Celebrating Our Girlie

Today is Blondechick's high school graduation party!  It's the perfect opportunity to share photos Papa Rooster has taken that I haven't had time to post...and recap her senior year activities at the same time.

Worship Team.  She's been a lead vocalist on one of the school's student-led worship teams all year, and she has loved it.  She hopes to continue in this role at college.  (all photos--click to enlarge)

Her last time singing in Chapel.  (They have it once a week.)

Choir.  A few weeks ago she performed with her show choir, Guys 'n' Dolls, for the last time.  (They also performed this number on their choir tour in California, and at the local and state levels at Solo and Ensemble contest.)

Notice that B16 is there too (the tall guy in back wearing glasses). They have really enjoyed being in Choir and Show Choir together, so their final concert was bittersweet for all of us. B16 is really going to miss his sister next year, though he's also eager to spread his wings alone. And her? She says she wishes she could put him in a dress and make him Maid of Honor in her wedding! I blame their unusual closeness on their years of homeschooling. (More at-times-needed evidence to myself that all my effort was worth it!)

(And thanks to you, Matt, I now think of the Holy Father every time I type "B16"!)

It's a choir tradition that the seniors perform one number alone. This year their song was "Lean on Me," the Glee version, with a lot of jazz riffs which the choir teacher asked Blondechick to solo on.  Here she is, really gettin' into it!

Don't have a picture of it, but she also sang second soprano in a trio at Solo and Ensemble, getting excellent marks at both local and state level for their rendition of the folk song "Nelly Bly."

Senior Prom.

She was really pleased with how her hair turned out, and I was happy to have helped with it.  I was researching medieval hairstyles for Robin Hood, when I came across a few images I thought Blondechick might like for prom.  From them, she pulled ideas together and went to two florists that evening, but neither had the red rosebuds.  So the morning of prom, while she was at school, I tracked down the roses, Papa Rooster took B12 and Chicklet to their piano lesson, and I was able to go to her hair appointment with her and paint her nails while the stylist did her hair. It was good to be able to spend that hour with her on a significant day in her life, in the midst of such a busy season.  It seems it's all flown by so quickly....

Soccer.

This is kind of a bittersweet topic as well, because the women's soccer season continues through June here, her team was just seeded number one in their division!, and she's out with a knee injury--probably for the season, her doctor thinks.  (She just had an MRI yesterday, so we'll see what it shows.  She's off her crutches, at least.)

But it was a joy to watch her play!

She's got nuttin' if she ain't got hustle!

She's been a starting forward on the varsity team this whole season.

She thought about playing soccer in college, but has decided that it's too big of a time commitment. So this is it for her.  Would you say a prayer for her knee, that she might be able to play in a couple more games before her soccer career ends?

Mugging for the camera....

And finally....

Graduation.

Though the doctor ordered them, notice she isn't on crutches!

What a privilege to have been her teacher, from kindergarten through ninth grade, and then to watch her build so wonderfully on that foundation:  She was inducted into National Honor Society this year and ended up on the highest honor roll for the year, with an excellent cumulative GPA.  In college, she's thinking of majoring in either Communications or--get ready for it--English/Literature!  This is my daughter who never reads for pleasure--but she enjoyed the reading for her British Literature class this year so much, and found the writing part so easy, that she's now considering this major, to her mother's amazement and joy.  But I'll be delighted with whatever she studies!

Couldn't be more proud of our girlie!

Engagement Story, Part Two

So...

His thought of proposing on the soccer field was foiled by her soccer injury on Wednesday.  And with only one day of school left, what was Her Hero to do, to get that ring on her finger before graduation on Friday night?

On Wednesday night, he invited over a group of buddies to help him brainstorm, and by midnight, they had a plan.  It involved driving all over Kenosha County, filming in the darkness (even outside our own house at 2 a.m., we found out later), having to explain themselves to several policemen, and then a whole lot of editing work before 1:47 on Thursday.

But we didn't know that.

