Reily's Busy Life

As you already know, Reily is playing lacrosse. He loves it and it's proving to be a great sport for him. Sports are a HUGE deal in Texas! They play hard and practice even harder. The official lacrosse season doesn't start until the beginning of next year, but practices started over the summer. Once school started, it all intensified with practices three times a week for two to two and a half hours each time. The boys are also "encouraged" to practice at a sports training center every Thursday night for two plus hours. We've also started scrimmage games (which last three to four hours) and after the holidays, practices will be four to five times a week.

Reily also had his first Homecoming. I found myself startled now and then as we prepared for it all. I'm still not use to having a child in high school and now he was going to Homecoming...crazy! What was even more startling and way crazier is the "Texas Homecoming Mums". This is a tradition here in Texas and like sports, it's a huge deal. The mums need to be big and fancy and they are bought or made by the mother of the boy. The girls wear the mums pinned to their shirts all day at school and then that night at the football game. Some pin them to their dresses the next night for the dance. Luckily, the girls in Reily's group didn't want them. If the girl Reily takes next year wants one, I'll know what to do now. I'd never seen or heard of such a thing. Anyway, these mums taught me that everything really is bigger in Texas!

Reily has also continued with choir and was chosen to sing in the Honors Choir for the Texas Music Educator's Region 26 Concert. This is an audition choir made up of students from all the high schools in our region. Last year, I believe I counted 25-30 schools in our region. The kids and directors practice all day together for the first time and then perform that same night. At the practice, Reily was chosen to sing in the Mixed Men's Choir as well. This was exciting because the director of that choir has incredible credentials. He's worked with artists from the Metropolitan Opera and Tony award winners. Also, his Conservatory Chamber Choir performed a concert tour of China as part of the opening celebration of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. This was a wonderful opportunity and experience for Reily! Here's a picture of Reily and his friend Amanda after the concert--

Happy Birthday Reily!

Last night Reily had a party with his good friend Andie who turns fifteen tomorrow. Months ago, when they realized they were only a day apart, they planned to have their birthday parties together. We hosted the party at our house and had about 25 teenagers here along with Andie's parents. Because their birthdays are in October, they decided to have a costume party. They ate tons of food, sang karaoke (all but five of the kids sing in the choir) and played games. It was so much fun!

I can't believe it's been fifteen years! Reily is such a wonderful son and I am blessed to be his mother. I love you Reily!!!

First Day Of School

Okay, I first have to apologize for taking a LONG break from blogging. I have many excuses that would just bore you to read, so I'll give you only the biggest one....we've had to have our air conditioning repaired five times in the last six and a half weeks. I know Lisa will understand when I say that you cannot function without air conditioning in Texas during the summer! It's just too hot and humid here. So again, I apologize.

Now what's really important.... Reily started high school today and Jacklyn started middle school. Already! I opened an email from the school district titled "What will LISD look like in ten years?" After I read the first couple of sentences I realized that it didn't matter to me, both Reily and Jacklyn will have long graduated by then. From that thought came the next - only four more years with Reily before he will venture out into this crazy world mostly on his own. I'm nowhere near ready for that! And Jacklyn is going to be going to school dances...with boys! It doesn't help that she's in sixth grade, but looks like she's in eighth. Where has the time gone and was I really present for all of it because too much has happened too quickly for my brain to catch up. My mom always says she wishes she could put her grandchildren in a shrinking machine. I wish for that also, or to be able to have one more day with seven year old Reily or three year old Jacklyn and don't even get me started on both of them as babies. This transition has been hard on me, but I have a few more hours before they get home to get it together and just be happy for them.

There is good to this new beginning in our lives. Henry was a great middle school for Reily and will be just as good for Jacklyn. The campus is really nice and the teachers are wonderful. Jacklyn is in the choir program there and it is the best around. I've been told by many that Vista Ridge is a great high school. I went on a tour a couple of weeks ago and got lost, but it's really nice and there is so much opportunity there for Reily. I've said this many times.... the schools here are great. I am so grateful for that, even if I am sad today.

Wisdom Teeth....Gone!

