Show Choir and Life

 Last year, I took Veronica and Felicity, at 6:30 in the morning, and dropped Felicity off at Lawrence Central High School so Felicity could meet up with her choir, with whom she was performing at like 8:30 or some ungodly hour.  The plan was for Veronica and me to watch Felicity and then for us all to spend the day watching Maria, and other choirs, also the solo competition.  It was a long day and super terrible - the cell phone service is horrible in the building, so you can't find each other via phone, Maria and her friends were super emotional and it was just a long day.  It was especially hard on Veronica, she was in a non- competitive choir her freshman year, having not gotten into the Intermediate Choir that a lot of her friends were in, or the competitive choir that other friends of hers got in.  She was so, so supportive of Maria and of her friends who were in those upper choirs, but she struggled.  I remember during the solo competition especially, she was mostly silently crying, sitting there next to me as we watched the really talented singers from NC.  NC choirs took first, second and third in the solo comp that year, they were so good, but there Veronica and I were, just crying watching.  

I understand what was hard about it.  She felt so separated from her friends, her peers in everything but this, and this is where it counts the most.  We stayed until midnight that night and watched the three soloists win, watched the intermediate choir win, and Maria's choir win.  And it was great but it was also horrible, seriously one of the longest days of my life.  

Later that same month, Veronica had her audition for the next year's choir and I said Veronica, you have to sing, you have to sing too loud! I KNOW it's against your nature but you have to be too loud at an audition, now is not the time to hide your light under a bushel! She auditioned and thank GOD, she was put into the Intermediate Choir, so this year, when we spent all day at LC, I was mostly by myself, watching TWO choirs Felicity was competing in, one of which won Grand Champions, Veronica's choir, which won Grand Champion, and Maria's choir, which also won Grand Champion! An embarrassment of riches, for sure, and as long a day but I remember most Veronica.  My sister took her to another high school that morning so she could participate in National History Day and then she dropped her off at like 10:00 a.m., so we were able to hang out a little bit together.  I sent her off to her choir homeroom and I said Veronica, just today do everything the most, really smile and open your mouth wide and just do the best you can do and then I watched her performance and she did everything the most, just a wonderful performance.  I was sitting with other people, NORMAL people, my dad would say and so I couldn't fully cry with appreciation and love like I wanted to that day but when I watched this video today I just can't barely stand it.  She is such a hard worker, some things come so easily to her and some she has to work harder for, but whatever it is, she can do it all so well.  

Tonight around 5:00 the stupid choir placements come out and we will find out her fate for next year.  She can't be in the intermediate choir, because it meets during the same period her IB class does, so it's one of two choirs.  This morning when I was driving to work, I was thinking of it, praying ... but for what? I want her to be happy, to be satisfied, I want people to recognize how wonderful she is.  Here's the video of her choir, so, so great! 

North Central Accents 2025 Competition Set

 Veronica is the one out of all my kids who I think has changed the most.  Maybe Veronica and then Anthony.  I look at these pictures and it doesn't even seem like she is the same person! So many things are the same though - she is still super smart, still so sweet, she is just doing really well.  She's so funny, she has a lot of little things she says, mostly from Tik Tok and the internet, that just cracks me up.  Apparently there is someone on Tik Tok who speaks really bad Spanish - oh it's not going to be funny if I write it but she's just funny, she has an excellent sense of humor.  This year, Veronica is in a more advanced choir and will go to a few competitions, she has joined the speech and debate team, she goes to crochet club more often, she wants to start driving lessons, she is INVOLVED and ACTIVE.  

Because she is so smart, and she does so well on standardized tests, we have been getting a lot of information from colleges, which is fun.  She wants to be a doctor, a ... radiologist? Neurological radiologist? Could that be right? She doesn't want to see too many patients, which - I mean, she is extremely self aware.  I never really knew and understood an introvert like Veronica, but she needs at least one hour after she gets home from her school of 4000 students to de-people.  Anyway, she wants to read MRI's and diagnose people with brain problems.  I think there is some engineering involved, bio medical engineering, so maybe she wants to go to Purdue? That would be great, Mike is horrified of course but it's such a good school and they freeze tuition for all four years that you're there.  A friend of mine told me a friend of HERS' student goes to DePaul and they have already raised tuition for next year.  It's hard, with college, and what awaits us. I want to be ready but also I am terrified, especially with you know who coming into office.  It's hard to know about job security.  

