Last week was show week! Our kids played on a variety of athletic teams when they were younger, but that hasn't happened for a little over six years. Ian has piano recitals, but otherwise the big weeks for our kids are Bible quizzing nationals in June and show week for the musical. On April 12 all five of us helped in the afternoon with moving the set into the auditorium. The kids had rehearsals every day from April 13-18 (some went until 10pm and one was over 7 hours long) as it was tech week. They got one day off (April 19) and then had dress rehearsals April 20-22. Theater kids from the local public school came to attend the dress rehearsal on April 22. I also attended that one because parents are allowed to take photos that night, which isn't possible during the actual performances. The theater director from that public high school told Ian that he had never seen a better performance of Chef Louis.
The performances took place in the evening on April 23 and 24 and in the afternoon on April 25. Nine members of Yvonne's family came up in the evening on April 22 so that they could spend the day with us on April 23 and see the show that night. They left to return home in the morning on Friday. Paul stayed home to babysit Brendan when they attended the performance. Cheri joined Paul and I at the performance on Friday night. Toby, Jenna, and Paul's dad joined us on Saturday afternoon. Unfortunately, Grimsby whacked Ian in the face with his walking stick during the performance on Thursday night. Despite the fact that he was bleeding, Ian kept singing, running, and acting until his song was done. Once he was off-stage, a doctor who was in the audience looked at Ian (said he needed stitches). After he was bandaged up, Ian asked if he could return onstage for the finale. He slept in a recliner on Thursday night to help reduce the swelling in his chin. I bought him wax for his braces as the inside of his lip was also ripped up. On Friday his chin was rather swollen, but Ibuprofen and ice packs helped to bring the swelling down. Ian said he'd rather have a scar than stitches, so we didn't take him to a doctor. Honestly, I'm not sure they would have actually used stitches. His chin is still a little swollen, and as I write this, he has an ice pack on his lip, but it didn't stop him from participating in anything the last few days. He received a LOT of very positive feedback for his performance. He's already excited about being in Newsies next year, and I'm grateful that those performances will be taking place in March during Nadia's spring break at Liberty University, which means she will be able to see him perform! I'm not sure if Oliver will work backstage, be on stage again, or not participate at all in Newsies. Time will tell. The boys have decided to join the school's chess club that meets on Thursdays from 3-4pm.
Ian and Nadia also attended the homeschool prom last night. It was Nadia's second time attending a prom, and it was also her last since she's a senior. It was Ian's first time attending a prom. I think Oliver will be our only child who will likely attend the prom four years in a row. He would have gone this year if he was old enough to participate. Due to rushing to get ready after the Little Mermaid matinee performance, the photo shoot was more rushed this year. We were very grateful we could do it outside because it rained most of the day. The kids got ready at the Seibert's house, and Dave drove the seven kids to and from the prom. Originally, we thought we'd have nine kids going together this year, but one girl decided to join other homeschoolers, and Joey ended up not going to the prom. The five girls who went together this year also went together last year. Nathaniel and Ian were the only boys from our group. Last year the only boys were Isaiah and Nathaniel. Isaiah graduated from high school last year. Nadia said the kids danced a lot more than they did last year. Ian said he won't go to the prom next year, but he will go his senior year because Oliver will be able to go that year.
Ian had his second job interview last week. He had an interview on February 3 with Camp Susque, and they did offer him a job as SIT this summer, but he turned that down because he decided he'd rather work at Joyful Petcare. He had an interview with Joy (Nadia's boss) on Tuesday morning. I need to get his work permit from the public school because he will be starting his first job (kennel assistant) on May 28.
Finally, I turned 54 years old on Tuesday. Cheri took me to lunch at Panera on Tuesday, and Tab took me out for breakfast on Wednesday. Wendy gave me two foldable foam mattresses which the Towfighis used last week and will use when they visit us again this week. Yvonne gave me some money towards a new winter coat. She knows I haven't been a fan of my ski coat, which my mom got me in the late 1980's. Most of those decades I only wore it when I went skiing, so I didn't really care if I wasn't fond of it. However, I've been wearing it far more often over the last five years when I walk for a few miles in the winter. I've found the coat to be hideous for about 40 years, so Yvonne decided it was time for me to have a coat I don't dislike. Greatly appreciated! Paul's gift was another recliner for our family room. Ian had been using mine (the one I bought in 1994) instead of the beanbag I got him, so I had been sitting on the couch, and I greatly prefer my recliner. The beanbag was relocated to Oliver's room, and Ian can now use the new recliner, which means I get my old recliner back again. Paul had offered to take me out to dinner, but due to our crazy schedule last week, I opted to buy 1.5 gallons of ice cream from Old Mill Creamery, which we hadn't had in over a year. The kids and I all love their peanut butter Oreo ice cream. It's more expensive than what we usually buy, but it was a delicious birthday treat!
The last eight months I have taken very few pictures (aside from at Jenna's wedding where I made up for lost time), but I took almost 100 pictures on Wednesday night at the dress rehearsal and took about 70 pictures during the prom photo shoot on Saturday night, so I have no lack of pictures to choose between for this post! Our vacation is around the corner, so my camera won't be gathering any dust in May. Bit by bit I've continued to finalize the plans for our vacations. Last week I found out that we won't be able to visit the Parliament while we are in London. So far there have been four things that have been scratched from the UK trip. I added the Tower Bridge into the schedule once I realized we can't visit the Parliament. Paul and I did the Tower Bridge in 2002, but it will be a first experience for our kids, and we were already going to do the Tower of London that day.
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