On Friday Reily had all four of his wisdom teeth pulled. This is the third time Reily has been put under general anesthesia in his life and every time they have forgotten to take off the monitor connection stickers. I'm sure that's not what they are called, but the name I've given them accurately explains their purpose...I think. Anyway, Reily's first surgery was when he was only eight days old and they left them on because he was in ICU and still being monitored, but when we got him home, there was one they forgot to take off. Reily's second surgery was when he was six. This was a same day surgery and when we got home there was one of these "stickers" still on his chest. This time, they left on three "stickers" which really isn't a big deal, it's just kind of funny that this has happened to him all three times. I told Reily to pull them off before the strong pain meds wore off because it's like pulling a really strong band aid off- not horribly painful, but annoyingly painful. I came in to check on him and he had taken them off, but repositioned them...one over his belly button and one over each of his nipples, he was still really loopy and feeling good. After a few hours of talking way too much and then falling asleep during an incoherent sentence, Reily was in a lot of pain. He described it as having "the worst migraine in your jaw". Reily is now REALLY swollen and doesn't want a picture taken. Even though he's in pain, the nausea has gone away and he's up doing a lot more. I feel for him, but after spending the money on braces (twice!) it's something that had to be done.

Saying Goodbye To Hockey

When we first moved to Austin Reily joined the Round Rock Knights in-line hockey league. It has been a blast for the whole family and a sport Reily has come to really love. The owner of the rink has decided to close it down and fill the space with storage units. All the hockey families are sad about this and are trying to come up with a solution but nothing has worked out yet. So, with great sadness, I think it's safe to say that Reily had his LAST hockey game Sunday night.

What's really neat about the Knight's program is all the players have played on the same team with each other at least once, so there's really good sportsmanship between all the teams. There's also a really neat sense of community and friendship among all the families. Reily's first coach lost his home in a fire and watching all the hockey families come together to raise money, donate clothing and provide housing for his family was amazing. Seeing all the boys express their concern and friendship for their teammate who was involved in the horrible accident in our neighborhood last month has really impressed me. I've loved this group of people and this fun sport and I'm sad that it's ended. Reily has grown so much from his time playing hockey and I know he will take it with him into his next sport...lacrosse.

Tragedy Close To Home

Because this blog is now my journal, I feel like I have to post about the recent tragedy we're facing. I'm worried that I won't have the right words for Reily. I can see his confusion and sorrow and I want to not only help him through that, but help him to learn from all of it. He's growing up so fast and this whole thing has made it seem even faster...

This weekend there was a car accident here in our neighborhood. Four teenagers were in a speeding car that lost control and crashed into a rock wall. Two died instantly, one is in critical condition and the driver is okay. The driver is a boy Reily plays hockey with. He's only 15. After the accident, he ran away so he's been arrested on three counts of failure to stop and render aid. I'm sure more charges will come. There is so much talk and speculation of what happened even to the point of fighting. Why did this boy run away? Did he leave his friends to die? Was he just scared and didn't know what else to do? People want to place blame and can't agree where it should lie. The adults, kids or just the kid driving? It's gotten kind of ugly! (Our homeowners association is even arguing over how to fix the wall and how long mourners should be able to write on the part of the wall still standing!) Needless to say, Reily is pretty freaked out. He sees everything wrong that happened that night, but he isn't sure how he should feel or does feel. I've told Reily that all the boys made bad choices that night, parents made bad choices that night, and the neighbor who gave the boys his car keys made a bad choice that night. We've talked a lot about how dangerous driving is and that it needs to always be taken seriously. I've told him that if I don't let him do things with friends sometimes it's because of my fear that something like this could happen. I've explained to him that by the time your teenage years are over you've lived such a tiny portion of your life that it isn't worth ruining the rest of it for a bad choice. I've also told him that I hope Mikey's family and friends will love him and be there for him. He's going to live with this the rest of his life and I'm sure he will be haunted by it. Reily's home from school today with a hurt ankle and a cold. It's come at a good time. He's needing to talk about all of this and I'd rather it be here at home with me than at school. In less than six months, Reily gets his learner's permit and we'll start teaching him how to drive. I feel such a huge responsibility in teaching a child to drive! I think this horrible accident has already started to teach him. I hope he learns not only the laws of driving, but his responsibility being a driver and a passenger. The accident happened very close to our house so we drive by it at least four times a day. The news is there, police are there and people are there placing flowers, notes and religious items. It's hard to not think about it constantly. I hope I handle this with Reily the best way possible...wish me luck!