The phone call I received from Her Hero's mom (in which I learned of her injury for the first time) was not only to see if Blondechick was okay, but to make sure that she was still going to school for her last day, and to suggest that we show up in her Bible class at 1:47 p.m.  Papa Rooster should bring his camera, she urged.

Bible class? we wondered.  But it's the one class that all the seniors are in together, and it's held in a large auditorium, not a classroom, so we could see the potential.  Both PR and I had other plans for that time period, but we began rearranging our day.

The younger kids and I had a 10 a.m. performance of Robin Hood, our first school day show.  There were professional pictures afterward, and then a fundraiser at a nearby Wendy's which I had organized, so I needed to be there--with one eye on my watch.  And you know how those last ten minutes always go so much faster when you have to be somewhere?  I was eating salad as fast as I could and enjoying the conversation at our table, when suddenly I realized that the ten minutes I guessed I had left was more than passed, and if I didn't leave immediately, I might miss the whole thing.  So I had to stand up abruptly and say to my friends, "So sorry, but I've got to rush out or I'm going to miss seeing my daughter get engaged!"  I grabbed B16, who wanted to go too, and B6, because Her Hero's 6-year-old brother would be there, and left the other two to go home with friends.  "You can't just say something like that and LEAVE!" one of the moms at the table yelled good-naturedly at my retreating back....

We made it.  (Phew!)  In fact, we had to wait a little while to enter, as the teacher conducted class as usual.  Our cue was the lights going out.  At that moment, a video was projected onto the screen, as two of Her Hero's friends came to her seat to escort her, limping without her crutches, to a seat on the stage facing the screen.  Her Hero appeared on it, offering to take her on a tour of significant spots around Kenosha, where they had had special dates or events, including our front porch--the site of their first kiss--and the Kemper Center, where they had attended our church together and first prayed together.  It ended with him at her school, where they had first met, and showed him, in the video, opening the door of the auditorium where Bible class was held.  Then in real life he walked through that same door, and...

I'll let the pictures take it from there!

Her Hero's parents made sure everyone else got a ring, too!

She was thrilled with how he did it, in front of all their friends--it turned out that Plan C was probably the best!  They haven't set a date yet, but they are thinking about next summer.

* * * *

More pics to come, over the next few days...of Robin Hood, graduation and more.  It's been CRAZY.  It's been hectic.  But it's been so good and so exciting.  I keep thinking how great these days are and how thankful I am for it all...if I can only live through it!

We drove an hour yesterday to B12's and Chicklet8's Piano Guild judging, and they both got great scores! But I am so glad that's over.  Twice-weekly piano lessons and a lot more practice time than usual was not what I needed this month, though it was a huge accomplishment for them.

Now if I can just get make it through Blondechick's graduation party on Saturday, the rest of my YEAR should be smooth sailing by comparison!

Engagement Story, Part One

As if we needed to squeeze one more significant life-event into these two weeks--

we've had a final day of college for B20, a senior prom for BC18, finals, and her graduation from high school, plus dress rehearsals and performances of Robin Hood (no small event in the lives of our younger children), and all four grandparents here for graduation and the show--

Blondechick18 had to go and get herself engaged!

Actually, we knew it was coming.

People keep asking me how I feel, and the truth is, I've had nearly six months to work through a lot of emotions.   I think it was at Christmas time that Blondechick first broached the idea of getting married...THIS summer.

I was so overwhelmed that I wisely didn't say much at all, initially and to my credit!  I was very calm and I asked questions about what they were thinking and I didn't say much of what was going on in my brain. 

Not to my credit, the loudest voices in my head were not the ones asking, "Is this God's will?" or "Are they mature enough?"  No, the voices screaming in my head were, "How can we possibly plan a wedding for this summer when you're not even engaged yet?!" and "I'm sorry, but I do NOT have time to plan a wedding with everything else we've got going on this spring!"

Okay, got that confession off my chest.

Then my husband and I talked.  And talked.  And decided it would be good to invite the young man's parents out to dinner, so we could see how they felt about this plan.  (Oh dear, am I going to have to come up with a blog name for him, too?)

