Growing up .... 0.0

Those that have me on facebook have seen these pictures and heard some of this... this is mostly for those that don't have me on facebook.

Olivia:  Whitesides Elementary does a Shakespeare play with Green show every year with the 5th and 6th graders.  Olivia tried out, was very sad she didn't get a lead in the main show but did end up with a main role in the Green show.  They perfomed A Mid-Summer's Night Dream - in musical.  Our teachers have done Shakespeare since Anthony was in 5th grade and they have quite the talent for it and with the kids.  They add little abstracts here and there to make it fun and interesting for the kids and the families that come to watch.  They sang Tainted Love, some made-up Rap song for Puck, a Fairy song, and yes, a kind of cowboy song too.  We were very proud of Olivia and her friends - Mary is on the right, Ivy on the Left.  Mary was in the green show with Olivia and Ivy was the Fairy Queen in the main show.  Wow, I competed in Shakespeare in 12th grade - she's in 5th... I think she has a raging head start on what I did and I'm excited to support her and help her with her goals and hobbies.  Grandma Terry would be very proud also. =]

Mr Anthony has shocked all who live with him and are around him lately.  He has matured and made some really hard decisions this year - I am so proud of him.  First of all - his Eagle is DONE, the papers submitted - his review this coming Tuesday and it is off to Nationals for final signatures and his medal to be returned. YES - FINALLY!  So proud.  He has had some major hurdles to overcome with this Eagle project and he hasn't given up - good boy.  His project was to redo the social skill video's for his elementary (Whitesides) school counselor.  He originally was going to do 10 - the entire YM./YW agreed to help him and did so for 4 YM/YW activities.  When he went to download all the film and start editing the 3 video's they were gone.  All gone.  Over 60 hrs of work and 3 video's with no trace anywhere - a failed memory card. >.<  Since they had devoted a month of time to help him, they could not devote anymore and Anthony was on his own to get people to help him and restart.  HUGE hurdle.  Three new video's finally were accomplished thanks to a couple of cousins and 5 best buddies (his Movie Geeks).  With no direction in how to turn things in (he is my first you know) we had a review that ended up not - an old eagle application so missing information and leaders who said, we'll submit it and see what happens. >/  Thankfully the district people are AWESOME, called me and walked me through things and pushed through his papers.  I love them. 

Last summer his Aunt and Uncle paid for him to go to EFY with his cousin.  When/If he marries this girl, he owes them big time.  Miss Katie lives in Mountain Green about 30 min away and they met at EFY at BYU-Idaho.  Imagine.  They text and facebook and date.  She was his Senior Cotillion date and they became "facebook official" boyfriend/girlfriend.  For those of you on facebook you know that his status now shows "single" again.  Let me explain this relationship and how mature these two kids are at 17 & 18 with their decisions.  Katie and A (Anthony) knew at EFY that they had feelings for each other and that they liked each other.  He told me about her when he got home and I smiled, re-enforced that yes, she showed all the signs of a girl trying to get his attention. =]  They talk very frankly with each other and are very open and honest about their feelings.  The first sign of maturity I saw was when he broke up with his other girlfriend to date Katie.  His comment was, I love Arianna, I love being with her, I've liked her forever but being with Katie feels different.... a difference I want in my life.   The second was when he and Katie mutually decided that they wanted a mostly non-physical relationship.  Both had had previous relationships in where they had kisses and they wanted more out of their relationship together.  More time, more talking, more really getting to know the person other than just thinking about their raging hormones.  The last sign is when this Thursday they both had been feeling the same thing - finally admitted it to each other and went from "exclusive" to an "open" relationship.  They are still texting, still fb'ing, still calling and still dating. They are simply now dating other people as well.  A very smart move by two teenagers who have already been discussing with each other that they want a future together and that they are meant to be together ...later not now.  Too many emotions and hormones and no they still have not kissed yet.  I am so proud of the man my son is turning out to be.  He is showing me daily that there is more than video games, movies and torturing his little brother and sister to his life.  Seeing this side of him, makes me so proud and love him so much more - and hurt because he graduates in 2 months and will possibly be leaving my home.  =[ *e sighs....they grow up soooooooo fast.