The Valiant Ones

From the four inch cut in my daughter's chest to the piles and piles of packed boxes inside my front door, it's easy to say my life isn't normal.

I remember my senior year. I worried about seeing my girlfriend, paying for prom, playing time on the basketball team. Where to go to college.

Teia's senior year: she's wondering where she's sleeping. If her sister will die. If she'll see her dad. What she should pack and what she should throw away.

The truth is, I have toyed with the idea of pulling them out of school so we can just manage this troubled time. But they love school, their friends. Kellen needs basketball.

Last night I got home at 9ish. Teia was packing dishes and making snickerdoodles. Isabel was packing Jen's closet. A typical school night.

So when Isabel's teacher told her she was downgrading her for being late with homework - homework late in part because we didn't have internet for days - I just deflated.

I guess we can take pride that Isabel's teacher figures Isabel's life is so normal that she should suffer the same consequences as a kid with a normal life. My kids are living valiantly, selflessly. I am so proud of their ability to appear like any other teen.

But I'm also saddened that her teacher chose not to walk with Isabel on this. Izzi's a good kid, a smart kid. A pretty good student. In one of her blog entries recently she described how "useless" she felt in the face of Zoe's trials.

Me too. But I wish to goodness that I could bear this instead of her. That she could worry about cell phone minutes and Friday's date instead of all this.

I'll try and write to the teacher, but pray for these kids. The world they know is different than the world many of us grew up in. It's been the strength they've found in faith and the same fighting spirit their little sister shows you that has gotten them through. I just hope I can get everyone to see that.

Best of Broadway Pictures

Here's a bunch of Best of Broadway pictures, featuring the lovely and talented Jen, her talented and sometimes available brother Josh, "The Big Girls": Teia and Isabel, "The Blondies": Selah and Elise, Little Ethan, and Deirdre's oldest son Keaton.

Musicals featured were "My Fair Lady"; "Into The Woods"; "Spamalot"; "Ms. Saigon"; and "The Sound of Music."

The Porch Swing Picture

I've received a lot of feedback regarding the porch swing picture, including requests to have it in a larger format. Here's the story behind the picture (they are barefoot, and there is snow):

"So basically what happened was Isabel and I were bored on New Year's Eve. Everyone in the family was sick and the two of us had nothing to do. For a little while we played outside and we took tons of pictures and then when we sat on the swing I told Isabel that we should take a picture on the swing and then she brought in the idea of putting on dresses. I told her to quick run inside and find something to wear and I would set up the camera. I had it set up on a table, a shelf and I think even a flower pot. It ended up where I just set it on a the picnic table in the corner and kept putting the timer on and then running over to the swing in my barefeet before it took the picture."

-Teia

An Old Picture Resurfaces

BNS archives have uncovered a picture of Isabel from about ten years ago. The picture was taken on 35 mm film on an old camera purchased at a Goodwill.

Kellen, Izzi, Teia ....A Little More Permanent Digs

Kellen, Izzi and Teia, known best around these parts as "the big kids," will be staying with their dad fulltime for the forseeable future. So for all you "big kids" fans, look them up in West Bend. Please keep them in your prayers.

MINTE TURNS 14

Deirdre, Minte's mother, just emailed to report that Minte has turned 14. The BNS didn't realize that people can turn 13 on one day and then 14 just a few days later. Perhaps this was the way they do it in New York, where Minte was born.

The BNS based its fact checking on shaking 15 year old Isabel Batiansila awake and asking her how old Minte was. Isabel looked shocked, then faked like she was still reading a Willa Cather novel, then mumbled "13. Didn't you just ask me that?" Who needs more fact checking than that?

So happy birthday Minte! Does this mean you turn 15 in the next few days?

Christmas Tree Tales PICTURES

BNS has received this link to pictures that would help to illuminate the previous Christmas Tree cutting post....

Teia, Izzi and Brennick's Choir

As mentioned earlier, Living Word's A Capella choir have a recording online! I think this was actually recorded last year, but its nice...

