Huckleberry and the 8th Grade

Ironic that the next post to bring me out of hiding would be Huckleberry again, but far flung family hear about the girls all the time, and Huckleberry deserves some spot light.  After all...he did just graduate from 8th grade.  Granted we are looking at houses and some of those houses are in a district that requires 9th graders to be in middle school, so it might just happen again...BUT...


After his spring robotics competition ended; they did MUCH better than before but still lost, he decided to sign up for the school talent show.  And they accepted him.  Most of the students sang or played an instrument...or both.  A few danced.  Huckleberry was the only one to tell a story.

The program said, "Huckleberry : "Not a song" By "Nobody."

He did a remarkable job delivering the story that he wrote himself about a time when he and his friends pranked the school by programming 28 little robots to shoot rubber bands through the halls of the school.  It was funny, engaging, and completely fictional!

The next week we went to his band concert in which they all did a great job.  The drum line was the best part, but we also enjoyed the bands and orchestras and Jonathan's Saxophone playing.

The week after that was his graduation...family might have been a bit tired about trying to plan to be at school events.  SnapDragon also had a concert (during Jonathan's band so Oak went with SnapDragon and I with Huckleberry.)  And we had to miss Sunflower's Kindergarten song and promotion because 8th grade graduation trumps Kindergarten.  I am still a little saddened by it.

Anyway, Jonathan received 4 awards at graduation and is now all ready to be a high schooler.

Receiving his Science Award from his math and science teacher.

His humanities teacher gave him a reward for being "Author Extraordinaire" because of the extra credit novel he worked on this whole year.

Here he is tripping over the balloons his 3rd time past them on his way to accept the award for one of 5 highest GPA's.  His award said 8.38, but he is also proud of his 3.83.  He also got an award (with many more students, but fewer than you'd think) for no behavior issues during the year.


Then one by one the students were called and shook the hands of their teachers across the stage and at the end getting their diploma out of a file folder.

Waiting for his name to be called.

Shaking hands with his band teacher.

Shaking hands with his Robotics Teacher.  This teacher had the potential to make or break Middle School for Huckleberry and he made it...along with many other concerned, creative, and involved teachers.  His school may be a 1 on great schools and not a healthy place for many students, but for Huckleberry, he not only survived but he thrived and bloomed (if you can say that about a boy.)

We praise God, not only for our amazing son, but for God's knowledge of what Middle School would be the best for our child.  I never would have guessed.  What an incredible God we serve...I am so glad we let Him make the choice!

Huckleberry and the Robot

After a friend told me it annoyed them when someone would post the same thing on their page as on facebook, I got a little leary of posting the same pictures in both places.  Which was fine when I had time to post twice as many pictures.  But lately life and investing in actual people has kept me busy and several people have reminded me that they do still read my blog.

So for all those family and friends near and far all dear to us who have so far not succumbed to the evil vortex which is facebook (or yet accepted my friend request)...here are the pictures from Huckleberry's first robotics competition this year.

Huckleberry's Team's Robot.  They painted it green with a sharpie.

There were 14 teams at the League Competition.  Each competed 6 times with 3 other teams.  One team was their "partner" and the other two the "competition."  Their score and partner scores would be added together.  Any penalties would be given as points to the other teams.  The first part of each meet was the autonomous part.  The robot had to preform a task by following a program.  There are different tasks to do, but Huckleberry's robot was programed to drive up onto the bridge and park.  They did this 6 out of 6 times, so that was great given that some robots didn't even move.

Next step is to, with remote control drivers, move blocks for points.  Into the blue square on the carpet or into the blue crates.  Huckleberry's robot does not have the ability to lift blocks, so into the square they went.

Huckleberry is the team driving coach and leader.  The team has 1 main driver and 4 secondary drivers and a programmer and a few other people.  Huckleberry is doing a good job of organizing, designing, setting people to task, and encouraging the team.  We are very proud of him.

One last check before the next meet since in meet number 2 their "Samantha?*" stopped talking to the robot so it started going in circles.  It is the one time that their robot didn't raise the flag.

Here is the flag going up because of Huckleberry's team's robot in their first meet.  Though other teams had already gone, it was the first flag raised in the competition so everyone was pretty excited.

Including Huckleberry and one of his team mates...the one who has the controller that works the arm that turns the flag wheel so the flag goes up.

Sweet Pea thought it was all exciting...or she just likes clapping.

Here is the robot in place to raise the flag during their third meet.  (The kids, camera, and I went home after the 3rd match finished at 8 p.m.)

And up it went.  Raising the flag 5/6 six times was a great way to earn points.  It put them in second place amongst the 14 teams at the end of the night.  Most of the teams were from High Schools so we feel Huckleberry and his team has a right to be proud.

