Sunday, March 9, 2014

"I'm writing a new book. I'm on page two. It's going to be like Junie B Jones--but shorter."

We've been enforcing the dress code around HSJH lately by having girls wear gym shorts over their leggings if their shirts don't cover their butts. A group of teachers decided to be funny on Friday and we all wore gym shorts over leggings on purpose.
 

Friday night I got to hang out with this awesome crew of Indy camp girls--Claire, Taylor Fischl, Emily, Amanda, Rachel, Kiley, Katie and even Ellyn showed up for the dinner. I'm so thankful for all of their friendships and the opportunity to keep being part of each other's lives all year long.


 
Ellyn, Rachel, Taylor and I made a quick trip into Ollie's bargain store before the night came to a close. They have all sorts of stuff in that place and it's all marked down prices. Ellyn and I didn't actually get these helmets and baseball hats but we're thinking we might need to take up a new sport.
 

Saturday morning started off the best way any Saturday morning can begin-- brunch at Patachou with the one and only Oh la la Olivia Odle. Over eggs and cinnamon toast we chatted about camp, college roommates, HS and Jr High, braces and friends and Butler. I will miss this girl when she goes away to school next year.


This afternoon I ventured to watch a Destination Imagination Competition. I watch my students perform and play all sorts of things but DI had never made the list before. I was missing out.


First I watched one of my 7th graders and her team put on their skit about a Pompeii University Reunion and their mission to stop another explosion of the volcano before anyone was hurt. They had incredible props, knew all their lines filled with facts and obviously put in a ton of work.


Then KCraig and I got to cheer on Jacob and Chad, two of our HS Wyld Life leaders, and their team compete in Pandemonium, a crazy improv challenge. The guys had been studying for months and didn't know exactly what their skit would have to be about until right before they began. They were told the face paint was animal, the time period was 1600-1699, they had to include the disappearance of the Yellow Brick Road and some other things that I forget. We got to see Chad be an accused witch from Salem and Jacob be a motivational coach for a worm. Moral of the story-- it was awesome.


Saturday night HSE made it to the Sectional Championship against Carmel. I'd been at the game when HSE lost by a point a few weeks ago and didn't want to miss this rematch. While we were waiting outside for the doors to open I recognized a Carmel girl walking by-- Camp Tecumseh rock star camper Lilly Fair. I yelled her name and she sprinted the rest of the way to attack me in a giant hug. Any counselor who has met Lil has instantly fallen in love with this kid. She is incredible and I love getting to play with her every summer.


They gym was beyond packed. The doors opened an hour before the game and in minutes the student section was filled and overflowing. The first half of the game I sat in the upper section of the bleachers with Madi, Sam and Kylie--three Junior girls that I used to teach who sometimes come to YL now.



The second half of the game I found Jenna Perkins, the YL staff person in Carmel and one of my old roommates. We stood right over the basket and watched the game while we talked about life and YL and kids that we both know. Near the end of the game I ran into Wyld Life girls Abby, Caroline, Rachel and Izzy too.


HSE led almost the entire game and the crowd never stopped yelling. You can't beat this kind of excitement. Thankfully HSE did win, got the trophy and cut down the net from the basket. The kids stormed the court and everyone was proud to be a Royal.


Sunday morning I went to church at Northview. The Fishers campus is starting to feel like home after switching around to different locations for a lot of the year. I love that I see the Halkyard and Ruby families every week, I'm used to the church staff and I always experience God when I'm there. This sermon was all about Goodness and it made me think about some things differently.

This afternoon I picked up Julia, Emma, Milly and Madison to go the annual Indiana Elite Dawg Show. After competing all year, these cheer teams were going to perform their routine of flips, stunts, dance and cheers one more time for an audience of family and friends.


I've been coming for a few years now and I'm always stunned by what these girls are capable of doing. They start at age 2 and go up until Seniors in HS. I knew girls on all of the Junior and Senior teams--it makes me feel like half of my students are cheerleaders.


I loved getting to watch all of these girls do something that they love so much. They're intense and dedicated, strong and focused and I could never do some of the things they do on that floor.


I loved getting to cheer with Julia, Rachel, Izzy, Cecilia and Grace. Girls like Maddy, Alaina, Carly, Maddy, Jules and Lexi all did such a phenomenal job.



Meanwhile the Senior Tsunami's didn't get to perform in the main show but we're pretty proud of our team too. We're fierce competitors and after this season's success everyone is trying to recruit us for next year.

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