We Made it through the Year ... with Honors!

Well, today the school year is finally over! A few weeks ago we started feeling like it was really dragging on. We had sunny, warm weather that felt like summer, the kids were bringing home schoolwork and locker contents ... and most of all, we'd ended in March last year, so going until the end of June just seemed too long!

But, as our middle/high school principal said, this unusual year "would just not be complete without a crazy ending," too.

Even though school was supposed to go until Tuesday, June 29, Eric brought home his report card and all his desk contents on Friday the 25th. We'd heard rumors that school might be cancelled on Monday and Tuesday due to extreme temperatures--in this case, weather predicted to be around 45 degrees C (at least 10 degrees hotter than usual for this time of year--or ever, really).

It turns out Eric's teacher made the right call, since the weather really WAS that hot and schools ended up being closed on both Monday and Tuesday.

So, we found out on Friday how well Eric had done in Grade 1! He got "extending" (the highest they can get) in math and science, and "proficient" in everything else. His teacher wrote glowing comments about his growth throughout the year and his ability to catch humor in stories when nobody else "gets it." Then she said, "Eric is promoted to Grade 2." What?! How can this be happening already?

Then yesterday the middle school sent out its awards video by email, and I thought, "Maybe one of the girls got an award!"

I was not prepared for all this:

(I removed the other students' names and pictures since I don't have permission to share them.)

The subject awards show the student with highest achievement for each grade, and the Renaissance award is the school's most prestigious honor, given to students who show overall excellence in both academics and the arts. 

Today we picked up the girls' report cards and certificates,

as well as Alaina's medal. 

I know Janae was most proud of her visual arts award, and Alaina was most honored to be chosen as a renaissance scholar. I am so proud of (and amazed by) them both!

Ben got his report card today, too--96 percent in digital media arts, which was his only class this term. We also got to read his teachers' comments from all of his courses throughout the year (we'd only had the letter grades at the end of each term). His teachers had so many good things to say about his work, his creativity, his talents, and his potential, especially in creative writing. I can't believe he will be in Grade 12 next year!

So, not only did we survive a school year of wearing masks and learning part time from home, but we've also made it through an extreme heat wave and lived to hear about how well everyone has done! Hopefully the rest of the summer will be a little more bearable, and this next school year will be just as full of good things for these four kids.

Father's Day Yardwork

 Some might think Father's Day weekend is a time for the dad in a family to sit back, relax, and let everyone else do the work, but that didn't happen in our family this year!

A couple of months ago, Jason started digging up our lawn's perimeter in preparation for a large, wrap-around flower and shrub garden we'd envisioned to liven up our backyard. 

The more I thought about it, though, the more I wondered if we should put in all the time, money and work to create a huge garden from scratch--especially after having to leave our last one behind.

I had another idea: a pumpkin patch. 

Pumpkin plants cost almost nothing to grow, but they are so fun to watch as they flower and produce pumpkins. The pumpkins themselves become nice porch decorations in the fall, and then we can carve them for Halloween. We already had the seeds from last year's crop, too!

Three weeks ago, Eric and I started the seeds in little pots and put them out on the sunniest spot of our deck. They grew quickly and needed to get into the ground ASAP. Saturday was the first opportunity.

First we had to clear out all the grass, sifting it through a big wire mesh frame that Jason had made.

 Then Jason brought in some garden blend soil, which we spread.

Alaina, Eric and Ben helped us put the plants into the ground--we had 20 altogether!

But Jason didn't stop there. He went and got some dark compost mulch for our front gardens and then pruned our huge magnolia tree. At the end of the day I asked if he was trying to do as many "dad" things as possible to boost his image for Father's Day :) 

Anyway, I think we all agree that our yard looks much better now ... and if you look at Jason's face in the pictures, you can see he had a good time, too!

Walking to the Cemetery

Right after my dad passed away, I had no desire to go back to the cemetery where he was buried, even though it was only a 5-minute drive from where we lived. The thought seemed morbid and sad to me.

In November, I finally went back to put some flowers by his grave (and by those of my grandparents) on Remembrance Day.

After that, I went back a couple of times to check on the flowers--they lasted a surprisingly long time--and then to add some evergreen clippings for Christmas.

Now, ten months after my dad's death, walking to the cemetery is part of my routine--sometimes I go there several times in a week. I consider it a peaceful place, and I actually enjoy going there.

What changed?

