Thank You Mr. Perkins

When we lived in Utah, we had the BEST swimming teacher and the best situation for swimming lessons that I possibly could have asked for. David Perkins is such a kind, easygoing and encouraging coach and was so good for my kids. 

To illustrate, I want to give two examples.

After he had been working with us for quite a while and had time to get to know each child, their strengths and apprehensions, he asked me if Michael happened to have been born premature.  This caught me totally off guard because it was so out of the blue and I had never hinted anything about our history of premature deliveries to him ever before. The conversation that ensued involved my filling him in on our roster of premature babies and Mr. Perkins making a correlation between lack of confidence in the water and premature delivery. The two children who gestated (for lack of a better word) long enough to avoid the NICU also happen to be my most fearless and capable swimmers. I was pretty blown away by the fact that Mr. Perkins was able to tell, and probably could have picked which ones had been in the NICU without my having to tell him. 

When my sister Angie and her husband Jeff took a trip to Ireland last year, we got their kids for a whole week and it was SO much fun. They also have 5 children, who correspond beautifully in age and gender to ours, giving everyone well-matched playmates....but that's a post for another day. We had sole responsibility for these 5 kids for a week, and we decided to take them to swimming lessons with us. I texted Mr. Perkins ahead of time and he rolled out the red carpet for our guests. He arranged for deeply discounted admission to the pool and spent extra time (he was always very generous with his time) to involve our cousins in the lessons. 

Because the weeks leading up to our move were so crazy, we did not get to say a proper goodbye OR a proper thank you. As we've been getting settled into our new home on the other side of the country, every now and then I have noticed our swimming bag full of towels and suits sitting all lonely-like in the corner and I have this reminder of the fact that we left without saying thank you. 

So, in case you feel like this video is a little over-the-top, just know that it has been on my mind for several months, and I want Mr. Perkins to know how deeply grateful I am to him for what he has taught my kids. I get a little teary knowing that we walked away from the ideal swimming lessons situation and will probably never have anything so perfect like this ever again. But I hope that maybe sometimes when we visit, we can arrange a token lesson or two, and be able to see Mr. Perkins again.

Peter's Piano Recital

Peter gave his solo recital in July, only 2 weeks before we moved. Peter and I were both so pleased with how the recital turned out, as the final performance was WAY beyond any of the dress rehearsals that he did in the days leading up. Probably the biggest reason for this dramatic difference was that he agreed at the last minute to give a verbal introduction to each piece he played. When his teacher, Dr. Beus performs, he always offers interesting tidbits for the audience; what to listen for, some history about the piece or the composer, even things that he loves about the music. When Dr. Beus asked Peter if he wanted to introduce each piece, without hesitation Peter said "no."
Later, as Peter was typing up the program, he asked if he could overlay the sketch of himself that his cousin, Kendall, had drawn. Without hesitation, I said, "no."
Then we struck a deal and both relented.
So here's the program:

Peter's introductions were very spontaneous and provided interesting tidbits for the audience in addition to making everyone laugh. This helped him loosen up A LOT. To the point where, as he performed, this was the look on his face: "I just made everybody laugh....I'm so awesome." A welcome antithesis to the alternative; "I'm so nervous, I hope I don't mess up."

I didn't get footage of everything, sadly. But below, I have re-created the recital to the best of my ability.  For all the introductions I didn't get on video, a sub-par rendition of the intro is printed above each segment. Hope you enjoy Peter's solo piano recital!

Valse Russe by Frank Bridge
      featuring Cynthia Jensen, violin and Peter Jensen, cello

Nocturne in e minor by Chopin

Intro: It is funny that I am playing this piece, because I actually swore off Chopin. I played one Chopin piece, and I really hated it, and I thought all Chopin music was like that, so I swore I would never play Chopin again. But, my mom didn't agree with that, so she tricked me into playing another Chopin piece, which was this one. She played the Secret Garden movie for my siblings and I, and this is pretty much the only music in that. I really liked that, and I agreed to play it before I even knew it was a Chopin piece. After all, if it was a Chopin piece, it couldn't have been so pretty, could it?

