At the beginning of November, Mar made the big move out of our house to her college apartment. She had been worried about finding an available contract before she started school in January, so my girl hunted one down at the Old Mill. Our good friend Rebecca told us that those apartments were where Steve Young lived back in his BYU days and were the highly desired place to live back then. I don't think they've been updated since then (the early 80's, right?), but Mar has a private room, private half bath, shared shower, and an atrium and pool out her glass slider. Who could ask for anything more? The few occasions I have been there it has felt like an old college apartment with the smell of old fruit and dirty dishes wafting through the air (which, I might add, is better than the smell of rotting broccoli - the lingering memory of my brief college apartment experience).
Mar was glad to get in a couple months before starting the semester so she could acclimate.
I had gone with her to pick up her key and drop a load of her things off on Monday morning (Nov 1). We got her bed put together, hung up some clothes, then she had to head to work.
The next day Shi met Bill and me there and we helped Mar finish situating her room before she had to, again, head to work. We made a list of additional needed items and I ran around that day gathering them.
Later that evening after Mar was off work, Bill and I headed back to drop off a few more things.
It's such a crazy, bittersweet time when a child moves out, however THIS TIME IS DIFFERENT because I don't live 8 to 12 hours away from my college student... I only live 30 minutes away.
I love that.
I'm excited for Mar's adventures ahead, and know she is going to rock this college gig.
Bill and I finally took our seminary class their supplies that had been left in our closet in mid-March as we adjourned for Spring Break, not knowing we would never gather together again. It sat in the church building for a couple of months before we were told we could retrieve it (back on May 14). It felt weird to be back at the church, and even weirder to be in our deserted seminary room.
I am terrible at remembering to take "before" pictures, so, once again, you just get an "after."
We wanted to personally drop off each student's supplies with a little treat and a gift, but we waited FOREVER for the "gift" part to arrive in the mail, so our bags sat idle for another month +.
Finally, after an email to Emily Belle Freeman (from Don't Miss This), to check on the status of my order (which I had received an email a month earlier saying it was ready to be shipped), and the discovery that it had apparently been lost in transit to the USPS, we received the MMLX bracelets we had ordered. I made a little card to go with the bracelet, knocked out some giant rice krispie treats, and the bags were ready.
We made a couple trips around the area to drop them off (knocked on the wrong door and had a half-dressed Asian man who didn't speak English answer... oops, wrong house). We met parents we had never met before (very enlightening), and saw firsthand where our students call home. It gave me new insight into some of them, so I may attempt to visit my students' homes early in the school year this year. (Bill and I have been asked to teach another year... this will make 4 years for me. I think I can. I think I can. I think I can.)
We were also dropping off a few grad gifts along the way.
I made these for the girls:
And these for the boys:
I didn't do gifts for all the grads that sent us announcements, just those in our ward and close by, everyone else got a gift card sent in the mail :)
We also dropped off a baby gift for a young sister in our ward, who had had a baby shower A YEAR AGO. I intended to go, but didn't make it, so needed to drop off the gift, but instead it sat in my closet, then in my front room, forever.Yes, I feel sheepish. I had told her I had it for her(on several occasions), and that I would drop it by. Luckily it was only baby shampoo, a bath toy, and a hooded towel. I think her 1-year-old can still use it hahahaha.
It was immediately following our drop off of this gift (after a long day of dropping off seminary gift bags), that we realized that our odometer was about to reach a milestone. We decided to drive to the high school nearby as it did.
06.28.20
12:56 pm
I love a car with longevity and reliability.
I hope it can make it another 100,000 miles.
We finally made it home for home church and our weekly fill of Nora Jane
We've experienced 15 long years of getting kids up and seeing them off for early morning Seminary. In the beginning, Bill would get up most days with Tay and Britt, make them breakfast, pray with them, and send them on their way. We started switching off weeks with Lex and Shi, and I think, for the most part, both of us would get up with Mar. (Let it be known that the first 3 kids would need several attempts of parental shaking and waking to get them up each day, the last 2 were much better at waking up to an alarm.) I've taught early morning Seminary the past 2 years (Bill for the past 1), so not only have I been up with Mar, I've been out the door before her. I anticipate another 2 years of teaching (possibly 3 for Bill), so it's not exactly over for us, but it feels good to know we are done with our own kids.