When we moved, one of the things that I was most upset about was that there was "nowhere to walk" at our new place. Our old neighborhood was quiet and friendly--lots of people walked around the block, and we would often see the same neighbors in passing. Our new house is on a busy street--we hear nonstop traffic day and night that goes right past our front door.

When we'd only been here a few days, Jason told me the cemetery was only a 10-15 minute walk from the house, and--since I'd only ever approached it from a different direction--I didn't believe him. I reluctantly agreed to walk down there with him so he could prove it.

Well, it turns out he was right. Then, since I didn't know anywhere else to walk from here, I started going down the hill to the cemetery in the mornings after dropping my kids off at school. 

On the way down, it's always a pleasant walk along the long, winding hill. I enjoy the view of the sky and the fields, and I love hearing the birds sing. Once I'm off the main road, there is very little traffic, and I'm alone with my thoughts ... except for the occasional bunny. 

The way back up is a different matter: the long, winding hill is always a challenge, and I often think of Christina Rossetti's poem, "Does the road wind up-hill all the way?/Yes, to the very end." Sometimes I wonder why I’ve done this to myself, but then when I reach the top where it’s flat I think the climb wasn’t so bad. Every time! Anyway, overall it's a good 30-minute walk that makes me feel like I've had some exercise.

But what about the cemetery itself?

Somehow, it has become a soothing place for me. As I approach it from the hill, it's familiar and calm. It reminds me of when I used to walk to the library with my kids and we started to think of its grounds as an extension of our own yard.

I have taken to switching out the fresh flowers at my dad's grave every week or so, which gives me something practical to do.

Sometime I'll walk down with the kids on the weekends. A few weeks ago, Eric stopped to pick some daisies, claiming they were "grandpa's favorite flower." (We all remember Dad making daisy chains for the kids, and he always preferred the flowers from his yard to anything store bought.)

I wish I could say visiting the cemetery helps me feel closer to my dad, but it really doesn't. I know he’s not there and that the flowers are more for me than for him—when I really think about it, I realize that I’m trying to prove in a concrete way that I remember him.

Today, though, as I checked on the roses I'd put down last week, and noticed they'd need to be replaced soon, I wondered if they'd last until Sunday (Father's Day). I realized then that these walks and these flowers are—in part—my way of honoring my father throughout the year.

Walking to the cemetery has become part of my peaceful acceptance that even though my dad is gone, remembering him and honoring him as my father can still be part of my day-to-day life.

A Reluctant Star and Her Enthusiastic Sister

My three oldest kids go to a fine arts school, where most of their classmates enjoy performing and creating. Last year, Janae auditioned for the school play, Matilda the Musical, which was to be performed May 2021. Janae got the part of "the acrobat," otherwise known as Miss Honey's mother. She doesn't appear in the movie or the book, but she has a significant part in the musical (including lots of singing), and we were looking forward to seeing Janae's musical theater debut. 

Well, we all know how last year turned out: the play was cancelled, along with everything else.

This year, the directors decided to try again. Janae, of course, prepared extensively for the audition, hoping for a good part. 

Alaina wasn't sure if she wanted to try out, but I encouraged her to do so, thinking it might be fun for her to play a small part--maybe without lines. Alaina has had a lot of performance anxiety when it comes to music recitals, but I thought being in the play would be a good way to make friends, especially since her best friend would be leaving next year. I thought Alaina might like to be part of something exciting at the school.

Eventually, Alaina signed up for an audition, taking the last spot on the last day. Still, she wasn't sure if she would actually go through with it.

Janae's audition was on a Friday--it went great and she was excited to see the cast list. Alaina was scheduled to try out the following Monday.

When I picked up Alaina from school that day, I was surprised to hear she had tried out for the play. She said she’d had a good experience and that she was hoping to get a part. 

A few days later, she heard she'd been called back for a second audition the next Monday. Since all the "call backs" had been short Grade 6 or 7 girls, Alaina and Janae speculated that the directors were trying to cast Matilda. 

Alaina worked on the dialogue and song all weekend, but only Janae got to hear her sing or practice the lines. She listened to the song with headphones and read the dialogue in her room.

The callbacks apparently went well, and the girls were anticipating a cast list the following day. I didn't hear anything during the day, so I thought maybe the list hadn't been posted or the girls hadn't got parts they were excited about. 

But when they got into the car after school, Alaina told me she was going to be MATILDA. Janae was excited to say she was going to play a MAN who gets MURDERED, Miss Honey’s father. (I guess he plays a bigger part than Miss Honey’s mother….)

I have to admit, I was a bit stunned. Matilda? A man who gets murdered?

