Shifting Interests and Growing Up

It should come as no surprise that my children continue to grow up. They've been doing that consistently for the past almost-20 years. In contemplating all the things I might write about in this post that marks the end of another school year and the graduation of my second child, I took a look at the most recent such post two years ago. Two years ago in May, I thought I knew what my children would be involved in for the upcoming school year. A lot of those plans changed over the summer of 2016. Now, as June 2018 approaches, I see that plans for the future are up in the air for most of us. I think that will always be the case, and I'm getting used to being okay with that.

Kassidy gets a mention in this school post because she is still in school. She has wrapped up her second year at Utah Valley University, where she is now in the art program studying graphic design. I love seeing the posters and pottery she creates. To pad her portfolio, she volunteers one day each week creating social media campaigns for A Child's Hope Foundation, and works the other days as rep support for a retailer called Agnes & Dora. Oh, and she got married last fall. (I really need to catch up on this blog.) Our new son-in-law, Cache, is a great partner for Kassidy. He picks up his studies again this summer, where he learns the science of politics.

Two years ago, I thought #3 was going to be a sneaky add-on to the Freedom Academy ballroom team from Provo High. That never happened. Instead, she spent a summer in Mexico and jumped into high school with a focus on learning Spanish and continuing to procrastinate homework while still pulling straight A's. This last year, as a sophomore, she sang with PHS' Bella Voce and danced with the JV ballroom team. Being on that team required a new level of work and commitment from her who seems to live a charmed life. She spent hours dancing in private lessons, with the team, and over holiday breaks. She missed the first day of fall tour to attend Cachidy's wedding, and then missed our Christmas break trip to Mexico to attend all-day ballroom rehearsals. It has been good for her to work hard at something, rather than waltzing right through it, so to speak. #3 also picked up a job at our local nursery a few months ago. I had hoped it would feed her obsession with succulents, and we wouldn't need to find more window space at home for all her plants. Not so. Now she just brings stray plants home. We are grateful she doesn't work at an animal shelter! #3's wish for next year is to study abroad. Since applications with foreign exchange programs got procrastinated along with homework last fall, we're working to set up our own exchange. If you know anyone in a Spanish-speaking country who would like to swap teenagers for a school year, please put us in contact!

Earning superior ratings at the State Solo & Ensemble competition

#5 built the best water rocket in his STEM class

I also thought #5 would never give up his interest in ballroom dance. As it turns out, when his coach announced at the end of his fourth-grade year that she wouldn't be returning, he announced the same. He can't imagine having another coach as good as Miss Stephanie. Instead, #5 has pursued soccer and Ultimate Frisbee. As long as that kid is running, he is happy. He will occasionally join a random 5K, and always finishes in the top three overall--meaning that he beats out adults, too! He continues to be a happy and helpful student, a favorite of all his teachers. This was his first year at middle school, which meant I was more hands-off with his education this year, which meant I only went to parent-teacher conferences for those classes I had questions or concerns about. His Language Arts teacher was surprised that I set an appointment, but was delighted to meet me. She welcomed me with, "I've been curious to see who is raising [#5]. He's such a wonderful student!" I was not surprised to hear that familiar sentiment, and let her know that it's all him.
About a month ago, #5 asked if he could be home schooled next year. He wants to get through his studies faster and take on a special project. I asked him to pray about it. As he did, I also started to get excited about teaching him and working beside him for a year. He didn't feel like he got a yes or no answer to his prayer, so we counseled and thought homeschool would be good to try for just one year. Then, last Friday, he felt like he got a strong answer to stay at the charter school...three days after I told them they could give his spot to someone else. We'll see if he can get back in!

#4 is very happy to be leaving the same middle school. She is ready for high school and the many class offerings available to her. When her PHS counselor handed her the long list of high school classes, her jaw dropped. She is interested in volleyball, art, foods, photography, interior design, and choir. I had to remind her that she has four years to pursue all these interests! She has lost interest in recording and editing YouTube videos, but had some fun on the yearbook staff, and will probably enjoy learning to use the Canon SLR camera we bought for her birthday--to also share with the family. (Our kids don't get exclusive rights to expensive gifts, especially when they can benefit all of us!) #4 continues to take voice lessons and is starting to learn to play piano by ear and with chords so she can accompany herself. One of her greatest frustrations this year has been sharing a room with #3, who is not the most tidy roommate. When #2 leaves in a few months, #4 will have her choice of two bedrooms. She is looking forward to decorating as she likes and keeping her space clean and peaceful.

