Summer Fast Approaches

Two weeks ago, I got to entertain my darling grandson while Husband helped Nathan and Sian move all their stuff from their one-bedroom apartment to a two-bedroom apartment in the same complex.

He finally wore himself out and had a wee nap.

I love my grandson so very much. I love his happy smile when he sees me and his babbling attempts to talk and his insatiable curiosity. He's so much like Sian was when she was a baby.

I had a grand time, but Husband was an exhausted noodle by the time all the moving was done. Carrying all the heavy stuff down one long stairway and then up another long stairway was no picnic, and it took hours to get everything moved and the old apartment cleaned. "Where did all this stuff come from?" Sian asked more than once. Yes, my girl, we all wonder how that happens.

After we'd finished the move, Husband and I stopped by the thrift store in Provo to look around. I texted Gabrielle and asked her if she wanted us to be on the lookout for any types of furniture she and her fiance will need for their condo, which they have secured. "Everything!" she texted back.

I sent her a picture of the most awesomely awful chaise lounge I've ever seen.

Gabrielle declined. Shame. But it was as uncomfortable as it is ugly, so it's probably for the best.

More things happened that weekend. Huge things. Things I'm still reeling from. I'll probably share those soon in another post. I have to order my thoughts first.

With the school year coming to a close, Elannah is experiencing the bitter-sweet pang of all the last times she'll do things in high school. We attended her last choir concert last week. She's been in the Show Choir for three of the four years she's been in high school, and she's absolutely loved it. Here she is doing the tap choreography she and her friend (ex-boyfriend) came up with for "Mississippi Mud," their last number (for some reason, I can't seem to embed the video).

She also graduated from seminary, a four-year Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint religious education program high school students can take either during the school day (in Utah, at least), or early in the morning before school (most of the rest of the country. I attended early-morning seminary at 6:30 every morning for four years when I went to high school).

Elannah with her Nanna and Grampy (my in-laws) after the seminary graduation ceremony

She's a clown.

She graduates from high school on Friday. She and her best friend (the blonde girl standing next to her in the video) are singing a duet at the graduation ceremony, so I'll try to remember to record that.

The plan at the moment is for her to save money (she's currently working at the local movie theater), go to England in the summer with Sophia and visit all their aunts, uncles, and cousins, and then apply for a job at the same company where Gabrielle (and Raine) and Sophia work. Then she and Sophia will be roommates, which is something they are both really excited about. Gabrielle was going to be roommates with both of them, but she definitely upset that plan when she went and got herself engaged, haha. Elannah will save money for either a mission (which I'm pushing for) or to start school at Dixie. Whatever happens, she's determined not to get stuck in our little burg for the rest of her life.

Little Gary is graduating from sixth grade and heading into junior high school. Poor kid. He has no real concept of the pain the next two years will bring as he's dumped into a teeming petri dish of children old enough to be completely obnoxious and terribly mean and too young to realize how stupid they are. As one of the youngest kids in his class--and not precociously mature for his age--Little Gary's innate optimism and good nature are going to be sorely tested. I weep quietly for him, though I haven't told him how much I dread what's coming for him. On the outside, I've remained enthusiastic and supportive; on the inside, I harbor all the same fears for him that I had when I was a junior high student.

I'm driving the school bus until tomorrow. While my preschool kids finished last week, I still have some elementary kids from the behavior units that I pick up at the end of the day, so we'll do that through tomorrow. The garage has me subbing on another bus, as well, though I've had two days this week where I didn't have to get up early and drive a bus. I wasn't sure what to do with myself. I did creative things, like playing the piano and crocheting new pattern motifs, but I better figure out a schedule or I'm going to end up wasting my entire summer.