High Five for Friday (5.12.23)

 

One

Today my sister, Sara, turns 40-something years old. Nearly a decade ago, Will and Hallie made up a birthday song for her. They put their own lyrics to the tune of Sarasponda* - because the word "Sarasponda" contains the name "Sara" - and every year they perform it for her over the phone or in a video. 

Sara Ekena turns 34** on May 12th of this year.
Sara Ekena turns 34** on May 12th of this year.
Ha-PPY birth-day! A happy, happy day!
I hope you have a lot of fun and eat a lot of cake. Yum!

I've spent the last hour trying to find a video of Will and Hallie singing this song to her - I KNOW one exists - but unfortunately I've come up empty-handed. I also know they won't agree to perform it for a video to be shared here (though they absolutely WILL sing it to her over the phone tonight), so I'm forced to celebrate Sara by posting cute pictures of us through the years. Happy birthday, Sara. I love you.

* The original Sarasponda is here.

** They change her age in the song every year.

Two

I spent what felt like most of last week handling a variety of PTO responsibilities. I'm certainly not complaining, of course - I love volunteering with and for both PTO and the kids' schools. I am, however, realizing that last week marked the final time in my kids' academic "careers" that my (school-related) volunteer loyalties would be divided between two schools. That's right - next year both Will and Hallie will be in high school, which means my time on the Board of their middle school's PTO has come to an end. I'm excited for the possibilities this newfound "free" time will allow me, but I wish the hourglass would slow down...

Three

Last Friday night was our final Lads event of the season: the end-of-year banquet. I was running around like a crazy person during most of the night so I took zero pictures, but I did grab these two pictures from other moms who were more on top of things with their cameras. 

2022-2023 Varsity Lads

Varsity Lads Mamas

We held the banquet at a new sports and event space (Legends, in Bryan) which meant that when dinner and the awards had wrapped, the boys got to change clothes and go play soccer, dodgeball, basketball, volleyball, and arcade games. They would have stayed all night if we'd let them.

~

I wrote this about Will's (first year of his) high school soccer experience, and it all rings true again this year. My favorite parts of the season are the relationships established and strengthened during early morning workouts, after school practices, ice baths, hours on the bus, and late night stops at Whataburger and Buccee's. The laughs shared over good food at team dinners. The camaraderie forged through shared triumphs and defeats. Pridefully representing your high school locally, regionally, and throughout the state of Texas. 

Being a part of something matters, and I'm so grateful Will has been able to be a part of this.

Pregame ritual = disc golf in our yard and in
the empty lot across the street from our house.

Just for fun, one more with Will's fathead.

Signing off for the final time this year...

#wegoagain

Four

Tom spent the last two weeks working in Michigan. When he had a little free time, he visited Ann Arbor - where we lived for 6.5 years while Tom was attending graduate school at the University of Michigan - and our old stomping grounds. He took a video (which won't load) of our old house, which looks mostly the same, and photos of Tigers Stadium, one of our favorite parks/disc golf courses, and the American Red Cross, where I worked. I don't regret moving to Texas, but there are definitely things about Michigan that I miss a lot.

Five

We have new babies! Milton (the one I'm holding in the first picture, and the one who isn't look in the group picture) is the social butterfly of the group. Kirawee (who we're calling Kira), is petite and shy*, but she clearly wants to play and I can tell she's trying exceptionally hard to come out of her shell. Wooloomooloo (yes, that's his name, but we're calling him a combination of Wooly, Louie, and Lou) is a the tuxedo babe, and while he's PAINFULLY shy*, he's stolen my heart. Hallie and I are committed to socializing Kira and Louie..."the sweatshirt" (see pics below) will be most certainly be part of the process!

* These kittens were born in foster care with Six Kittens Rescue, so it's a little strange they're still - at seven weeks old - so shy. Just goes to show that they have personalities all their own, regardless of where they're born and how they're raised!

** Hallie is the queen of the comforting, nurturing, socialization kitten sweatshirt:

Curly

Aretha

Bill, Molly, AND Annie

Dumpling

Happy weekend, friends!