All 5 Seminary grads -- makes me so happy!
We snapped a few pics of Mar with the other grads in our ward.
Monday, May 20
Snow
AAAAUUURRRGGGGHHH!
It had been cold and rainy most of the day, but the rain turned to snow in the evening. Bill brought our front planters into the garage, and before hitting the hay, we spent some time shaking snow from our plants and trees. This little cold snap (the week prior had been in the 70s and 80s) could not have had worse timing. NOT what I was hoping for for graduation week.
Tuesday, May 21
Senior Awards Night
Grandma and Grandpa Syddall had flown in that day, and attended the awards night with us.
(Jason had also flown in that day, but we knew from experience -- reminder here -- that this could be long and uncomfortable, so he, Lex, and M elected to spend the evening together at home.)
Mar received a stole for highest honor - a weighted GPA above a 4.0 - and she received two cords.
She also received one of the two awards for her VPA - Visual and Performing Arts - Academy. (Each academy recognized one girl and one guy.)
Nice work, Mar!
Wednesday, May 22
Graduation Day
Mar's awesome YW leader came and put a 2019 and some balloons by our front step. Sister Nielson lives a few house down from us, and we have been so blessed to have her be a dear friend and church leader for Mauri. As Mar transitions into Relief Society, I think she will miss those wonderful women who have served her so diligently in Young Womens.
The rest of the gang drove into town in the early afternoon, then we pretty immediately met up for lunch at Red Robin. We had a fairly tight schedule, since Mar needed to be at the school by 3:15.
It was adorable to see how excited V was to see Scarlett.
I was so happy that all of Mar's sibs came to support her (and spend time with us!).
Lex and I took Mar to snap a few pics at the school before she had to load up on the bus with the band and orchestra peeps (**more about WHY at the end of this post).
We had to get a jumping pic in front of the school, and since Mar was graduating at night, we knew we needed to get it before since it would be dark (and rainy...) by the time it was over.
(Other Syddall high school grad jumping pics here and here.)
Mar took a sweater and a coat, and wore long warm tights with rain boots.
We were anticipating cold, possibly rain.
We are no strangers to rain on a graduation day, since it rained on both Britt's and Shi's, but at least they were WARM days, and we were blessed to have the rain stop during the actual ceremony both times.
This day was already cold, and we knew it would only get colder as the sun went down. I was hoping and praying for the rain to stay away, though.
Grandma and Grandpa G showed up just in time to unload, get dressed, and go with Bill and me to Red Rocks to save seats for the graduation. We, too, prepared for the cold and possible rain. Since we were told umbrellas were not permitted, Bill had run around looking for rain ponchos that day, luckily securing a few. We debated about whether to leave the littles home with a babysitter or to take them. After much discussion, we decided just to take them, but advised the parents to wait to arrive until about an hour into the ceremony, since all of Mar's events were at the end. It was a good plan.
My parents and we got there just in time to hear Mar and her friends warm up for the song they would be performing that night. Seriously so cool.
Bill was able to get a little closer to snap a few pics.
Shi and Kody, along with Grandma and Grandpa S, arrived just as things were about to begin. The light rain we had experienced earlier had subsided... perfect timing, once again.
Tay, Nae, Britt, Lex, and Jase showed up with the littles about halfway through. Again, perfect timing. It was cold.
Definitely low 40s to high 30s.
Finallyit was time for Mar to walk.
(The graduates would walk by academy, and we knew hers would be the last to go.)
Immediately after her academy received their diplomas, Mar would sing, then the graduates would turn their tassles, and it would be over. Just as they were finishing up announcing the grads in her academy, it began to rain. Not quite a light sprinkle, as it had been earlier in the evening, but not quite a downpour either (trying to focus on the positive haha). I was a wee bit disheartened, as her performance started as people were chatting, moving, putting on rain gear, and some getting up to leave. The ceremony had started 15 to 20 minutes late due to parking issues, and I had wished they had been able to start on time. I thought it was a spoiler for sure.
My phone was out of storage space, so I am so grateful that Shi managed to record from the big screen Mauri's performance.