Of Foreign Lands and People by Schumann

(This is a just a fragment that my friend Kristy got on her phone since I was too busy fiddling with the tripod to get this one)

Intro: Everyone associates this next piece with the kid movie, Milo and Otis. The piece is very nostalgic, and so is Milo and Otis, so yeah... once I was at a masterclass, and when another pianist played this piece, one of the comments that was said was that it reminded them of Milo and Otis.

Invention no. 4 in d minor by J.S. Bach

Rage over a Lost Penny (Rondo alla ingharese quasi un capriccio)

by Beethoven

Romance by Sibelius

Intro: Whenever I am about to play this piece for my teacher, he asks where Sibelius was from, because he was from Finland, and that is where my piano teacher, Dr. Beus, served his mission. Actually, you'll notice that my dad is very supportive of Chopin, because Chopin was from Poland, where my dad served his mission, and Chopin loved Poland so much that he kept a cup of polish dirt when he went to other countries (I think). [Weston, at this point: "Go Chopin!" ]



Wedding Day at Troldhaugen by Grieg 

Surprise Encore: Carol of the Bells
Peter whipped out this encore at the end, which came as a complete surprise to me. Though, he was probably scheming about it for a while.

That's all, folks. 

 UPDATE:  We haven't found a new teacher for Peter yet, but to be honest, we really haven't tried.  Peter was recently called as the new accompanist for our church choir. We are both content with this for now, because it means he will have to polish several pieces and learn an entirely new skill set; rehearsing with a choir. Since he's in school full time and the amount of time he is willing to commit to practicing is so limited, and since we can't possibly truly replace our old teacher, having Peter learn these new skills is a a stretch that is about perfect for now.  

All the Questions

Do you live in a house?

Why don't you swear?

Are you racist?

Do you believe in God?

Do you know Kohl's? (clothing store)

Do you know Tide? (laundry soap)

Are you Mormon?

Are there murderers in UT?  (???)

Do you play video games?

How many siblings do you have?
You play INSTRUMENTS?!?

This is a small sampling of the diverse and interesting questions my children have been asked during their first week of school. We have received a very warm welcome from many of our new neighbors, our new church congregation, and for the most part, the teachers and administrators at school. We are grateful for those that have greeted us with smiles, handshakes and words of welcome as soon as they can tell that we are "new" (and I mean that in a "special" sort of way.) 

Through no fault of their own, a few of the other kids at school sometimes come off as interrogative.  I believe it's out of sheer curiosity in observing someone who is so different.  I'm SO happy with how my kids have handled it. Even though I'm getting the story second-hand, I believe my kids for the most part just politely answer, while inside they are thinking, "What? Why are you asking me that?"

Here's one example:

8th grader: Why don't you swear?

Adam: I don't find it useful.

Adam has been the target of the majority of the questions that kind of leave you scratching your head. Maybe it's because he's going to middle school and it's just the age of angst, but he really does stick out like a sore thumb. I remember the night before I went to 7th grade. I lived in the house I grew up in, in the state I grew up in, with the promise of all my friends from 6th grade being there in the thick of it with me the next day, and I was still completely TERRIFIED! So I can't say that I blame Adam for the tears he shed the night before, listing all the things he was worried about. "I don't even have the HOPE of finding someone I already know at school tomorrow." I just listened and let him cry until he drifted off to sleep.

Our tradition for the first day of school is for Weston to give each of us (including me) a Priesthood Blessing.This year we all particularly felt the need and desire to have a blessing before starting school, for reasons stated above. Pretty sure I have more anxiety than any of the kids, but I'm trying to be brave and trust God.

