Stake Dance Memories

Last night, my roommate and I were in the car and all of the songs on my presets were just no good, so I switched over to the oldies station. It was playing "Hard to Say I'm Sorry" by Chicago. Please tell me that is NOT an oldie! It can't be because then it will mean that I might be getting older. Anyway, Kim mentioned that it reminded her of stake dances.

Ah, stake dances. Those were the days. I loved getting "dressed up" and hoping that one cute boy would notice me walking his direction at the beginning of the two-set slow song. Or avoiding eye contact with the boy I really didn't want to ask me to dance. Especially during "Forever Young" or "With or Without You" because that would mean at least 5 minutes of awkwardly rocking back and forth, keeping tension in your arms so he wouldn't try to pull you closer into the "bear hug" slow dance.

Some days I miss the giddy anticipation of those nights. Slyly glancing at the boys while attempting to stay cool and collected. Being heartbroken when the boy I thought I was meant to be with forever didn't even ask me to dance but feeling completely fantastic when the next boy I was meant to be with let me get really close while dancing. You know, less than "Book of Mormon space" close. Doing the Electric Slide or Boot Scootin' Boogie without any cares. Yeah, life was good back then.

Some of our favorite slow dance songs discussed last night were:

• The aforementioned "Forever Young" by Alphaville and "With or Without You" by U2
• "Because You Loved Me" by Celine Dion
• "Lady In Red" by Chris De Burgh (especially the whispered "I love you" at the end, because you knew it just had to mean something when the right boy asked you to dance with him to this song)
  
• "Uninvited" by Alanis Morrissette
• "Truly Madly Deeply" by Savage Garden

I thought of one other today - "You Are So Beautiful To Me" by Joe Cocker. I remember at one dance the boy I really liked at that moment not only asked me to dance, but also SANG to me. That's right. It was love. For like, a second.

Is our list missing anything?

P.S. I think we really must have had dancing on the brain last night, because as the dishes were being done (thanks, Liz!), an impromptu dance party happened in the kitchen. Complete with the "white person clap". Yup. We're good.