Magnifique

Teia and Izzi (Greg's Oldest Two) and Brennick (Deirdre's 3rd oldest) just performed with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra in an elite chorus comprised of a group of choirs from around the state of Wisconsin. Their A Capella choir was chosen through an audition process and performed selections from Handel's "Messiah."

Wow. Really proud of them, and really impressed by the sound. That's the real deal.

I'm enclosing some of the details from the Milwaukee Symphony website...

clipped from www.milwaukeesymphony.org 2007-2008 Teen Series Masterworks Recommended for grades 7 through 12 Programs are approximately 1 hour in length Handel's Messiah November 27 at 10:30 a.m. Featuring guest choruses from Wisconsin high schools Soloists, tbd Lee Erickson, conductor Explore the power of classical music with the most famous oratorio in Western classical music, Handel’s Messiah. Composed in just 24 days, this masterpiece moved its own composer to tears with its beauty and majesty. Rediscover this Baroque showpiece, from its stirring orchestration to the majestic Hallelujah chorus. Handel - Selections from Messiah Connections: Music, Visual Art, Language Arts

Catch Up 2: TRICK OR TREAT!

Here's how it happens at my house. Trick or treating in West Bend is fantastic. They have a street so busy, it's like a several-block-long party! Lines of kids heading up to houses, and the owners really were excited. Two women got out glasses of wine next to a tub of candy. One house really made use of it's gothic-like architecture to have some fun.

Sometimes you forget that there's days and places like this anymore.

Citrus, Anyone? It's For A Good Cause

Izzi and Teia are traveling to Lutheran hotbeds like Seward, Nebraska and maybe even Pike's Peak on their next choir tour. In order to raise money for their trip, they're selling fruit. MMMM, citrus. The kind that sprays you a bit as you peel it. Oh yeah, sweet citrus. (How'm I doing?)

RUBY RED GRAPEFRUIT
Sweet, pink and no sugar needed
HAMLIN ORANGES
Juicy, sweet, thin skinned, good for eating as well as making fresh juice
NAVEL ORANGES
Usually seedless and wonderful for eating

Small Box (2/5 carton)
Approximately 18-20 pounds
----20 dollars----

Large Box (4/5 carton)
Approximately 38-40 pounds
----35 dollars----

Interested? Email Izzi or Teia. Order some citrus. It's not just for breakfast anymore.

Long Day here. Pumpkin Farm, Powder Puff Football, and a Birthday Party. No Powder Puff pictures, but some of the others...Elise Turns 6 Sunday! Wow.

Apple Pickin' 2007

In a bold display of parenting, Greg missed Brett Favre's record-setting performance against the Packer's archrivals, the Vikings, so he could pick some apples with his children. I would compare that to something Bat had done, but Bat knows better than to watch a football game when he can get all the highlights on the news.

JOOYY!

Heidi called me on Saturday. I'm walking through the store and she asked me if I knew a Christmas song...it goes "Jooooyy.....".

Don't ask me to replicate what she sang. It didn't matter. "JOOOOYYY..."

So, if you know the song, let me know. I couldn't get it.

Turns out Heidi is considering trying out for a play, and was trying to locate the song. I'm not sure if it's called "Jooooyy..." or if that's the chorus. Heidi's still on the fence about trying out for the play...I'll keep you posted.

Isabel and Selah tried out and received parts in High School Musical. Izzi is in the Jocks and an extra audition person (where she gets to try out however she wants) (I know that if you don't know anything about High School Musical, that meant nothing) and Selah is a cheerleader!

OOH! And Teia and Isabel's choir was chosen from many entrants to sing with the Milwaukee Symphony in November. They will be performing, among other pieces, "Messiah." And perhaps, "Joooyy."

Three Crazy Kids

Here's some pics of Teia, Izzi and Minte. I'm not sure what to tell you, folks. They're like this.