We find ourselves staring down end-of-the-year exams, including APs, and asking: What do we have planned this summer? We’re welcoming the end of the academic year – no one wants to prolong that – but we really, really don’t want to take exams. Ready or not, they will come though, so we’re all prepping to be ready. This season has flown by, seeming almost as non existent as the winter itself, but we did do some stuff, so let’s recap.
Emmett performed in High School Musical! He brought high energy to his role as a Brainiac and danced his heart out for the final number. It was fantastic! Since that, he’s been hard at work with vocal and acting lessons and preparing for theater camp. He’s seen some live performances, rehearsed for a solo one act show for school, and put some work into a school debate. But really, he’s mostly focused on being done with school for the year. When he returns from theater camp, he’s excited to get volunteer hours in at the Museum. Next year is his senior year. We’ll see where he lands as far as college or an acting program. For now, though, he’s less planning and more in the moment.
Riley had his second surgery in March and he’s already moved onto weight bearing. We’re so proud of his ability to bring optimism in the face of crazy discomfort. Now that he’s firmly on the downhill section of this climb, we’re hoping the rest is just coasting. Originally, we thought he’d be rehabbing all summer, but he moved onto normal walking pretty quickly after his first surgery (about 10 weeks), so now he’s scheduled to go to Italy in June for a scuba diving habitat restoration summer camp. Although he cannot wait to see Rome, he has to get through exams and normal walking first. He’s already taken one final, but he has many more, including back to back AP exams on the same day, so there’s no sign of relief there yet. And although he expects his rehab to go a bit faster this time, he’ll still not be walking normally for at least a few more weeks. He’s studying hard and doing PT – both with a high bar set. Italy will be his reward. When he returns, he’ll be volunteering at the Museum like Emmett.
Tessa did extracurricular technical theater again Spring semester, this time choosing props for Treasure Island. The show premiered last night and although Mom and Dad were recovering from the cold that went through the entire house, the reviews were amazing. Somehow, despite spending hours everyday after school at theater, Tessa still managed to find time to excel at her academic studies, and she received 2 academic awards for this year. Nice job, Tessa! Like Riley, she’s ready for exams to be done. She doesn’t yet, however, have her summer plans set. She’s still hoping to volunteer somewhere, and she’s planning a solo trip to Maine to spend time with our amazing Horowitz Kass family, but her summer might end up being driver’s ed and relaxing after a hard academic year.
While Asher also spent some time at the academic grind this semester, he’s mostly been hanging out a ton with friends. He’s got plans to go into business with a group of kids creating and selling 3D builds online. Currently, he’s trialing how feasible it is to print an entire set of Fallout armor. But wait! There’s more. Asher also wants to make that armor functional, with some jet packs and pneumatics. Not sure how he’s planning to fund the entirety of that project, but for now, Dad is supervising the 3D printing portion of the program. At the other end of the spectrum, Asher got 2 hives of bees today – the House of Beyla and the House of Ra. (Google the Norse Goddess of bees and the Ancient Egyptian origin story of bees.) He and Mom can’t wait to see them settle in, build their combs, and – in about a year – harvest some honey. In the meantime, he’s looking forward to the end of the academic year with almost zero academic anxiety. It’s great to be 12!
Check back after school’s over and we’ve all crushed our exams.
The Pigs
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