Concerts #2, #3, and #4

Concert number 2 was our church's adult choir Lessons and Carols program. If I had to pick a favorite night of the year, this would be it. Every year this program becomes more and more meaningful and emotional to me. I pray the music was just as illuminating to listen to as it was to sing.

I wish I could highlight every piece we sang. I've been doing much thinking about these lyrics the past couple of weeks:

As the dark awaits the dawn, so we await Your light.
O Star of promise, scatter night, loving bright, loving bright, 
Till shades of fear are gone.

As the blue expectant hour before the silv'ring skies,
We long to see Your day arise, whole and wise, whole and wise,
O lucent Morning Star.


As the moon reflects the sun until the night's decrease, 
May we Your healing light release, living peace, living peace, 
Unto Your holy dawn.

Shine Your future on this place, enlighten ev'ry guest,
That through us stream Your holiness, bright and blest, bright and blest;
Come dawn, O Sun of grace.
We await Your light.

So beautiful. It expresses perfectly this "now, but not yet" time of waiting. Someday...

Concert #3 was Caroline's choir program at church. The first grade choir sang 2 pieces and did a fantastic job. I accompany this choir. They are such a good, sweet, big group! I can't wait for the spring concert! I have to say that the most fun part of helping out with children's choir is getting to work with my own and my friends' children!

She looks so grown up! Can she really be old enough for a choir robe?

Concert #4 was a program at Caroline's school. The girls have been studying Mexican Christmas traditions and made a special Las Posadas procession at chapel. They made "lanterns" and got to dress up as a nativity character of their choice. I think out of 60 girls, 50 were angels. Here's ours:

Wings and halo look familiar?

Caroline's first grade class - the Ladybugs

(I'm going to sum up a few concerts/performances. They include gigs as a handbell ringer, accompanist to a high school choir, pianist for a nursing home program, and organist. 'Tis the season to make LOTS of music!)

School days

Does it take y'all a while to get back into school mode? I enjoy the laid-back days of summer, but it is so good for everyone to have a routine. It just takes me a while to get used to the routine!

Caroline started first grade. She's in the lower school now. While it's still a nurturing and caring environment, I can definitely tell that this year is a little more focused on getting down to business. She's loving every minute of it.

Caroline's first day was a day before Helen's.

The night after Caroline's first day, we celebrated with a special back-to-school menu. We had "I'm-a-turkey-too Turkey Meatloaf," "Good Grade Green Beans," "First Grade Fruit Salad," and "Pre-K Parfaits." I've done this a couple of years now and it is always humbling to see how a regular meal with silly titles makes the girls so giddy and happy. 

Helen started Pre-K this year. She is tickled to get to do all the things she's seen Caroline do for the last two years - carry a blue bag, walk into school, carpool on the porch, etc. She loves going to school. We're already amazed at the things she is learning.

The girls got hugs from Dr. Wilson on their first full day of school.

Helen knew exactly where to go. My not-so-little-anymore girl...

 She is having a great first year of school!

Graduation

Caroline got to participate in graduation this year. St. Mary's pairs graduating high school seniors with a senior kindergarten flower girl. It's a really sweet tradition. Several times throughout this spring semester Caroline got to have little dates with her senior, Hannah. They had picnic lunches and a special chapel together and frozen yogurt outings. Caroline became quite enamored with Hannah. I think they were a good match!

Both of them looked so beautiful.

I made Caroline's dress. It was so much fun! I'll show you some of the "behind the scenes" details in another post.

I spent some time doing Caroline's hair. She was thrilled to have curly hair for a day.  When she said her prayers that night, she thanked God for letting her have curly hair that day! It's the little things in life...

Caroline and Shelby have been friends from day one of JK. I look at this picture and see them taking a similar one 12 years from now (sniff, sniff). They have a really special friendship and I pray they will be friends for life.

Caroline has had the most incredible teachers this year. I am so thankful she has had these two women to guide and challenge her not only academically, but spiritually as well. It is a huge blessing to know that the Godly virtues we are striving to instill in her at home are also being reinforced at school. God has been so good to put faithful, beautiful, strong, grace-filled believers into her life outside of our home.

We are very proud of Caroline!

Field day

Caroline had field day last week at school. Peter and I were able to go and watch all the silly races. I was really impressed with Caroline's agility and coordination, especially at the tossing game. I guess taking her to all those Grizzlies games has paid off. She was channeling her inner Marc Gasol! Seems like she's just full of surprising abilities lately!

 

The last 6th birthday post

Who doesn't love to celebrate their birthday for days and days? I realized I hadn't posted about our celebration here at home and her special birthday snack at school.

