Simply Sunday and Feeling Vital

The high temperature today was: 78 degrees

Sunny and lovely

===============================

I woke up to rain.  It was supposed to rain all day.  I checked the Internet weather map for this area and saw that the rain would leave around 11-11:30.

Maddie's BFF was having her graduation party today and she posted on Face Book that she was worried about the rain.  I messaged her back..."I promise you--the rain will stop--the sun will come--the day will be gorgeous--the party will be a success."

I left at 1:00 to drive the 2.8 miles to her house.  Absolutely gorgeous setting.  Down a wooded lane, the only house ON the drive AND, they had the wooded lane paved a few years ago.

It appears that every friend of Maddie's, comes from a wealthy family.  Of course, the area is filled with residents who are doctor's, lawyer's company owners, or professors who teach at the University of Michigan.  Apparently they can afford to give their children private music lessons, ballet lessons, orthodontists, dermatologists--whatever they may need.  The really delightful thing about all these kids--they are so down to earth and not pretentious at all.  I found that out yesterday at Matt's party, when I met Casey.  He has been in special school most of his life and you can quickly tell, when talking to him, that he has some sort of disability.  His mother usually goes with him to all functions.  Matt was his room-mate when the band went to Disney World, to take care of him.  Yet--all these kids, every single one of them, treat Casey like he is just like them.  They don't talk down to him, they don't act like he is any different.  I love these kids.

This was a write-up about this Senior Class in the county-wide newspaper this morning:

Brighton Area Schools administrators said the Class of 2014 helped establish a new culture of giving and leadership at BrightonHigh School.

Just under 500 seniors participated in the graduation ceremony Saturday, which was organized by the students.

Principal Gavin Johnson said these students were freshmen when he and Henry Vecchioni took over as principals at the school as part of a staff reorganization. They encouraged the students to become more involved, and that’s exactly what they did.

“We’ve encouraged these kids to take over leadership of their school,” Johnson said. “They have created dozens of events, clubs and activities that are good for Brighton High School and the city of Brighton and the Brighton community.”

He said new events included Pink Week, Wounded Warriors Week, Safety Week and National Honor Society Survivor Week.

“We’ve really built a student-centered culture, and these students have really ran with it,” Johnson said.

He said more high school students are taking Advanced Placement courses, and the high school has won a state championship every single year.

Superintendent Greg Gray said these students have helped reorganize the high school along with staff.

“It’s a great place for kids,” he said.

Gray said students are taking more advanced classes, and there are more charity events.

He said these students “have helped to redefine the culture at Brighton High School.”

=========================================

When I walked up to the back of the house, Susanna saw me and came running to give me a hug.  Her Mother took a picture of us.

I just found today that Susanna is Chinese.  I thought she was Korean.  They adopted her when she was almost 3.  

 I took a stroll along the boardwalk to the lake

 Coming back I could see their seating area, so lovely

 Susanna's "board" up on the porch

 A close-up of her and Morgan and Maddie

I thought this was a cute little table area, with tiny lights, off

to the side...

and it seemed like the perfect for the little ballerina's to sit

These are Maddie's ballet and home schooled friends.  When I walked up to the table to ask if I could take their picture, they all said, "Hi, Gramma Judy!"  Strange because I don't know any of them! When I usually see them at performances, they have their stage make-up on and look about 25.  Without that, they look like little girls!  I get confused!

I got some food--up and down the treacherous stepping stones and steps, and came back down to where the tables were.  All of a sudden people came and sat down and we got to talking.  Home school parents.  Missionaries from India.  The ballet teacher and her husband.  Of course, they all knew Maddie AND they all knew Karen.  So many times today I heard, "Karen is your daughter?"  "She tutored my kids in Algebra."  or "She came to the house and brought us supper for a week when we had our tenth baby."  of "She and Mark volunteered at every Nutcracker performance."

Then I got up to move around a bit and that little girl, in that picture above, sitting on the right with the colored skirt, came up, put her arm around my waist, leaned her head on my upper arm and said, "Gramma Judy."

"Yes.  I don't remember your name, Honey."

"I'm Morgan."

"How do you know me?"

"Everybody knows Maddie's Gramma Judy!"

So for half an hour, she stood like that and we talked and others came up and we talked some more.  She is such a delicate, little young woman and yet--she is in 4-H, raises hogs and shows the huge boars at the fairs and at Michigan State.  The boar is bigger than she is?

Then my Maddie showed up with flowers in her hair (she looks like a 1960's hippie girl) and ran to me before she even said Hi to her ballet friends to give me a hug.

Then Karen and Mark arrived.  They had chaperoned the all night Senior Party last night--they were on the Segue way station.  Showing the kids how to ride them and then watching as the kids played.  Karen said they got home at 3:00, but had a ball!  This party is quite the big deal, I guess.  There are different activity stations with different games and that sort of thing for the kids to do.  Magicians come in.  Hypnotists--Maddie said he suggested they were all floating on ice bergs and she said everyone was shivering from the cold.  HAH.

So--I had been there for almost 3 hours and decided to head home while I could still walk.

I went in to say good-bye to Susanna's parent's--Woody and Ingrid and informed that as soon as they had a spare bedroom, I would be moving in.  They thought it was a great idea.  Then I informed Woody, "The only thing is, Woodrow--I will need railings put in along the steps, the stepping stones and and the rocky descent so I don't fall."  He agreed.

Then Susanna came up to hug me good-bye.  As we were standing there, she said quietly, "I don't have a grandmother.  Ever since I first met you, I have always felt like you are my "kind of "grandma. You always come to my ballet performances...and you always remember my birthday and give me Christmas presents.  You ARE my Grandmother.  I love you, Gramma Judy."

I held her close and whispered, "I love you too, Sweetheart."

and I had to walk away because I was just about to lose it!!!

=========================================

It is hard for me to describe how I have felt about these kids I have met in the last 5 years--Maddie's friends.

When Karen was in high school, we had a lot of kids out to the farm all the time--especially that last Senior year.  I had no idea, when I woke up Sunday morning, how many kids might be sleeping on the living room floor--how many I'd have for breakfast.  Those kids called me "Momma Miller"--they came to me with their problems.  I hauled them around in my 9 passenger station wagon--to volleyball games, or track meets, or baseball games.  Chaperoned their dances--I was very close to her friends.  They thought I was "cool".

I haven't felt that needed for many years--except these last four with Maddie's friends--especially the last two years.  These kids will come up to me and want to talk.  They aren't just being polite and nice (although they all are), they actually like me and will go out of their way to talk, hug, laugh--whatever.

I once again feel useful, needed, vital--all because I am giving something to the kids.  I praise their performances.  I hear a trumpet solo at a band concert, look in the program to see what the kids name is and then ask Maddie to point him out to me and go over, introduce myself and tell him how wonderful his solo was.  They tell me they see my Face Book comments on their friends pages--when I praise the ballet company or the band and how much that means to them.

I was there at their pre-prom picture taking session, and although I only knew about 4 kids, the rest of them now know me and come up and talk.  They all call me Gramma Judy--even the boys.

I haven't felt this alive in a very long time.

Now--if I could just remember all their names, LOL!!