (other than finally getting those bangs to stay back!)

Click here to see what this little angel accomplished as soon as she realized she was supposed to turn out her foot!

 

I guess it should come as no surprise that this beauty would one day become a ballroom champion! Click here to see the Pre-Champ Ballroom finals from Dansport Nationals last March.

Is it any wonder that I didn't want to miss a second of watching this girl dance?

She has been on the BYU Ballroom Tour Team for two years now. So when I go to watch her she is sometimes competing with her partner and other times she is performing in shows with her team. Unfortunately, they do not allow videotaping of their shows so I have no footage to share. :(
(Except for a little tidbit I found online...)

Ballroom Company wearing all their different costumes. Can you find Courtney?

That is Courtney in the back!

That is Courtney in the front on the right in her lovely Hairspray wig. She had to have a flat one because she was so much taller than Corney Collins. She loves this wig and would like to keep it forever!

Courtney is finally graduating from BYU! (She's been there 6 years and she had her Associate's Degree before she even started!!) Does she have a PHD, you ask? No. A Master's Degree then? Nope. But she is getting her MRS degree next month!

Courtney & Curtis

Courtney is marrying Curtis Papenfuss on June 21st in the Portland Temple. Curtis is awesome in every way! (Well... except for his last name! But I've noticed that his family doesn't seem to mind it at all. In fact, they are quite proud of it and can even say it with a straight face! So I'm sure that in time we will also be able to do the same. ;) I really don't mean any offense to our future in-laws because they are an amazing family but, literally, no one I have come across can stifle a chuckle when they first hear what Courtney's new last name will be. It's just funny! I suppose it's fitting, though, because being around Curtis makes everyone want to smile. He is the nicest guy! Curtis is very tall... 6'8". He plays basketball for Dixie University in St. George. He and Courtney will move to St. George at the end of the summer and Curtis will have one more year there of basketball and pre-med studies. Courtney will be teaching dance in the area and I am so jealous! I would give my right arm for her to be in Moses Lake to teach so St. George better appreciate what they have!!

But before Courtney gets married she has to do something first! She is headed to the Blackpool Dance Festival!

The Festival began in 1920 in the Empress Ballroom at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool, England. Covering a period of nine days this is by far the largest of all the five Blackpool Festivals. The Festival covers Ballroom and Latin American dancing, incorporating the British Open Championships for Adult Amateur and Professional couples, plus Formation Teams. 2012 was the event's 87th year and there were 60 countries represented. A total number of 2,869 entries in the 12 events.

Click here to see what their last standard medley looked like. They choreography and compete new standard and latin medleys every 3 years. Courtney is dancing in the medley that is shown in the video even though she didn't compete it at Blackpool because she joined the team the year after. She will compete in their new routine at Blackpool in a couple of weeks and then tour Europe for a few weeks performing and then she will be finished :( and a new member of the Tour Team will take her spot in the dance. So sad for me! But I guess they have to move on at some point, right?  (Although some of those ballroom dancers seem to be around for a very looong time! Who can blame them?) As much as I love to watch her dance, I would hate for Courtney to have become a "Provo All Star." (Kristy just enlightened me about this term.)

So Happy Birthday to the middle child who was determined she would not be overlooked! You have succeeded in oh so many ways!!!