Alaina—who'd had to be talked into auditioning—was going to play the title role?

While Janae talked excitedly about getting her hair cut short as soon as possible (even though the play isn’t going to be performed until May 2022), I asked Alaina repeatedly if she was sure and if she was joking. She was a little hurt, but I don’t think anyone can blame me under the circumstances.

So, now that we’ve had a few days to process the news, and we’ve looked at rehearsal schedules and talked about the haircut and whether or not Janae is jealous (she isn’t) and whether or not Alaina is terrified (not really), I’m kind of excited to see Alaina play Matilda … and to see Janae play Mr. Honey. It’s going to be a big year for these girls.

Finally, a Duet

A few weeks ago, Alaina's cello teacher texted me to say that Alaina would need a piano accompaniment for her cello recital, and that a musician could pre-record this piece for $10, which I could pay by e-transfer.

I know $10 isn't a lot of money, but since we've probably spent over $10,000 on piano lessons for Janae over the past 8 years, I wondered if perhaps we could get a bit of a return on our investment.

Janae agreed to learn the piece (for $10), which she sight read immediately and played almost perfectly. 

The next few weeks were a dream come true for me as I listened to them practice together.

You see, ever since we've had multiple music students in the house, I have been asking them to play a duet. I've seen other siblings collaborating to perform beautiful musical numbers for church, recitals, and other occasions, and I could imagine Janae playing the violin while Alaina or Ben played the piano, or Janae playing the piano or violin while Alaina played the cello. Unfortunately, they never caught the vision.

There was always an excuse about the songs being in different keys or one person not being as capable (or willing) as the other. 

This time was different. I'm not sure if it was the $10 on the line or the fact that Alaina's teacher had requested the accompaniment (as opposed to me), or if Alaina has just reached a level where she's comfortable playing alongside another person, but somehow it happened! 

And there's even a video of the live performance to prove it (please excuse the hideous green carpet).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDqGN527y1o

I know they are both still soloists at heart, but it's heartwarming for their mom to know that they really can play a duet :)

Our Little Benny is 17!

It's hard to believe my little son has grown up so much! 

We celebrated his 17th birthday one week ago.... 

After we'd given him a few gifts in the morning, Eric surprised him with a "birthday belt," which unfortunately he couldn't wear to school--because it could break :)

There's been a lot of talk about DNA lately in our family as we've made some unanticipated discoveries about our ancestors and background--so Ben asked for a DNA test for his birthday. He took the test on his birthday and mailed it that afternoon, so we'll be interested to see what he inherited from both Jason and me.

We also gave him the sequel to The Way of Kings (a novel he'd recently finished), as well as a new video game to try (Uncharted).

Ben was surprised with cards and treats from his grandmas and cousins, and a steady stream of messages throughout the day wishing him a happy birthday.

We hope he has a wonderful year being 17!

 

Aunt of the Bride

Recently we had the privilege of attending the wedding of my oldest niece, Amanda.

I'm sure it would have been a privilege at any time, but this was an especially rare opportunity because of Covid restrictions, which limit the number of people able to attend any event. Up until a week before the wedding, we thought we would just be watching through a Facebook livestream. I was planning to pick up my mom after the ceremony, and we were going to see Amanda and her new husband, Ethan, at a drive-by reception later that evening ... but then we found out Jason and I would be able to go!

One of my kids asked me if I thought I would cry, and I said no--I don't usually display a lot of outward emotion, especially in public. But a few minutes before the wedding started, Tina showed me a picture of Amanda all ready to go, and I teared up. The tears continued to flow as I saw her sisters and brother walk down the aisle, followed by Amanda and her dad.

I got to spend quite a bit of time with Amanda when she was little--I'd come back to Canada just before her younger sister Becca was born, and I got to babysit or come over and play with my nieces most days. I didn't have any kids of my own yet, and they were such a wonderful part of my life.

Amanda was even at my wedding, acting as head flower girl to her cousin Jordan and sister Becca.

When my own kids were born, they all looked up to Amanda, Jordan and Becca.

We called them "the big girls," and they were always so much fun to be around.

So, as the wedding started, all sorts of memories and emotions came flooding back. It has been amazing to see Amanda growing up and accomplishing so much, but to be there watching her dreams coming true and seeing her so happy really touched my heart.

I couldn't have imagined a more ideal setting, either: a secluded forest with birds singing and the sun shining through the leaves, with everyone looking so beautiful and full of love.

As I said, it was a wonderful privilege to be there, as it has been to be Amanda’s aunt.