Anyway, Veronica! She is the greatest, really enjoying school and her friends and friendships.  She loves to go to Barnes and Noble(s).  She joined a Girls Book Club, and she is going on a European trip next year - she will go to Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm, won't that be great? She's going with her bff, there's only 25 girls all together, it should be wonderful.  After the holidays, I'll sign her up for driving lessons and keep her on track for that.  She can't get her license until next August so we certainly have some time.  I have friends whose kids do not want to drive but mine all seem to want to.  

Is grade 10 the hardest? I think it is, Veronica is taking two AP classes and all honors classes for the rest, except for choir.  You maybe laugh but Maria is in honors choir! I do not even know.  

Because she has this expensive trip coming up, she is not getting as much for Christmas, but she has requested Doc Martens (cute), silver jewelry and as ever, makeup and skin care.  She loves to wear jeans or sweats, and giant sweatshirts.  This morning she came in my room, seemingly to just chat but I noticed she grabbed an oversized sweatshirt on her way out, ha! Lately she's been wearing a long sleeved shirt under a tshirt with jeans and she looks like Jordan Catalano, adorable! An adorable heartbreaker, just like him.  

2018

Here's a year end update for sweet Veevsy Voo.  Next year she'll be 10, crazy! I actually feel like she has been nine years old for FOREVER.  She did go on her camping trip, Mike went too and she did very well.  She seems to be doing just fine, she doesn't say a lot but, like, she told me the other day she sits with all boys at lunch, they have assigned seats.  And that they are sometimes jerks but mostly they just make up games, jokes, etc.  It sounds fun, she sounds like she is doing just fine. 

She was a Porcelain Doll for Halloween, she thought of her costume and the styling, I drew the cracks on her face.  She loves to play with makeup.  She recently got her haircut into a short bob, it looks really cute.  Her teacher seems to be really happy with her in class, she is obviously really good at math, he told me and math is his favorite subject so he is happy to work with her on it.  She told me she sits at a table with some other kids during Math who are also doing harder stuff. 

All three girls are going to Sunday School now, because they don't go during regular school and it's going fine.  They don't love it, it makes for a long morning, but we are getting by.  We start at 9:00 then they have Mass at 10:30 and so we are basically there for three hours, which can be a lot! Bring snacks, I tell them, ha! 

Here are some pictures of our sweet Veronica. 

Fourth Grade

Good Lord, it's been one year! Every time I think I'm going to be better about posting I'm not.  But life is busy! The girls are all at a new school this year, our public one, and it's going very well.  It's going so much better, in fact, that I can't stand it, almost! Veronica has a male teacher, he's super cute, it's his first year teaching.  He was a student teacher in the gifted and talented classroom last year, I feel like he is a perfect fit for Veronica.  New teachers never bother me, I love them.  I guess maybe a new surgeon I wouldn't be too into but a new teacher is just great, they are young, they are excited, they are up on the freshest ideas, I love them.  And also, he is super cute, have I mentioned? Ha!

She is doing very well in school.  I went and volunteered at her Field Day this week, she doesn't love the cardio, for sure, BUT she did everything.  She has been walking the dog every day, by herself, she doesn't want me to go with her, which is FINE BY ME. 

She has moved on through the Harry Potter series by herself, without us.  Mike has been buying her these cool cover books at Costco, when you line them up against each other they make a whole picture? I feel like I'm not describing it well.  She is ever the reader, we just got her mid term grades (in the second week of September, what the heck?) and she is doing well in everything, her lowest grade is A-, in Science. 

On school starting so early, what the hell? Their first day was August 1, they have a week off for Fall Break in early October, two weeks off for Christmas/Hannukah, a week off for spring break, and get out in late May.  I was just having a discussion on Facebook with some friends, because Georgia is trying to get a law passed so that they can't start until after Labor Day.  Another friend said that in Maryland, where she lives, they never start until after Labor Day because they count on money from tourism and beach business through the SUMMER.  I said I thought that would work out okay because we went 180 days a year when I was in school and it was FINE.  I remember one year that we went until June 30, because we had so many snow days that year (I think it was 1978), and that was really late.  I think we normally went into the second week of June and then SUMMER started, like with the calendar.  One friend said that the department of education should decide when students go to school, it shouldn't be decided by travel and tourism and I ... disagree.  Apparently it is a problem because students have to take exams AFTER Christmas Break and ... I mean ... who cares? I just never understand all this revinventing of the wheel that we do.  Summer is summer and fall is fall, we are not changing the SEASONS now, are we? Anyway it drives me crazy but there is NO use fighting City Hall on it, I'm just going with it and inwardly seething.  And sometimes outwardly, I guess, ha ha!