Adam was told in his blessing that as someone who holds the Priesthood of God, he would have angels going before him and behind him to help him meet these challenges. He was told that he would offer light to many people wandering in darkness and looking for truth. Also that many others would be watching him, even when he's not aware, to see how someone with faith in Jesus Christ lives. I found a lot of comfort in hearing Adam blessed with the assurance of help from God and angels.

 And then I walked him to the bus....  

First day, he came home, head hanging low.

Me: No smile?.....like, at all?

Adam: It's like a prison

Second day, he came home with a bit more cheer. But only a bit. He launched into a story.

Adam: Mom, so after class I went up to my math teacher and told him his swearing makes me uncomfortable.....

Me: Oh? 

Me inside: I really hope this story has a happy ending because I did not see this coming AT all.

Adam: I was so scared, I almost started crying while I was walking up to his desk but then I said, 'So, it makes me uncomfortable when you swear.'

And then he said, 'When do I swear?' and I said, 'You know, like Oh My G....?' and then the teacher just asked if he could abbreviate it and just say OMG and if that would be ok, and I said yeah that's fine.

Third day, Adam came home GRINNING. Not kidding, ear-to-ear. 

Adam: Oh! mom. So, before class, my teacher asked me to stay after cause he wanted to talk to me so I was kinda scared like wondering if I was in trouble. So I went up to him after class and he said,

'So, I'm guessing that you and I have different religions, right? So, when I say OMG, I'm talking about MY god, not your god.' And I said, 'K, I guess I never thought of it like that' but then the teacher said, 'But I also just want to tell you that NO ONE, ever, not anyone, ever, in all my years of teaching, has EVER talked to me like you did. You were really brave!' and then he said 'so, what is your religion, anyway?' and I said, 'I'm a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints' and he said, 'so are you a Mormon?' and I said, 'well, we don't really like to call ourselves that' and he said, 'Oh, really? why not?' and I said, 'well, cause it's the church of JESUS CHRIST.  Not Mormon.' and he said, 'ok, cool.'

Me: (Jaw dropped) 

Me inside: Yes yes yes yes yes!!!! I can hardly believe that conversation happened so naturally and was still almost perfectly scripted. There are so many things to be thankful for in this scenario, not the least of which is the gracious attitude the teacher chose to adopt and that he praised Adam for being brave instead of feeling criticized. For all the time I spent worrying about all the negative things I've heard about this middle school, how far away it is and whether I could possibly get a variance so Adam doesn't have to go there, I am now just happy to have him stay where he is. Even though he has to endure a constant barrage of cursing (OMG being the least offensive), I'm so grateful to have him gaining experience with identifying with his faith and having it be a positive experience in talking to people who are curious about it. No, not because I think he's going to save everyone. Actually, the opposite. I hope that this experience will help him recognize the value of his faith and the gift it is in his life to have the Holy Ghost, the Priesthood, and knowledge of the restored gospel.  I hope having these things in the forefront of his life all the time will help him value what he has and what he knows.

Staples

On Saturday night, I was upstairs in my bedroom enjoying a quiet solitary space while simultaneously wishing my children would magically put themselves to bed, per usual.

Then I heard this:

THWUMP!

Waaaahh!!!EEEEEEE!!!

Me: silently calculating the need to run to the scene

Weston (to big kids): Just TALK! Tell me what happened!

(Me: OK, he's on the scene, no need to run, and I am slightly nervous about what I'll find once I get there so I guess I'll mosey on down.)

The scene involved everyone: Weston huddled on the floor holding Michael and 4 big kids standing around crying and nervously trying to provide their dad with supplies to absorb the blood.
As it turns out, Michael had lobbied for a piggy-back ride from one of his older siblings. Older sibling picked him up by the legs before he had a chance to grab on so he flipped and landed on a transition in the flooring that spliced the back of his head.

It was pretty clear we would need to take him in, so after a frantic phone-call or two (since we are so new to the area and we don't know who will accept our insurance), we decided to take him to the only urgent care that was open after 10pm.