We really were sitting among a group of rude people... the row in front of us AND in back of us talked in regular voices non-stop throughout the entire ceremony.
Mar was amazing.
Afterwards, the graduates turned their tassles, threw their caps (which you can't see at night haha), and it was over.
I snapped a quick pic of the crowd behind us just as things were finishing up.
These peeps headed out pretty quickly. M, L, V, and Wonderful Sweet Scarlett did great.
We waited for Mar to come to us, then I realized she had texted me to come down to the stage area. Those of us still there (grandmas and grandpas, Shi and Kody, Bill and I), went down to congratulate her.
When I told her I was bummed that it started raining just as she was about to sing, she responded,
"I thought it was magical! It looked so cool from the stage!"
There you go.
Perspective is everything.
It was a lovely ceremony.
Definitely the coldest, wettest graduation I have ever attended, but also very memorable.
Thursday, May 23
Grad Party
We combined with three other grads from our ward for the party.
Lex had taken some pics of them a few weeks prior, and we made a couple into posters. That girl has skills.
I also relied heavily on the help from these awesome peeps. Love them.
Each mom made our grad's favorite dessert... Mar's was cheesecake.
Shi, Britt, and Lex were also huge helps in the decor. Shi did the outside sign, Lex and Britt put together the balloon garland for behind the card baskets, Britt helped with Cricut tips and made a darling Congratulations banner (not pictured... so sad), Lex took pics. I am so grateful that my girls are so willing to help and share their amazing talents.
The party was at the Cauble's house. We were hoping for good weather, since they have a huge backyard, but it was too cold to be outside.
Another mom, Carol, did this adorable soda station sign.
The soda station was a big hit, and we had a line for a good portion of the evening. Lynnea was a huge help, then Shi, Kody, and Nae worked the second half of the night. I am sooooo grateful for them!
We also did a nacho bar, but I think this is the only picture we have:
It was a super fun party.
The biggest thank you to all those who helped, and all those who came to support these awesome grads!
**The backstory to the unfortunate timing of the grad party... a mom fail for me, for sure.
I'll try to give the Reader's Digest version {wink}.
Since October, Mar's choir/musical teacher had sent emails to parents telling them to save the date for the possibility that their musical Mamma Mia! would receive some nominations for Bobby G Awards. The Bobby G's of Colorado high school musicals are equivalent to The Oscars or Tonys for professional actors/theater. CV's musical Les Mis had been nominated for 5 awards the year prior, and the cast was invited to attend, but tickets were expensive and Mar didn't really have an interest in going. One actress from CV who was up for a Best Actress award from Les Mis performed at the event last year. Because this was my only experience with the Bobby G's, and since Mar didn't have a LEAD lead in Mamma Mia!, it wasn't even on my radar.
I didn't "save the date."
After I had met with the other moms about the party and we had decided on a date, we had all printed the info on our invites. Once my invites/announcements had arrived, I quickly addressed and sent out around 65 of them. Literally the day after I had put them in the mail, the Bobby G nominations were announced. CV was nominated for 7 awards, and had been invited to perform a whole-cast number at the awards ceremony since one of their nominations was for Outstanding Production of a Musical. The Bobby G Award Ceremony was on the same date our party was planned. I gave Mar a choice -- to skip the group party (possibly having a little party just for her later), or to skip the Bobby G's. I may have also reminded her that her siblings and grandparents were all coming to celebrate her, and practicing for and attending the Bobby G's would mean she would be gone for much of the time they were here.
She chose to miss the Bobby G's, much to the disappointment of her choir/musical teacher. None of her good friends who were in the cast could come to her party, since they would all be performing at the awards ceremony.
**Mar had to ride the bus to graduation with the orchestra and band members because the rest of those performing at graduation with her were in Denver at the dress rehearsal for the awards ceremony the next night. She would meet up with them at Red Rocks to do the sound check.
CV won Outstanding Production of a Musical.
I am so sad that Mar missed it. It was a fail on my part. BUT, Mar, with her supporting role in the musical, deserves just as much praise for her part in the production as everyone else. The award was for the actual run of the musical, not the performance at the award ceremony, right?
