Graduation

Really it must be said that one of our biggest milestones of 2017 was our oldest graduating from high school.... and then heading off to college!  What a change for us to send one off, and to have one less at home.  She did great.  She chose well.  She has great roomies, great friends, isn't too far away, nor is she too close to home.  Our neighbor (we can see their house right out our front window) also goes there so we can carpool (go figure).  They actually took her back to school a few days ago for Jan Plan - that was a gift and a half!  It's a wonderful blessing to have her so well situated and happy.

Les Miserables

One of the "ups" of 2017 was the boys performance in Les Mis at the local high school.  It was very well done.  Vivace played Gavroche and Andante played Enjolras.  They worked very hard to put this together and all the actors were terrific, which made it a stellar production.  Patience rented a car and drove with three friends home from college just to see them.  They were not disappointed and declared it to have been totally worth it.  All this meant a LOT to the boys.  Our director is amazing and the show received compliments from many who know this production well. 

Among the comments I heard were:

-Never seen a high school production this good.
-Professionally done
-The caliber of the singing was amazing.
-Stunning choreography
-Love the live pit orchestra - made it real.
-Everyone did well (referring to all the actors) and that made it particularly good.  It can't be done well if only some (of the actors) sing or act well.  (Implication is that it would be lopsided and one person's excellent performance would just make the others' seem to be of lesser quality).
-I saw it in Boston done professionally, and this was far better.

Suffice it to say that it wowed people, many of whom knew the show and had certain expectations because of that, and I'm not sure how any acting our boys will do in the future will compare.  It was a "once in a lifetime" experience, and was worth every minute of practice, and every ounce of exhaustion.  Bravo.

The link to the video is below, but please keep in mind (after all that praise) that the recording does not do justice either to the music or to the acting.  This recording emphasizes everyone's faults and you can't hear the orchestra well. I hope you will not be disappointed.  Note also that Vivace had been sick for two weeks (roughly) and was just getting his voice back the night this was filmed.  Normally his voice would be much stronger (and more on key).

Check it out here. https://vimeo.com/246959243 Password: musical2017 (if needed).

If you just want to check out the boys, they are in the opening scene (chain gang), and then again from roughly 50 min on.  

At 1:09.50 ish (start a little before - song starts 1:07?), both boys are prominent and on the risers shouting "Vive la France" at the end of an impassioned song... fabulous moment for me as a mom to have them both together on stage like that.    And again, at 1:22 and many points following that (song starts ~1:20) before intermission...

Welcome to 2018

It seems like just yesterday we were celebrating the start of a new millennium, and now it's 2018.  We'll officially have four teenagers this year, and we work a lot.  But we're employed, our needs are met, and God is still - and always will be, no matter what happens - good.  

Last year had a lot of ups and downs.  I prefer to look at and consider the "ups," but losing my dad was rough.  Still is.  We miss him.  The day he died, he spent with Vivace and Papa Bear, shopping for a glove.  He ate dinner with his beloved.  It was a full and wonderful day - such a blessing.  And then he was gone.  

I've learned a lot about enjoying the moment because we just don't know what tomorrow will bring.   But living in the moment is often a challenge. I guess if I have a New Year's Resolution, it relates to this.  I want to make time for what's important in the "bigger" and "longer-term" view of my present life and simply put the work down, no matter how important it might be.  I want to set aside time to be with and enjoy doing things with my immediate family, even when work screams for my attention, which it always does and probably always will.  The tyranny of the urgent is tough, and with all the transitions and needs of the past couple years, there has been a lot of urgent that could not be ignored.  But even in the midst of that, I need to set aside time to spend with my family when I'm not distracted or working (or both). Exercise is key, as is playing games - something I love to do.  I want to make these a priority.  Over our Christmas vacation in Stowe, I swam with my youngest, we baked and cooked together, and we played poker (Texas Hold 'Em), Clue, Apples to Apples, "basketball," and Stock Market. These are good memories and time well spent.  

I also need to bathe all of this in prayer and root all that I do firmly in God's word and will, whether it be work at home, teaching, caring for my mom, or time with my family and friends.  Reading the Bible regularly - not just from time to time - is a necessity and is also something I want to improve on this year.  It is in the Bible and in personal worship time with God that I usually find comfort, encouragement, wisdom, and understanding, gifts that God generously bestows and which I desperately need.  He has sustained me this past year, and I am thankful for Him and for His mercy and faithfulness every single day.  

We wish you all a happy 2018!