Future Bruin Recognition

Northrop recently started honoring a future Bruin at each of their home football or basketball games.  Grace was selected by her music teacher, Mrs. Maupin, to be recognized.  Grace adores Mrs. Maupin.  Mrs. Maupin has fueled Grace's desire to learn music.  Grace was invited to a football game as a VIP.  She got into the game for free and was even given a concessions pass where she could get ANYTHING she wanted.  At halftime they announced her name over the load speaker and read Mrs. Maupin's nomination about Grace.  We were very proud of Grace and her hard work in school.  Keep up the hard work Gracer D!

Cross Country

For the first time ever Grace came home and said she wanted to run cross country this Fall.  I sort of blew it off and said, "You have to be able to run a mile."  Usually she remembers that and decides she doesn't want to do it.  Well, not this she decided she would train.  She started by running around the block.  Each day she added another lap. She then asked Uncle Chris to run with her and when he couldn't her dad did.  Pretty soon she could run a mile without stopping.  We headed off to the meets and that girl blew our socks off yet again.  Each week she kept getting a little better and a little faster.  By her last race she had taken over a minute off of her original running time.  She has now set her sights on earning the Presidential Fitness Award in gym class.

Third Grade Here She Comes..... Style and All!

Swim Team

Grace decided she wanted to swim on the "real" swim team this year.  We were not sure how that would go over.  First off the practices were Monday through Friday at 9am each day.  Second of all, Grace is super competitive and thinks she should win everything or then she is not good at it.  Grace blew our socks off with swimming!  She happily went to practice each and every morning.  She tried her best and even took 3 seconds off her backstroke in her final meet.  We lived and breathed the pool this summer but we are fine with that and loved every minute of it.  She is already counting down the days until the next swim season.

Honor Roll

Grace made the Principal's Honor Roll for Second Grade.  All As all year! Rich and I are not sure where the smarts came from because we never remember having such an accomplishment ourselves.

The Recital

This year's recital amazed me.  I was so proud of both of the girls.  Caroline had a challenging piece and I remember the first night we practiced I thought to myself, "Miss Anni wants her to play this?"  Caroline rose to the challenge and full of poise and confidence hopped up on that bench and player her heart out!

Grace was a bit nervous about her violin piece this time around. She was nervous that she might mess up and people would notice.  I tried to give a little pep talk and tell her that I do not know many 7 year olds who can play two musical instruments.  As she put her violin on her shoulder and began to play I held my breath and was astonished at how far she has come with the violin.  The sound was beautiful and her smile was even more beautiful.

This year the girls had two special guests: Aunt DG and Mrs. Van Cott.  It was a treat to spend the afternoon with them.  The girls were overjoyed with the beautiful flowers that Mrs. Van Cott brought for them.

We are taking a small break this summer and then will be be back to Asecendo to spend our Monday nights starting in the Fall.

Bill the Lion

Grace came home with heart breaking news the other day.  One of her classmates had informed the class that Bill the Lion at the zoo had cancer and that he was soon going to pass away.  Grace's love for Bill the Lion goes back to when she was 1 year old.  We would go to the zoo on almost a daily basis.  Each visit she would only want to go to see Bill and nothing else.  We would have to convince her to go to other areas and often time she would just fall asleep or close her eyes so she didn't have to look at other animals. Bill will be greatly missed by Grace and many other children of Fort Wayne.