"World Peace Begins with ME!"

"World peace begins with ME!" is what we've been hearing for the last few weeks.  Adelaide even taught Cora the tune and the corresponding hand motions.  All in preparation for the Kindergarten Peace Concert.

All 3 Kindergarten classes performed for their families and all the "other graders" at the school.  I can't even remember how many songs they sang but it was a lot; some we recognized, some we didn't.  Each one capable of bringing a grown adult to tears...yes, Graham and I will admit it, we had some tears welling up in our eyes.

Here's Adelaide after just getting to her spot on stage.  Chatting away with her good friend Jennifer.  I point this out because as you watch the video of the concert, Jennifer is clearly destined to be a performer!  Watch her expressions during "We are the World."

The highly anticipated video montage:

Flashing her peace sign

Pleased with her performance

So why are the kindergarteners singing about peace?  

Inquirer, Knowledgeable, Thinker, Communicator, Principled, Open-minded, Caring, Risk-taker, Balanced, and Reflective


These are the ten attributes of an International Baccalaureate Learner, or as Adelaide knows it, being an IB student.  Shaker Heights elementary schools are all IB schools, with teachers weaving thematic units centered around these values and characteristics into the regular curriculum.  Even as a kindergarten, Adelaide has really taken to thinking about what it means to a be a risk-taker, or how to show you are caring.  And this past thematic unit has been about how to build peace.  They studied Nelson Mandela, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks, among others.

"Momma, do you know how to get to Eee-laska?"

"Momma, do you know how to get to Eee-laska?" asks Cora.

"No, I don't know exactly."

"I think you need a map," she responds helpfully.

Yes, sweetheart, Momma needs a map.  And so much more!

It's been an intense couple of weeks.  The official orders have come and the reality of the decisions we need to make and the things we need to do to get there are sinking in.

The last several nights I've woken up at 3am.  I blamed it on this head cold I have.  But once I was awake, my mind was racing with things that need to get done.  We're hoping to put our house on the market at the beginning of April and it seems like everywhere I look, another piece of trim around a window or a door has a knick in it and needs painted.  Or thinking about the pro's and con's of flying or driving to Alaska...did you know when flying via commercial aircraft that if the temperature at your departure city, your destination, or any of the connections along the way is predicted to exceed 85 degrees, your pet will get bumped from the flight? Not to mention the difficulty of conversations about what furniture and stuff to keep and take with us, and what to leave behind and/or donate.  Especially when we have no idea where we'll be living!

So I sat down last night and started an Excel spreadsheet of stuff that needs to get done related to our Shaker Heights home and stuff.  When Graham and I were finished talking about it, we had a 96 point checklist and timeline of things to do.  And, I recently received a copy of the Coast Guard's Transition and Relocation Assistance Program's "Smooth Move Countdown Checklist." It's 19 pages!

But you know what, now I've got a map.  And you know what else?  I slept through the night last night.

CHQ Winter Festival

An ice castle!  I mean come on, how awesome is this???  

I'd been watching on Facebook for weeks as they built it...construction crews, cranes, chainsaws cutting through the ice...but seeing it in person!  Wow!  

The bricks were huge, super smooth, and this beautiful blue in color.

It was enormous.  For perspective, that's Adelaide and Cora playing in front.

Adelaide chillin' on the wall.

But an ice castle wasn't the only thing the Winter Festival had to offer...

The local fire department did a water rescue demonstration using their hovercraft.

 Cora and I took a turn behind the steering wheel.

Adelaide and Cora made their way up and down snow mountain about a thousand times.

This was pretty much Cora's technique....lay out flat and hope that she would spin and roll over or anything that would make her go as fast as possible.

The Polar Bear Swim - these people are CRAZY! Lots of tutus and skin.

But who am I to talk?  We are also crazy.  At this particular moment, crazy for shower caps.  Adelaide and Cora, hanging out in their long underwear (which we pretty much lived in over the weekend), cracking themselves up doing who know's what with shower caps.

Here they were chefs...I wouldn't trust what the little one prepares.  She can't see very much!

But back to the Winter Festival...we went skating on the lake

Played in the snow

Graham got out for a crisp (anyone else would say freezing!) morning walk with Star and took this pic of the peaceful frozen lake.

And there was a bonfire, which during the day was impressive to look at.  (You can also see all the ice fishing huts out in the distance).

And beautiful and warm at night.

Speaking of night, just when you thought it couldn't get any more awesome.  LIGHTS!

And a snowmobile parade.

It also happened to be my birthday weekend so I got showered with cake and presents as well.  Here I am, making a wish with my helpers ready to blow out the candles.  Any guesses on the dessert?  Baked Alaska!  Very appropriate!  And delicious!

Thanks Grandpa Johnny and Zee Zee for a great weekend!

Epiphelmas

At the time, it felt like one more calendar item...Graham singing in choir at 6pm special service at church.  But the evening turned into so much more.

For starters, Graham was singing a solo that evening.  The second verse of "We Three Kings."  Graham's first choir solo was back when he was in junior choir at Christ Church.  Any guesses what it was?  Second verse of "We Three Kings."  As Graham explained, when he was asked which verse he wanted to sing this time around, he picked the second one, it wasn't random. It seemed like nice bookends...

"We Three Kings" also happens to be one of Adelaide's favorite songs.  Not just at Christmas-time, but all year.  There's something about it that she just loves.

So the girls and I were going to go the service.  My intention was to be there with the girls for as long as we could make it but that once Graham's solo was over and if they were at all itching to go, we'd just leave.  It was a smaller service, people gathered in chairs brought up around the altar, most of it by candlelight.  Our church has a lot of young families, and for good reason - the kids feel loved and are welcomed at every turn.  But this is one of those services where I knew there would be few families in attendance.  We wouldn't distract.

We heard Graham sing.  It was wonderful.  Proud smiles on both girls faces.

Then the priest walked around with holy water and sprinkled those gathered symbolizing our baptism.  A few extra spritzes seemed to come our direction.  From atrium (our church's Sunday School program, the girls immediately understood the significance).  And then the candles were lit.  The girls were mesmerized.  Taken by the light.  And I have to admit, I was, too.  The readings, the music, the light.  I felt a sense of calm and peace that I haven't felt in months. Much more than just a calendar item.

I'm so thankful to a friend of ours who loves to take pictures (and as you can see is quite good at it!) who had her camera on hand that evening to document the service for the church.

Skating Lessons

Adelaide intently listening to Mr. R's instructions...

And Cora, focused on not falling on her bum!

Swimming Lesson Goofballs