End of the School Year

Just a few extra things to document in addition to the main events for Bella - I got to chaperone Peter's class trip to the aquarium and Lego Land.  I enjoy getting to see him around his friends and getting to know all those kids better.  We had a great day.

This is Cooper - Peter's best friend.  I prayed and prayed at the beginning of the year that Peter would make at least one friend at Webster and Cooper was the answer to my prayers.  Peter really likes him and it appears to be mutual.  If only he weren't a 2nd grader.  The school as combined age classrooms, so 1st and 2nd grade are together; 3rd and 4th grade are together, etc.  That means that next year, Peter will still be in the same class, but Cooper will move on.  I pray that Peter will find another friend as kind and patient as Cooper.

Because of Bella's graduation, we were going to miss the Spring Piano recital.  So the teacher held a private recital at her house with just her first year students so Peter would still get the practice of performing and the others would get a practice run-through before the big day.  It was so cute to see all the littles playing.  Christian and Peter played a duet which was adorable.  I stupidly was so focused on the music that I forgot to make a video.  Only at the end did I think to even take a picture.  Not one person had a perfect performance, but everyone did very well.  It was a good first chance to play before an audience.

Peter's school also had a choir concert.  He was not excited to be singing but I thought it was adorable.  They sung songs like Do Re Mi from The Sound of Music and several I'd never heard before.  It was so impressive to see all that the teacher had been able to teach them in just one lesson a week.  I love his teacher because the district eliminated band in the 6th grade but this one teacher refused and said he'd still teach it.  So Peter's school is the only one with band class.  If it weren't for band in 6th grade, none of my other 3 would be in band today so I know how incredibly valuable it is.  (Little Peter is in the front row on the right in the blue shirt.)

Peter wanted to build a hydraulic press after church one day but was struggling bringing his thoughts to fruition.  Thank goodness he has such a smart, kind brother.  I found the supplies in my craft and science supply stashes and they built a really cool hydraulic pump together.  I love when my kids are getting along and having fun together.

The classroom pet in Peter's class is a stuffed elephant they can take home.  Peter got to take Ellie home last week.  They are supposed to photograph themselves doing things with Ellie so show the class.  Peter wanted to play video games with her and read her books.  I thought they were so cute together.

Although, I still miss the live guinea pig that Benjamin's class took home on weekends and holidays.  Twinkle was a regular at our house and she was a lot more fun than a stuffed elephant.

Tomorrow is the last day of school.  May my sanity hold out this summer.  It's going to be crazy with Benjamin coming home and two leaving for college plus Scout Camp, FSY, YM camp, Pioneer Trek, marching band camp, and a trip up north.  Hold on tight.

She Graduated!

 May has been a big month for Bella - 18th birthday, scholarship ceremonies, sky diving, and graduation from high school.  She's been busy.

Our sweet girl became an adult and the things she asked for were nearly entirely dorm stuff.  Moving out shifts priorities.  So we got her a laundry hamper full of toiletries and dorm necessities.  She also decided now that she was 18, she wanted to go sky diving, so we paid for that.  I worried all day about that but she had a wonderful time!

She also won a scholarship through a local family that wanted to honor their mother.  She founded the Livonia Arts Council and recently passed away so they decided to use her remaining money to assist high schoolers from Livonia in pursuing degrees in art.  They plan to give money every year and Bella was their first recipient.  They awarded it at an award banquet with other recipients of other city grants - a whole ball room filled with representatives of non-profit organizations.  It was a great experience being with so many people all trying so hard to make the world a better place and were working so hard doing it.  Unfortunately my phone camera was broken so my pictures came out terrible and this is all I got.  4 hours at the iphone store later that week and now my pictures are better again.

Then came the clap-out.  That's a Livonia tradition that I absolutely love.  The high schoolers go back to all their previous schools and walk the halls in their graduation gowns while the current students, teachers, and parents clap for them.  It was so fun to see Bella back at her preschool, elementary school, and middle schools. I also loved seeing all the friends and teachers she had while she was there.  

Mother Hubbard Preschool - Bella's school when she was just 3 and 4 years old.

Bella homeschooled for Kindergarten and attended a charter school for 1st grade but we didn't get a picture there.

Webster Elementary - Bella went here from 2-6th grade.

Mrs. Rost - Bella's 2nd grade teacher:

Mrs. Gezahegn - Bella's 3rd and 4th grade teacher and Peter's current 1st grade teacher.  That was so fun to get a picture of them together.

Mrs. Macek - Bella's 5th and 6th grade teacher.

Some of the other kids who had been in 5th and 6th grade with Bella in Mrs. Macek's class.

Friends who met in  middle school who are still friends today - Elijah, Bella, and Alyssa

Madison and Bella - they met as 3 year olds in pre-school!

It was such a fun day of remembering and marveling at how much she's grown and how fast the time has gone.

Then came the actual graduation!  I didn't cry with Benjamin at all but for some reason, as they called Isabella Katherine Dalton and that sweet girl walked across the stage and took her diploma, I just lost it.  Kelly handed me a tissue and I cried over just how proud of her I was.  She has put so much work and time into these last four years.  She juggled working, studying, playing three instruments, 4-5 different music groups, getting her eagle scout award, getting her driver's license, national honor society, multiple church callings, and early morning seminary while still getting a 3.99 GPA and I didn't ever once have to remind her of anything or push her in anything.  She did it all on her own and all I did was correct an English paper now and again.  She's a rockstar and I was just so proud to be her mom.  She's going to be amazing at whatever she does.

This is Laith.  He and Bella have been in all their church classes together since they were born.  I was their nursery leader when they were just 1 year old.

After high school graduation came Seminary Graduation.  As her seminary teacher, I got to say a little about her and the other seniors.  I was happy to do that.  However, the high councilman in charge of the event decided to make it a "Seminary Celebration" not a "Seminary Graduation" and so he tried to honor all students who attended seminary and it really took away from the event for the seniors.  I was very disappointed.  Not to mention, they didn't even hand out diplomas!  They were just sitting on a table and the seniors picked theirs up on the way out!!  I was not going to stand for that.  I had Bella go up to the stake president and made him hand it to her while I took a picture.  It's clearly a bit awkward as Bella's face shows, but better than nothing.  It was our first graduation in this stake and now I know what to expect.  I will make sure future ones are better.  Those kids worked so hard for four years!  They deserve something more.

Alas, a second child is done.  Benjamin comes home in just 6 weeks and then they're both off to college.  Everything goes so fast.  Before I know it, this little guy will be gone too.