She has a friend in our neighborhood now, one who is her age, which is so nice.  Her friend lives right down the street, on the same side of the street, it's super convenient and it just feels good, for them to live in the neighborhood where everyone goes to school.  I can't believe how few regrets I have about moving them to a new school. 

She is going on an overnight trip later this month, to a YMCA camp about an hour away.  Mike is going with them, apparently they always need dads to go, because of course as usual, it's moms who do all the volunteering.  She's excited and I am too, I think it will be great. 

Okay, well, you're up to date, I hope to be better about this in future but no promises. 

Third Grade

I think Third Grade can be the hardest - they get real grades for the first time, they have to take iRead and iStep, the first in a long line of standardized tests in Indiana, there are a lot more expectations on them.  I am not appreciative enough of the fact that my kids are pretty smart and capable and I don't have to worry about them (SO FAR) about academic stuff.  Veronica is so good and smart and sweet I never worry and this year is no exception.  Which is GOOD because for the second kid in a row, their teacher is going on maternity leave during their year! I found with Maria and I am hoping with Veronica that I am more tense about it than they are, Maria did just fine and Veronica will too.  

She is playing kickball, she doesn't really like it but I think it's important for her to stick with it.  She does seem to enjoy it while she's there.  Their first game was kind of a hot mess but - I mean, they only had TWO practices before their first game and at the school where I work they have been practicing since the end of summer break and it was clear that the first team we played had practiced a lot more than we had.  It is hard to always lose but then again, there is no pressure.  I just hope she sticks with it.  She never got on base the first game and she was mad but later she told me, I think I just let my nerves get the best of me, which makes me want to CRY but I didn't.  

Anyway, she's fine, she's moving right along in speech and maybe some day we won't have to go anymore.  We've been doing it for two years, we are all getting sick of it!  

Here are some cute pictures.  

First Communion

I consider myself lucky to be Catholic for a variety of reasons, but I especially love being a parent of a Catholic school student.  Veronica has the best teacher, she is really teaching them a lot about their religion and she really walks the walk and I feel incredibly lucky that she is Veronica's teacher when she is making her First Communion.  She made her first communion on April 29 and it was just beautiful.  Anthony went out with his girlfriend so Mike and I both got to go, Mike's mom was in the hospital and couldn't come but her husband came and my sister Laura and it was so nice.  Veronica's godmother Marita and her family were there, and of course Marta and her family, Veronica's godfather Carlos and his son came by later, we had the food catered again and it was perfect, so it was just a nice day.

She was very sweet and completely ready to go, I didn't really have the fears that I had with Maria last year, I was probably a little more easy going about it and Veronica is a person who takes things like this more seriously, so it was a good combination.  Anyway, here are some pictures.

March

How is Veronica doing, in March? This morning she told me she is NOT GOOD.  She is always SO TIRED.  We are going for her well child check up (11 months after her 7th birthday, whatever) next month and I am going to see what is what.  Maybe she has a problem, maybe that's why she is so tired.  But she doesn't seem tired, she doesn't fall asleep all the time or anything.  I don't know.  We are all giving up sweets and dessert for Lent and last night we were talking about it and Veronica said she is really going to try to "eat clean".  Where she hears this, I don't know! She does have several friends at school who are gluten free, so maybe that's it.  I am of two minds on it, on the one hand, I know she'd have more energy and be happier if she wasn't always fretting about her size and clothes, but on the other hand, I want her to be happy with herself exactly as she is.  I don't know.

She is doing very well in school, well in speech therapy, well in Tae Kwon Do, she did get her yellow belt and even though sometimes it's 'hard' because she doesn't always 'keep good form', she is going to finish Tae Kwon Do through the year and we'll see if she does it next year.  Next year she can play kickball and maybe she'll want to but I don't know.  It will be easier if Spring ever comes because then we can at least go for walks with the dog, to the store, etc.

Veronica went to a birthday party last weekend, her friend Lillie.  She bought her a pretty sweater because she has admired her sweaters in the past, and she was thrilled to see her wear it the next day! We were at this Blessing Cup thing that we do for First Communion.  I personally think it is a ridiculous thing but I did it last year with Maria and I did it this year with Veronica and in three years I'll do it with Felicity, so I better get over it.  She makes her First Communion next month, April 29.  My sister bought three dresses on excellent sale and I am hopeful the one she likes will work still, next month.  We are going to get shoes here soon, it's all exciting!

Here are some cute pictures!