Sweepstakes!

The Henry Middle School boys choir took sweepstakes at the UIL sight reading competition yesterday. They received perfect scores from all the judges. This is the first year the boys choir has done this, so as you can imagine, the choir director was really excited as were all the boys! Unfortunately, it isn't an event parents can attend, so I don't have any pictures. We will get a CD of their singing, which will be great. I'm proud of Reily and this group of boys. I've watched them work really hard this year and I feel they deserved this win. I'm sure they will all feel a sense of pride every time they see their trophy in the school's display case. I know I will. Way to go Hawks!

The Other Van Gogh In The Family

Only a few days after we received the letter informing us of Jacklyn's art exhibit, we received a letter inviting us to the Leander ISD art exhibit for secondary schools. Reily was one of the artists from Henry Middle School to be showcased. The exhibit was held today at Vista Ridge High School. There were three high schools and six middle schools represented, so there was a lot of art being displayed. There were many different mediums used, everything from pencil sketches to computer-generated art. I was truly impressed by all the wonderful artwork I saw. Reily's art was a pastel piece of a plane flying into the horizon over the ocean. I love it! Notice the blue streaks across the ocean. The plane must be a jet and it's flying really fast and really close to the water. That's what I see. Reily was kind of shy about it and didn't say much, he just walked around and looked at all the other pieces. I'll have to ask him if I'm correct in my observation. Reily's art teacher, Ms. Winston, was there and it was great to talk with her about Reily and the art program at the school. She told us she loves Reily...and who wouldn't! It was great for Jacklyn to be able to talk with Ms. Winston as well, because she will be joining the art club at Henry Middle School next year. I am so proud of Reily and love that he has this wonderful talent!

Middle School All Region Choir Concert

After all his hard work, Reily auditioned and made it into the region choir. Yesterday was the concert and it was amazing! There were 242 seventh and eighth grade kids in the choirs from 23 middle schools. There was a seventh grade treble choir, a seveth/eighth grade tenor/bass choir and an eighth grade treble choir. The kids all arrived at the performing arts center and practiced for about five hours. Because they're all from different schools, it was the first time they had sung together and it was with a director they didn't know. Reily's director even rearranged some of their music. Each choir sang four songs and I loved them all. I had to keep reminding myself that they were middle school kids. The songs they sang and the way they sang them were way beyond their years. The boys choir was my favorite and not just because Reily was in it. They were the best. The songs they sang were so good and even though their choir was much smaller than the others, they projected the best. It was a wonderful experience for Reily and he learned so much. What a great day! Here are some photos and hopefully with Ron's help I can post some video soon.






The kids from Henry (Reily's school)

Reily and Mr. Wiley (his director at school)

Reily and Andie

Reily and Marvin

Reily can sing!

I don't know why I'm surprised by this. My husband does come from a very musically gifted family. I guess I'm just so happy to see Reily taking advantage of it. This year, Reily decided to join the school choir. Mostly because it would help him earn the points he needs to stay active in the National Juniors Honor Society and because there are a lot of cute girls in choir. At the beginning of the year his choir director urged him to try out for the varsity choir. He practiced for a few weeks and made it. He is now preparing to try out for the regional choir. He's working on four songs that he will have to sing by himself for a panel of judges...one of them is in Latin! What prompted me to post about all of this is late last night Reily asked his dad to help him practice his songs. He's been practicing a lot at school, but not much at home. My first impression was how good Reily could sing. He has a really nice voice. My second impression came as Reily and Ron were singing together. My husband has passed on a wonderful thing to our son...musical talent. I am so grateful for this. I think singing has not only been a source of fun for Reily, it has also been something that has given him a lot of confidence. As I watched and listened to the two of them, I imagined Reily looking and sounding a lot like his Dad did at that age. They sounded so good together and watching them together was just as sweet.

Here are pictures from Reily's last choir concert. It was a Christmas concert they held last month. This is only the 7th and 8th grade choir students. If you add in the 6th grade, there are over 300 kids in our middle school choir. These kids are fantastic!


This is the boys varsity choir. Reily is standing in the second row first one on the right.