So we met and enjoyed getting to know them!  It is a delightful family that she will be marrying into.  We had a wonderful conversation about our young people, in which we all agreed that it was only the timing that we had concerns with.  We love him; they love her.  We see a lot of good things going on in their relationship.  They complement each other in their strengths and weaknesses.  Most importantly, it was clear that they are both fully committed to God and to following Him the rest of their lives.

We agreed that this summer was just too soon...but that we would be fine with them getting engaged then.

Then a month or two later, BC's young man invited Papa Rooster out to breakfast, and they had The Talk.  After receiving PR's blessing, he indicated that he might even propose before graduation, because he thought Blondechick would like that.

Then we heard nothing more for awhile, except for Blondechick's observation that he sure was working a lot of hours, but he was always broke.  He's a store manager working nearly full-time, as well as finishing out his first year of college at a local school; he's living at home to save money.  That's one thing we like about him--he's such a hard worker, and he's not a big spender. 

Then he invited Papa Rooster to breakfast again, the day of their prom.  He just wanted to give us a heads-up that he now had the ring, and it would be soon--before graduation, he hoped. 

He had the ring with him at the formal dinner, which was on a boat on Lake Geneva, but the moment never seemed right.  The weekend passed.

On Wednesday night, just as we were pulling into the driveway after dress rehearsal, my cell phone rang and it was the young man's mother.  "How is Blondechick?" she asked anxiously.  "Are they back from the hospital yet?"

Turns out she was injured at her soccer game that afternoon, in a head-on collision with the other team's goalie.  She may have had a slight concussion, but the bigger concern was her knee, which was what eventually ended her up in the ER for x-rays.  It was a bad sprain, and she would be on crutches for graduation and unable to play soccer for awhile.

Which blew his plan to propose on the soccer field at the game the next day!

In fact, would she even be at school the next day?

To be continued....

(Can't promise when.  We have 3 more performances and a strike party this weekend and grandparents to spend time with on Monday, then school to make up on Tuesday and a Piano Guild competition on Wednesday and a graduation party on Saturday.  But I'll try!)

Lost in Sherwood Forest

Y'all know what has happened to me, right?

I'm lost in a Sherwood Forest of...

dress rehearsals...
makeup...
hair...
prom...
soccer games...
extra piano lessons...
laundry...
graduation announcements (done) and invitations (umm....)
graduation...
preparing for house-guests...
performances...
last-minute ticket sales...
...emotions...
...regrets that I can't find time to record it all for posterity and share it with all of you!

It's crazy, stressful, over-the-top busy, but it's also what I signed up for when I started having kids.  It's tough when it all converges like this, but it's all good and joyous and happy-making and I am grateful, soooo grateful, to be part of it all.

Now if I can just live through it...!

The Weekly Blur

The past week has been a blur of:

--soccer practices
--soccer games--Blondechick's, mostly (with all the makeup games rescheduled from all the rainouts, she has games nearly every day these weeks--including Parent Appreciation game last week, which Papa R and I made a special effort to attend together)
--finally B12 got to play a soccer game with his team, since his RH rehearsal schedule allowed
--Robin Hood rehearsals
--homework and homeschooling
--AWANA awards night for Chicklet and B6
--Solo and Ensemble at State, for Blondechick and B16
--Spring Choir concert for Blondechick and B16--their last one together!  BC had a big solo in the Senior Song--sung just by the seniors--it was the Glee version of "Lean on Me." (Wish I knew how to download video from our videocamera!)  She really got to jazz it up.
--double piano lessons (our teacher is getting Chicklet and B12 ready for "Piano Guild," where they play ten memorized pieces for a judge, so he's giving them twice-weekly lessons this month)

And a couple of big events this weekend:

On Saturday night, we had to divide and conquer.  Papa R took the three younger kids to an Ice Show in Milwaukee that two of our young friends from Light of Christ were skating in.  B12 had done a little "drama coaching" with them, so he wanted to see their performance!  I was heading down to our old stomping ground in IL, to see a production of "Alice in Wonderland" by our old theater group.  B16 and Blondechick were going to go with me, but BC ended up spending the weekend in bed, sick.  So it was just B16 and me that got to see many of their friends in their very last show.  It would have been BC's last show too, if she were still there, so it was bittersweet to watch it without her, and hang out with the old group at Portillo's after the show.  So many good friends there.