At the district science fair, which sent #4 to the regional fair!

#2 entered the legal adult years last month, so she now gets to be known by name on this blog. Madelyn has perhaps stayed busiest of all my children. Between schoolwork, choir, drama productions, a job, and time with her boyfriend, we've barely seen her. It has not been unusual to visit for five minutes or less at our morning family devotional, and then to not see her until the next morning devotional. Somehow, in the midst of all those demands and pursuits, she has carved out new interests and talents. A year ago, when the drama kids learned they would be putting on The Phantom of The Opera for the 2017 fall school musical, Madelyn--and everyone else--knew that her talented boyfriend, David, would have the lead role as Phantom. She decided if she wanted to spend time with him, she needed to also have a role. She took private voice lessons from a well-known coach over the summer, and expanded her alto range to a soprano's high A. Unfortunately, she did not get the part of Christine (we think the director wisely wanted to avoid high school sweethearts playing the lead roles in the production), but she did get cast in the ensemble, which required just as many hours from her. Simultaneously, she also worked hard in Provo High's Concert Choir and Chamber Singers. As her parent, one of my greatest gratifications was that the other adult mentors in her life recognized her quiet hard work. Last week, Madelyn was surprised to receive the Director's Award in choir. Madelyn sang in PHS' choirs for six years. She toured with them and served as a section leader. As her peers received other recognition and filled officer roles, Madelyn quietly and cheerfully supported the younger choir members. Mr. Wiser, the choir director, explained to me why he chose her for this award: "I wanted to make sure that [Madelyn's] hard work, dedication, and incredible growth has not gone unnoticed. I'm glad that I've had the opportunity to teach her and help her over the years." Two nights later, at the drama banquet, Madelyn received the Best Female Ensemble Award. As a member of the Phantom ensemble, she brought positive energy to the rehearsals and performances, especially helping other ensemble members learn the choreography. At the drama competitions, her group won straight superior ratings. I know I am biased, but when I watch a performance full of singers and dancers, my eye is constantly drawn to Madelyn. She truly lights up the stage.

After an exhausting and emotional
final choir performance.

One of the best surprises this senior year was her discovery of auto shop. She signed up somewhat on a whim to fulfill an elective credit, and ended up really loving the subject. When 4/5 of the class left to sluff most days, Madelyn and a few others stayed with the teacher and learned about engines and other car repairs. That interest led to a job with Clegg Auto in Provo and Spanish Fork. This past semester, Madelyn has been running their marketing on social media and online advertising for the used cars they sell. After graduation, she will probably work the front counter, explaining to customers what repairs are needed. I think it's been difficult for her to decide what comes after high school. She's known since her sophomore year that she wanted to serve an LDS mission at age 19; but deciding what to do with that 18-year-old year has not been easy. She's felt pressure from school leaders and friends to apply to colleges, and pressure from home to get out of debt and be able to support herself while also saving for her mission. I hope the greatest gift that Kent and I gave her was our approval to not jump right into more school. With her good GPA and ACT score, college is a viable option. But when application season was upon her last fall, and she didn't know what she wanted to study or even do with her life after the mission, college seemed like an expensive way to try to figure that out. And so we encouraged her decision to just work at a job where she can learn more about what interests her. At the present, my guess is that she'll come back from her mission, ready and eager to start school in the the winter of 2021. With her brain for math and science, she'd make a great mechanical engineer. But I think it's just as likely that she'll audition for local musical theater and develop a greater love for acting. Or maybe she'll learn a foreign language on her mission, and ended up nannying for a family on the other side of the world. As she walks out the doors of high school graduation, her future decades lie open before her, waiting to be discovered and shaped. She has chosen a good path for the next two-and-a-half years, and I am excited to see how this first step into adulthood will shape the rest of her life.