Below is an excerpt from a letter we received from Dr. N. Karen Thames following our June Performance. Karen granted us permission to use her letter here, and we offer our most heartfelt thanks to her.
Dear Ann Marie,
My name is Karen Thames and my husband, Craig, and I are the proud parents of Madison and Courtney Thames. This is our daughters’ first year at your school and their first performances in the annual dance recital. Courtney is in Jennifer’s Hip Hop IV class and Madison is in Jennifer’s Hippity Hopper’s class.
A Spectacular Dance Recital
First of all, we would like to congratulate you on a spectacular dance recital! My extended family attended Saturday’s performance. My husband and I attended all three performances, as the girls performed multiple times. You stated multiple times that you had a vision and worked tirelessly along with your staff to make it happen! Well, you went above and beyond your vision!
We were amazed!
My husband is an engineer and is very deliberate. He was so impressed with how everything was executed precisely! I, personally, believe in the power of vision and your vision was certainly made manifest this past weekend.
A final note about that: My sister’s daughter (my niece Leah) had a recital on Sunday that I was unable to attend because we were at the AMA recital. Well, my sister had attended the AMA recital on Saturday. She exclaimed that the “AMA recital is unmatched”! She said that
She was so amazed by the level of professionalism and stated that she would enroll her daughters at AMA immediately if they lived closer. I totally echo her sentiments! Job well done!
Thank you, from the bottom of my heart…
My primary reason for writing this letter is to thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for the life changing experience you have provided our girls! Dance changes lives! I always dreamed of dancing and my daughters get to now live their dream of dancing. You change these kids’ lives, I know this for certain!
I want to tell you a little bit about why this means so much to us and why this recital meant so much to us. You see, we believe in love, dreaming, hope, survival, in never giving up on a cure, and in miracles.
My daughters have been through so much!
This August 21st will mark the 2-year anniversary of my second lifesaving surgery to treat a rare life threatening illness called Cushing’s disease. My first surgery was a brain surgery in 2011 in Seattle and after one year of remission, the disease came back. On August 21, 2013, I had no other choice but to remove both of my adrenal glands and it saved my life. I am so grateful to say that I am now in remission!
I have been sick all of Madison’s life and most of Courtney’s life. Madison and her sister Courtney have witnessed emergency services take me to the hospital multiple times, they have witnessed me lose consciousness and black out, they have even seen me lose my vitals and be brought back to life. My heart breaks at the thought of what my girls have experienced.
The mantra in our home is “NEVER GIVE UP!” We BELIEVE that nothing is impossible if we just believe!
Something Special
Something special that is happening in our family is that we are planning our first trip to Disney for this December 2015! None of us have ever been to Disney World. Disney, for our family, means survival, endurance, tenacity! It is a symbol for holding on where there seemed to be no way out.
When I was so sick and spent 99% of my time in bed, unable to move, I promised my husband and my girls that if I survived, I would get them to Disney World! They knew that I would fight for them and I did! The kids know the meaning of HOPE very well. Two years ago, I was not even physically able to get out of the bed. And now, we have hope of taking our first family vacation! Disney=HOPE!
“Believe” & “Dreams coming true!”
Imagine how excited we were, after everything I have told you, when we found out that the AMA recital theme this year was “Believe” and “Dreams coming true!”
We never could even imagine just how appropriately inspiring it would be and how personal to us it would be to be a part of such an amazing experience. I was moved to tears! I thank you for giving our daughters such a gift!
Thank you for having such a positive impact on our children!
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Sincerely,
Karen Thames
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