We spent the night with Grandma and Grandpa, and then went to our old church in the morning.  Papa R drove down with the rest of the kids, including B20, whom he picked up at college on the way.  It was the first time we'd all been back, as a family, to our old church in over two years (well, without Blondechick--still too sick).  (No one could believe how tall the kids are; they said photos are great; but they don't show height! B16 is now the tallest one in the family, by the way; at 5'11" he's a half-inch taller than his dad and older brother.)

We were joined there at Church of the Resurrection by my father, who was in town for the weekend for the 55th reunion of the Class of '56 at Wheaton College.  And when we walked into Rez, who should we see but one of our singles from Light of Christ!  It was one of those "What are YOU doing here?" conversations; but since it was reunion/graduation weekend, she was there for the Wheaton College graduation of her younger brother.  When we discovered that her parents were also there, we just had to laugh.  Her father is the vocal director for Robin Hood and her mother is planning the strike party--she also lent me fabric for the banners I made for Easter Vigil--so we just can't get away from each other, it seems!

We were attending Church of the Resurrection because a dear friend was being ordained to the priesthood, and our Bishop and many other visiting clergy were there.  In fact, the rectors of three church plants, all sent out by Rez, were there.  All gave greetings to the congregation of our "mother" church, and one (Church of the Cross in Hopkins, MN) informed her that she was about to become a grandmother! (i.e. the church plant was about to send out a team to plant a new church).  So incredible to hear.  I remember when we first sent them out, years before we left.

It was a wonderful service, and then we were invited to a reception for our friend, so we had more time to renew old friendships.  In the meantime, our kids went out to lunch with three of their four grandparents (sorry, Pianomum, that you couldn't have been here too!). After our event, we went to Grandma and Grandpa's so Papa R could spend a little time with his mother on Mother's Day, and my dad and I and PR's dad all went over to visit our old next-door neighbor, a single man the same age as my father and father-in-law.  He hadn't changed a bit, and it was sure good to see him.

Finally we all left IL to head home by way of B20's college campus, so Grandpa could see it. B20 only has 3 more days there, with finals this week.  But it's a campus that Grandpa had never seen, and we are hoping that all will work out for Blondechick to go there next year.  She's been accepted and it's her first choice, but we still have financial aid details to work out officially.

Grandpa leaves this morning, and then it's stir, rinse, repeat! More soccer, piano, Robin Hood rehearsals and then performances, graduation weekend...

And tonight is Showcase for our theater group's classes, and my first as a teacher! My Drama 1 class is putting on a scene that I adapted from the script of Charlotte's Web, since we've been studying "Acting Animals."  Chicklet is the Goose, and B16 has been my aide, so he'll be helping adjust mikes for my actors.  B12 is in a dance class, studying Irish dancing, African dancing and break dancing--can't wait to see his class.

Just a couple more weeks of craziness!

Happy Birthday, Bantam16!

Oh, my, these birthdays. They come around far too often.

I can't believe that half our kids are now old enough to drive.  B16 just got his learner's permit about a month ago.  He'll be eligible to get his license in early October, so he should be able to drive himself to school next year.  With Blondechick18 gone to college, that will be a tremendous help! He's going to be a good driver.

This young man has had a good year.  He played JV soccer last fall and added cross country when he realized he could do both; next year he'll probably just do cross country. He has always loved running alone or with his dad, and this year he added some home weight-lifting, push-ups, pull-ups and more to his workout.  He took choir as an elective this year and added show choir as well--at the persistent urging of his sister--and ended up enjoying both.  He's also had a good year in an advanced art class. This spring, he's been rehearsing with B12 and Chicklet8 in his role as Little John in our theater group's musical production of Robin Hood (coming up May 20-22!).