The other big point earners are parking on the bridge during the autonomous (which they did) and hanging on the bar on the bridge.  Huckleberry expects to have their hydraulic lift arm up and running by their next meet this upcoming Friday.  If they do it will put them a good ways towards earning a place at State...they have two more competitions and a league championship first to find out.

And here is their robot parked behind their "partner's" robot after raising the flag.  Apparently when you are using the remotes it isn't considered very impressive and doesn't garner any points.  But still it is fun to see the robots actually moving...it doesn't always happen that way.

* If you are actually curious about wireless and robot failures and Samantha, ask Huckleberry some day...or Oak.   Me, I thought going in circles was part of the plan.
 

My Biggest Boy

This one is so far our easy one.  The baby that observed everything.  The toddler that loved to please.  The preschooler that needed lots of sleep.  The elementary student that loved learning.

And now the Middle Schooler who beats to his own drum in a school that is below failing on paper.  His self-confidence is actually astounding. 

"I'm too hard to tease for any one to bother with me, Mom!  So stop worrying." 

In the last few years we've seen him grow from a child into a young man who looks out for his family, excels in school, builds underwater robots, leads others, and can even make somewhat beautiful music with his saxaphone.  He was also genuinely pleased with the study Bible he received for his 13th birthday from his Aunt and Uncle, eager to attend his youth group, and can't wait until next summer to go on a mission trip to Mexico.

Now he has chosen for his mini-term* topic "I Have the Power."   It is about showing that teens can make in impact on their community (hopefully in a positive way, he quipped).  They will spend 5 days doing different service projects in the area: cleaning the beach, helping at an assisted living facility, working with the humane society, etc.  Then the second week they will be creating their own plans for making a difference locally or globally and presenting it to their parents.  The other choices would have been great educational opportunities, too, but this one will take the most energy. We are pleased at his choice and that he will have this chance through his school.

I cannot wait to see what else this son of ours accomplishes as he continues to grow.  

* Mini-term is the last two weeks of school where they have no regular classes and instead spend the entire time on one subject.  Last year they had two mini-terms and he chose underwater robotics and built a Rube Goldberg contraption.  It is good that he is expanding his interests and skills. 
   

Swing Into Spring

I want to do a thoughtful post on Easter and what it means to me, because it is my favorite Holiday, but we've been too busy enjoying the great weather and celebrating.  But just so you know, Christ is Risen...He is Risen Indeed.

Sweet Pea has been loving her swing.  I have a year supply of swing photos.  These are just from yesterday.

She just makes so many great expressions.  We love it and she loves it.

When she slows down she starts to count.  1, 2, 3...GO!  Today for the first time she used 2 and 3 fingers for the 2, 3.  Her verbal words don't quite sound like 1, 2, 3...but we know what it means:  Give me a big push!

She loves going high and fast.

With the wind blowing in her hair...

And I love counting with her, giggling with her, shrieking with joy with her (which when I do it always makes her giggle), and taking lots and lots of pictures.

The others enjoy taking their turns in the swing next to her just as much as she loves her swing.

I just don't stand in front of them with my camera for long.
The boys like to jump off onto the ground (which I did as a child and never hurt myself...but internally I'm completely opposed to it; externally I allow it).

 This is my life and I love it.

 

Favorite Presents

Such a fun, wonderful Christmas!  It was such a joy to be together as a family, complete.  Last year we were anticipating a match with our Sweet Pea in a few months, but we'd been waiting for that moment for 6 years.  Now she is home.  It is impossible to describe the sense of rightness that brings.

Plus I've finally gotten a handle on my external flash and am actually happy with many of my photos this year.  So many great at least to me photos of my beautiful children make me happy...it gives me an excuse to use my Christmas present; an upgrade to Lightroom 4.

But here are my 4 littles with their favorite presents:

Huckleberry:

 Relays for his robot stuff.

SnapDragon:

A DS game Kirby Attack.  He knew it was a DS game all week under the tree, but couldn't figure out which one was left to want.  He was very excited to find out it was a Kirby game.

Sunflower:

It was a bike.  This is as far as she got opening it.  As soon as she saw it was a bike she stopped unwrapping.  Afterall it wasn't put together yet.  Weather wise it will probably be a few months before it gets much use, but she was very glad to get it.

Sweet Pea:

She seemed very excited to realize that the baby she had spent the whole time riding around with and talking to in Costco was now here and planning to stay. 

A very good Christmas indeed.
  

One of Each

I really do have four children, and except for school, we usually do spend most of our time together as a family...though I had the blessing misfortune of missing the last Costco trip.  Oak said it all went just fine.

But I still do not have a decent photo of the four of them together...even if we were all at the same park.

Sweet Pea:

Sunflower:

 (What?  You don't all wear your Chinese outfits to a random afternoon at the park?)