He ended up with 4 staples in his head and no concussion, that we could tell.  They just told us to watch for signs of lethargy and by the next morning he was undeniably back to his old bubbly self again.

We had to follow up at the same urgent care the next day so Weston and Michael got a free pass to stay home from church.  They sent me this picture on the way home.

And really, the only reason I am putting this up on my blog is because Michael journaled the whole thing in one of his little homemade books; a pile of paper stapled together. Which I think is the sweetest thing ever.  So, here's the whole story told in pictures by Michael:

The Happiest Day!

Meet the new Mr. and Mrs. Jared Proctor!

My niece, Jordana, got married last week and it really was the Happiest Day Ever.

Not just because they are so well matched (I could expound on that but I won't) and will do such great things as the newest family in our family, but also because I was able to be there for the wedding, despite the fact that we just moved really, really far away. 

In about mid-May, I started to see the writing on the wall that if Jordana didn't pick a wedding date soon, it was going to be after our move and I would miss it. I asked her repeatedly to supply me with the date. Well, it kept not coming and at the same time I could see that we weren't high enough on the VIP list to be planned around, which is fine.  It just meant that I would have to fly back. 

Which we did....

About 10 days after we arrived in Maryland.

It's a little (read: extremely) crazy but...that's apparently just how we roll.

It was a fun girl trip and neither of my girls had flown before, that they could recall. (Annelise did when she was 1).

We stayed with my friend Falisha who was so generous and helped us get everything we needed. We were in a hurry getting out the door so she did Ginny's hair. Which was WAAAAAYYYY cuter than anything I would have done. 

Angie also traveled from out of state to be at the wedding.

Photographer: Now bride and groom kiss, and everyone else act really disgusted.

Groom: So....business as usual?

Ha!

Jordana wanted everyone, even those not in the wedding party, to coordinate with her colors of pale pink, dusty rose and gray. Even though it's not the typical request, I really liked it.  It was so fun to have all the little girls and ladies in the family color coordinated, and I think it will pay off in her pictures. (fingers crossed!)

Angie and I had to go through the line multiple times to get this picture!

We usually try to get a picture with all the siblings.  We're just missing Becky in this one. For some reason, I always look like the shortest one even though I'm pretty sure (maybe not so sure now?) that I'm taller than Angie, at least. But by this time I had taken my shoes off so I'm just going to blame it on that.

Such a happy day! I'm still smiling!

Facial Hair Demise

Hey there. This post is for any of Weston's friends who might be interested in seeing the demise of his facial hair. 

I know I was. 

Don't get me wrong.  I didn't hate it. And I can appreciate the rugged look of the beard/hat combo which one of his co-workers described as the two being "best friends." 

But now I guess I've realized how much I have always preferred his clean, soft cheeks, even though I apparently didn't adequately appreciate or express that before. 

The kids and I thought the beard was only going to last 6 weeks. But Weston was enjoying the not-shaving thing so he told us it would last until we arrived in MD, which ended up being more like 8. So, by the time we got here, we were all ready for the beard to go.  

We were also eagerly anticipating our first day at church in our new congregation. The children were making plans about what they were going to wear, say and do to make friends and make a good first impression. I was really crossing my fingers that the beard would be gone by then. By Saturday evening, we still weren't sure and went to bed a little apprehensive.

On Sunday morning, we all woke up to this:

You may imagine the horror the kids felt, (of course this was what Weston was going for), and some of the things that were said:

"Dad, you only get one chance for a first impression."

and

"You can go to church like that....if you want to sit by yourself."

Actually, once he pointed out that it was almost the same style as Sgt George from Bleak House, the look grew on me a little.

We were so desperate for this not to be so, we willingly participated in an awkward photo shoot. Whatever it takes, you know?

Then, of course, we got to witness every look every step of the way down. 

Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!!!!