But his first love is guitar! He's been teaching himself chords and strumming patterns, and he's even tried his hand at writing a few songs.  He's in a band with friends--he's the lead singer--and has a couple of "side bands" as well--friends that he plays guitar with and they've written a few songs together.  None of these groups really play anywhere yet besides at each other's houses, but they are learning so much together.  Recently, he's also become more involved in singing at church, and he's about to start playing guitar with our little worship team, unplugged at first, just to learn.  He's also thinking about taking the worship team class and playing in chapel next year at his school.  (So many electives, so little time....)

This summer, he'll be spending a month at Honey Rock, the same camp he went to last year for two weeks.  Even though it's going to be a big chunk out of his summer, he's excited to go back.  He grew so much spiritually at camp last summer, and this school year has been a chance to work out some of those lessons in real life, sometimes the hard way. But he's making a lot of good choices, and he's trying hard to pursue God and follow His leadings.  We can't ask for more than that! 

So proud of you, son. 

Blessed is the man
   who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
   or sit in the company of mockers,
but whose delight is in the law of the LORD,
   and who meditates on his law day and night. 

He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
   which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
   whatever they do prospers. 

~Psalm 1:1-3

Plan A for Bantam20

Well, we've been holding our breaths here, during B20's second semester at college.  His first semester was a little rocky.  He ended up getting very behind in one class and having to drop it, which took him below full-time status and made it quite an expensive semester.  But he passed all his remaining classes, and that was with zero support, as it turned out, so we gave him another chance.

For the second semester, he had a lot more accountability and support through the tutoring center, and we were pleased and hopeful.  So it was disappointing to hear, two-thirds of the way through the semester, that the same thing had happened again:  he had gotten impossibly far behind in one class and had to drop it.

Papa Rooster and I didn't really have to think about our decision:  It's just too expensive per semester to only earn minimal credits.  B20 would not be able to go back.

He knew it.  He's terribly disappointed in himself.  But he's also got perspective: "Well, God answered my prayer.  I wanted to be able to finish out the whole year, and I'm getting to do that."

And that's how I'm looking at it too.  I'm so glad he's had this year.  I thought I'd feel regret at the "waste" of money, but I'm glad he's had the experience of living on his own, of attending college classes and getting a taste of what it will take to finish his degree, if he really wants to.  Both his advisor and his tutor believe he has the intellectual ability; he needs the motivation to really want the education, for himself, and the self-discipline to minimize distractions.

I reminded him that originally, his plan had been to live at home, find a job, work and take some classes.  Going to college was kind of a "Plan B."  So in a way, we're just going back to Plan A, I told him.  It seemed a reassuring thought, and on Easter Sunday, I heard him telling someone at church that he was returning to Plan A.

The problem with Plan A is that B20 doesn't have his driver's license.  We deferred the decision after he passed the driving test by not "cashing in" the test results for a license immediately, and the more we've thought about it, the less inclined we are to have him driving.  There's so much information coming in while one is driving, and it keeps changing; it's hard for him to prioritize it all.  To him, a billboard may demand more attention than the brake lights of the car in front of him.  He's as nervous as we are.

When he gets home from college in two weeks, he'll apply for a City of Kenosha program that helps find jobs and possibly transportation for people with disabilities.  I'm hoping for a job that keeps him physically active, since he's put on 50 pounds in his year at college, and his leisure activities are all sedentary:  reading, manipulating computer images and video games.  Maybe in the long term, this kind of job will be better for him than the kind of desk job he'd have with a degree in Digital Design.  And I'm praying hard for a solution to the transportation issue...anything but Mom!

I invite you once again to join us in prayer for B20's future.  We are so thankful for God's clear direction to send him to college for this year.  We will be happy to have him back at home for now, but clearly he needs a job to keep him active and occupied by something other than his own leisure activities.  He also needs to pay back his student loans, and start saving for further education or his own place, which is one of his heart's desires.  It was very encouraging to see that he could manage well on his own.  He didn't oversleep or skip classes or chapel, and he's been attentive to deadlines and assignments in most of his classes.

So much to be thankful for!  A whole set of new concerns lies just around the corner, but for now, I am grateful.