We celebrated Caroline's birthday at home with one of her favorite meals: ravioli with sauce, salad, and bread.

Caroline is the easiest person in the world to shop for. It is so easy to find things I know she will love. I think I've said it before, but she is the best gift opener. She is truly delighted with each present she opens. So much fun!

I used the "easy button" and picked up Muddy's cupcakes. I'm running out of room for candles on the cupcakes. I guess I'll have to start making cakes!



Because she and Helen were sick the week of her birthday, her teachers and I postponed her birthday snack at school until after spring break - an entire 11 days of waiting. It was a really sweet time for me to get a glimpse of what goes on in Caroline's life at school. Her friends drew "warm and fuzzy wishes" for a special birthday book. There were lots of post of gold, disco balls, and kittens. Helen got to have snacks with the big girls (a glimpse of what her life at school will be like!).





Next up...Helen's birthday!

100 days

Caroline and her classmates celebrated their 100th day of school last week. It was a pretty big deal. They had to find 100 small items to count, had 100 small snacks, and had to dress up like they were 100 years old. So fun! We found a cane and some old lady glasses. I put her hair in a bun and sprayed her hair white. Here's my little old lady...

This past Monday the Senior K girls got to ride buses across the street to the upper school for a special 100th day chapel service. They sang songs for the older girls and participated in their chapel service. After the service, Caroline got to meet her high school senior. Caroline will be her flower girl at graduation in May. Her name is Hannah and she is really sweet. Caroline has been waiting and waiting to meet her senior and was so excited that the day had finally arrived. The day really lived up to her expectations. She came home almost floating on air she was so happy. That made me very happy. This is such a special time in my little girl's life.

Hat day

Caroline had "Hat Day" last week at school. None of her hats were particularly appealing to her, so I let her choose from my collection. She chose this lovely beret. My mom brought it back for me from Canada several years ago. I'm not quite sure what went on at "Hat Day". Details of Caroline's day are sometimes hard to come by. But considering how much we practiced the day before, I imagine she said, "Bonjour!" and "Ooo la la!" a lot all day.

Tres belle...

Mes enfants adorable...

Budding writer

Caroline is doing great in school. The girls write frequently and are supposed to use "kindergarten spelling". I was kind of worried that I'd have to encourage Caroline a lot because she's such a perfectionist. She likes things to be just right and I assumed that she would get easily frustrated at not being able to spell things correctly. But she has really embraced trying to spell things out on her own and writes notes all the time. Caroline wrote and illustrated this book for her sweet friend Shelby a couple of weeks ago. I thought it was so cute and had to photograph it before she gave it away.

 "We are friends forever" (the title)

 "Hi! Can we be best friends?"

 "Sure. I will be your friend."

 "We will be best friends forever." (The girls are hugging - too sweet!)

 "Let's have a playdate!"

 "And they did." (The girls are playing superheros. I love the capes!) 

Caroline: 5 and a half

When people ask you how old you are, you tell them, "I'm five. And a half." It's a very important thing, that half of a year.

You started Senior Kindergarten at Saint Mary's this fall. This is a big deal and you are so proud. You love school more than I ever imagined you would. If you have a few days off, you count the days until you can go back. And even though that makes me a little bit sad, I am so thankful that you love school and love to learn.

You love reading. I asked you what you wanted to do over your fall break. "Go to the library," you answered. No hesitation. So that's what we did. You still like children's picture books, but are branching out into chapter books and even some nonfiction. You've been bringing home nonfiction books from the school library about the planets. We've learned about Pluto ("It's not a real planet," you inform us.), Neptune, Uranus, and Saturn. We love that you love to read. I see myself in you - reading every chance you get. Sometimes I go in to wake you up in the mornings, and you are already awake, reading.

 You became a big sister again in July. As amazing as you were the first time around, you are even more amazing the second time around! You are so gentle and loving with Peter. It warms my heart to see how caring you are toward others. He adores you already.

Over the summer we found out that you love to swim and are really good at it! You passed two levels of swimming classes in record time. Your teacher says you are ready for a non-competitive swimming club next summer. I'm looking forward to that.

I've started teaching you piano lessons. You are also really good at that. You catch on very quickly. I need to do a better job of setting aside specific times to have your lessons. You love singing, too. Church choir and musical theater at school are two of your favorite activities.

You are definitely an introvert. You are sensitive sometimes, too. You are a beautiful little girl and we are enjoying watching you grow. It is easy to be your mommy and daddy. You are fun and funny and smart and talented and creative and sweet and just all around amazing. We love every bit of your five-and-a-half-year-old self!