Kid news at the end of the school year

Alphabetically this time. . .

What we hear of Kyle is focused on music. . . He had a solo at last month's school band concert and word is that he did well. He's thinking about organizing a youth praise group (songs & scripture study) in his area, but they may travel to revivals in a larger area. Go for it, Kyle! He finishes school for the year tomorrow, and has a busy summer of travel with school & family and lots of camps (Scouts, church, and band) planned.

Liza (pronounced Leeza by all her Hungarian friends and "family") is resisting the creeping of the calendar. Her language skills have really clicked, and she loves the country, the culture, and most of all the people! Besides her travel around Hungary, she's trying to fit in a quick run to Salzburg before she comes home next month.




Miriam is glad to be finishing up her school year also, and has done very well. She will be receiving at least one award next week-but they won't tell us what it is until the assembly! She's done well academically, making honor roll all year. She's really growing up. Besides having pulled that trick of turning into a young woman over night, she's really become a dependable contributor to our household. She baked me a cake for my birthday Monday, and gave me one of the pieces she'd painted in Art this year. I am certainly blessed to have such creative daughters!


We've attended our last middle school concert for our children! Here's Samuel too busy playing to hide from the camera. . .

Samuel's also receiving an award at school, but he couldn't get one in the same assembly as Miriam is. Nope, James will be late to work TWO mornings next week so that he can come help me embarrass the kids (oops, I mean cheer them on!).
Besides family adventures and church camp, Samuel will be busy this summer working on Scouting projects with a week at Conservation camp earning badges toward his Hornaday Award and making his Eagle project happen.

Tori came by yesterday for a visit to celebrate my birthday. Have I mentioned that I really enjoy and appreciate spending time with her? She had a fun time visiting London and Hungary with Liza. (She's the one who provided the Liza pic I used above!) Tori's finished another semester of college, and highly recommends against taking accounting in an online format. (Of course, I never tackled the second semester of accounting at all. I did well my first semester, but couldn't face the idea of three more semesters and changed my major away from business! Guess she's not exactly like her mom.) With the semester over, and a summer without classes, Tori has time to read for FUN, and joined us on our library trip last night. It was delightful having her cue us on appropriate songs on the way home.

I know not everyone breaks into song spontaneously throughout the day, but that's one of the things Liza has commented about missing this year. I love that piece of family culture, and the jokes and laughter from my smart-aleky family. It is a joy and a delight to spend time with these people! One night last month we were sitting at the table and went from discussing school to an old Bugs Bunny cartoon to the Road Runner, then on to planning our "talent" show contribution for the reunion, to quoting and debating the location of various Shakespearean scenes! Wacky!