Wednesday, May 27, 2009

"A Trip To The Stars" ... by Katharine




"Going to see a star up close has been my dream for the longest time. Though the one thing about the stars are that they can't come to you; you have to come to them. Yet that's only the beginning of our story.

One summer night, Jenny Conn was lying outside of her foster home thinking. She was thinking about her loving parents she lost on a cruise when the boat unexpectedly disappeared in the Bermuda Triangle. She was gazing up at the stars wondering if her parents were up in heaven staring down at her saying that they're sorry and still love her.

By the time she got inside, everyone was asleep. So she tiptoed to her bed. The second right before she got to her own bed, Jennette (her best friend) flopped and turned to the left side of the room to see Jenny tiptoeing through the room. She sat up straight in her bed and yelled in a hushed tone, "Hello??" Were have you been?" She said even quieter trying not to wake every single child in the room. Jenny walked over to Jennette's bed and said, "Do you remember the night I just.. just sat in my bed thinking of my parents?" Jenny didn't even wait for an answer. She only paused to think of what to say.

"All I want to do is see them and more, and tell them.." Jenny didn't get to finish her sentence. Jennette plopped on her pillow and said half asleep, "Ok, you go do that.." and drifted away. Jenny was tired too. so she went to her bed and fell asleep. Not caring that it was 11:18 when she finally drifted asleep.

Thankfully, the next day was Saturday. On Saturdays everyone sleeps in. So that's exactly what she did. Jenny had the most unusual dream though.

"Hello,Jenny. We're O.K." As Jenny listended to the voice in her head, she recognized it. In her dream she was in the backyard of her old house waiting. The voice was hard to recognize, but the voice got louder. More like right behind her. She twirled around an saw her mother's shimmering blue eyes, and her father's short brown hair. They smiled and she too began to smile; but as she looked into their eyes she was confused inside. Yet, right before she let the smile turn into a sobbing face, her mother grabbed her hand, and her father grabbed the other. With the wink of her mother's eye, they all started flowting. They were headed to the stars.

As they got above the houses, Jenny felt a tear trickle down her cheek. She had seen them, again! Though, as she wanted to ask so many questions; there was only one that would anser them all. They landed on a rooftop to say goodbye, and right before they left she said in such a small voice you couldn't even tell if she ment it, "Do you still love me?" Any parent would know what to say, but they knew excactly what to say. "Sweetheart, even if we didn't show it, you'll always be our little girl and in our hearts. Goodbye sweetie." She let go of her mother's hand as if reaching out for someone you miss and can't catch them. She quietly wispered goodbye. Then it all blurred away.

Jenny woke up the next morning and everyone was already outside playing soccer, but she didn't want to play soccer. She wanted to say thank you to her parents. So she got down and prayed and now she has a wonderful story to tell, and it all started with a thought."

Thursday, May 21, 2009

The Goose is 10 years old!!










How time flies! I remember the first time I laid eyes on Goosey was when the nurse handed her to me outside the L&D operating room and all I could say was.. 'cool'. The nurse eventually said, "you do not know the sex of the baby do you?". I then told her the story that during the three sonogram sessions, we never got to confirm the baby's sex because the first session the baby was way too small. The second time, the baby had her legs crossed. (That in itself should've been the sign!) The third time, she had turned and all we could see was her butt! Cute butt but that was not what we came to see. Oh well..

10 years later, Katharine is as lovely as ever. A bit sassy but I can tolerate it.. Mom, not so much.. She is doing well in school; piano seem to be picking up. As for sports, indoor tennis seems to be the norm for now since it's either too windy or too hot. Softball is good because the games are played earlier in the day before it got too hot. Soccer was dumped because there was too much running and contact with the other players; besides, the flowers and insects were too much to ignore and the game kept getting in the way of her curiosity.

When asked, all she wanted for her birthday were two little live frogs that live in a small bowl to be placed next to the fish bowl. Whew, I thought she might want something more extravagant.. like a beamer or something!

The immediate family celebrated her birthday dinner at Kobe, her favorite Japanese restaurant on Park and I75 where whenever she arrives all the waitstaff call her by name. It's like Norm walking into Cheers. The sushi chef, Mr. Wong already knows what she wants so within a few minutes of us sitting down at the sushi bar, two orders of California Rolls are placed infront of her. Her school friends will be treated to a movie and lunch at Studio Movie Grill this weekend. Gone are the days when you have a birthday party at your house. Holding it at outside venues eliminate the need to clean the house first, prepare the food and drinks, hire a clown (if that was planned), then clean afterwards when everybody leaves. Thank God for party venues! The birthday week will end with Mimi and Poppy coming over for a steak dinner this Sunday. (Now that we can handle here at the house.)

Everyday she grows. Everyday she learns something new. What an experience to be part of her development. For those of you who were told that having a child changes your life.. you betcha! It's much much BETTER!!!!!




Sunday, May 17, 2009

Piano Recitals

May 2009


Ok, we think she has potential...

- Superior award for Achievement Auditions
- Gold medal at Keyboard Olympics
- Highest honor (One Plus) at Sonatina Festival
- Gold medal on Theory Test