SnapDragon:

Huckleberry:

You may be able to guess the main culprit of why our group shots have not been panning out.  I didn't even attempt it this time.  Maybe next time.

 

 

Tuesday, May 8th

Tuesday was a mellow day, which was exactly what we all needed after a fast paced week.  We started out with a late...almost missed the expensive buffet we already payed for...breakfast.  We would have gone to the Chinese breakfast buffet which was open for another hour, but our guide and another family was already waiting for us.  We thought we were meeting at 10:30 a.m.  Turns out it was 10:00 a.m.

We didn't mind rushing the buffet, though.  It meant Sweet Pea had let us all sleep in until 8:45 a.m. and we'd talked to SnapDragon and Sunflower back home.  I'm missing them like crazy, but they are having a good time with Aunt H.

Note my hair at the beginning of the day...

After breakfast we went upstairs to get Sweet Pea's sun hat and then went with our guide, her assistant in training, and another family to the grocery store...the RT.

Apparently while we are the only family in Province from our agency, this other family's agency and ours use the same travel service so we are sharing a guide.  They are from Canada and are bringing home their second son from China.

Sweet Pea did well in the front pack and was very curious about everything going on around her.  She was still pretty solemn...we didn't yet know what a playful, happy, loud baby she could be (except for the glimpse we got of it from 3:30-4:30 a.m. that morning.)  But neither did she fuss or cry.  No one commented on her bare arms...they just kept saying, "What a fat baby!"

One of the food vendors on the way to the store.  It was a fast walk.  In Beijing we'd gone to the store 3 times by ourselves.  Left to our own, we walk slower.  This store was on a busier street, but the one crossing was similar.

Still we were glad to have a guide with us at this point.  Oak, particularly, was tired of navigating new situations without assistance.  We need to expend our energy on the adventure of parenting instead of investigating a new country and culture.

 I mean, look at this face!  She is what this trip is all about.

Anyway, the RT is a giant store...3 floors...kind of like a WalMart, except:

no self-respecting Wal-Mart carries Cherokee brand of clothing.  

We wandered around with our guide and the other family and purchased all that we needed...including cans of coke, water, swim cap, potato chips, instant noodles, dish washing liquid, wipeys, and diapers.  

We tried to get Huckleberry a juice snack he wanted to try, but it turns out you buy by the pound and since we had not weighed it we could not buy it...though there were plenty of check out counters.

This is only about 1/2 the counters.  We were clearly there on a non-busy time.  Everyone at work, I guess.  The escalators were flat so your cart could go between floors.  The wheels locked onto the floor of the escalator.  Still we didn't want to go back upstairs to weigh his juice...
 
So we went to McDonald's for lunch.  The other family, with two little kids, wanted to and we were so hot (it is very muggy in Nanchang) and tired we didn't care where we ate.  

We gave Sweet Pea her first french fry because it appears to be an American adoption tradition, but being as she is only 9 months she wasn't all that interested or capable of eating it.  She did gnaw on it for a little bit to give Mama the shot.


Then we went back to the hotel, and since it wasn't yet Sweet Pea's nap time we decided to see if she liked swimming.

Even if she didn't enjoy it we figured it was a chance to use the robe from my friend, Julie, before she grew out of it.  But she did do pretty well as long as we held her tight and didn't move too fast.  I didn't take pictures, but I will need to get some at the pool if possible.  As Huckleberry says, it is really cool...well, temperature wise, too, but that felt GREAT...no, cool design with the ceiling decorated like stars.


Then Sweet Pea and I left the boys at the pool and came upstairs for a nap...well, she napped.  For the first half hour in my arms, then both of us lying in the bed, then alone.  I think I could have put her down after about 3 minutes, but I enjoyed that 45 minutes of holding her.  Then I just couldn't resist taking a few pictures of my precious baby.

Unfortunately she wasn't facing the light.  When the guys came back she woke up, so I was sitting in the trusty arm chair with her when the phone rang.  It was a friend from my Spring Time in China facebook group inviting us up to their suite for dinner.  Of course we went...and we had a fabulous time.  

***(Picture to Insert if granted permission.)*** 


Another family they had met was there and it really was wonderful to meet others from the states, swap stories, and just have a lot of laughing and fun.  Oak was also able to help my friend's VPN working so it was a win-win all around.  (Though when we told Huckleberry we were having pizza for dinner he said, "but that's soooo NORMAL!")  Sweet Pea sat on my lap the whole time and even started her chatting and giggling as the evening progressed.  Overall perhaps a relatively more "normal" day, but half way through our trip, that was exactly what we needed.

When my husband took this picture he said, "What happened to your hair?"  The humidity...the humidity.  Today I wore it up in a pig tail so I'm a little less like a lion, but only a little less.


(I've passed on the hellos to Mary...she seemed pleased and a tad surprised, "how do you know them?"  Ah the wonders and joys of blogland!)