A Lilac a Day, Day One

The lilacs, up the hill, are just starting to open. It's usually a little cooler down close to the water, to those lilacs usually open a smidge later.

Graduation: Mackinac Style

I may be a wee bit biased, but I have to say Mackinac Island's Commencement ceremony is pretty unique. With such small classes, the principal can share personal stories about each graduate. (Four students graduated this year.) She told each of them why she would remember them, and let them know that she put her cell phone number inside their card. She told them that she would be there to help and support them, in any way she could. It was so much more personal than the graduates simply walking across the stage. The personal relationships teachers are able to build with students on Mackinac Island is really quite special.

After the ceremony the students stood in a receiving line so all the guests could congratulate them. Then the kids and their families headed over to Grand Hotel's Secret Garden for photographs. 

Have you ever seen a more beautiful place for graduation photos? The photos don't do the garden justice; the smell of grape hyacinths was just incredible. The hotel's photographer took pictures of the kids together and then stayed and took family portraits. Saturday morning we discovered not only did Grand Hotel donate the photographer, but we were gifted all the digital images! What an amazing surprise.

Sunday morning the celebration continued on a Sip n' Sail cruise aboard the Isle Royal Queen III. The Class of 2023 enjoyed food, music, friends, and family as they cruised through the Straits of Mackinac. (Again, donated by our incredibly supportive community.)  It was a delightful way to spend a Sunday morning!

 

The weekend was full of love and support for these boys who are ready to go out and make their mark on the world.

This weekend also happened to be the one year anniversary of my dad's death. As my husband and I thought of how to best honor my father, we decided to do what we thought he would have wanted us to do, which was to celebrate his grandson; to make the graduate the center of attention. I can grieve for my father any day, but S gets one high school graduation. I don't believe my dad would want his grandson's special day overshadowed by sadness and grief. 

So, in that spirit, I share this goofy photo from Thanksgiving, 2012. 

Today

 Today you become a high school graduate.

The past 18 years have been a blur -

a loud, colorful, fabulous blur.

Weren't you five, like yesterday?

To some people, graduation is an end, but I see it as a beginning; your adult life begins tomorrow. You've got the intelligence, the drive, and the skills to shape that life into anything your heart desires. Focus on your goals and work toward achieving them, because the life you envision for yourself won't just happen; it has to be crafted. I know, you've got this...

Your dad and I will be here, if you need us, and trust me - you will still need us occasionally, and that's OK. If you don't need us, that's OK, too, but we'll still be here cheering you on.  Try to remember through all of the craziness of this weekend my tears aren't tears of sadness. Of course, I will miss you next year, but moving on is what you are supposed to do; I'm not in the least bit sad to see you go off to college. I'm thrilled at the thought of you heading off to Northern Michigan University. 

Know that we are incredibly proud of you and how hard you've worked to arrive at this moment.  And remember when I am crying, uncontrollably, don't worry about me; I'm just overwhelmed with feelings of pride, joy, and unconditional love for you.

Tomorrow

Tomorrow you finish high school. 

I remember that day; you were wide-eyed with wonder and excited about each new experience.  You were unapologetically true to yourself and were not about to compromise about the face painting style you wanted. Even at seven, you weren't afraid to be yourself, and I've always admired that about you. I was proud of you then and I am so proud of the man you have grown into.

Three Days

Only three more days until you walk across that stage  and get your diploma. Wasn't it only yesterday that you were taking your first walks around our neighborhood? Where did the time go?

Four Days

Four days until your adorable little bucket hat gets replaced by a mortarboard.

Five Days

Five days until this guy graduates from high school. 

It's hard to believe it's been 18 years since you came into our lives; early, but healthy. 

18 years since my Grandma Mary told my mom there was an emergency and that she needed to fly home from Malta that same day. (For the record, I was on "limited mobility" and not allowed to be more than ten minutes away from the hospital, but the emergency return to the States was really for my grandmother's benefit.) 

18 years since the overwhelming joy at your arrival after years of trying and a miscarriage.

It's hard to believe there are only five days left until you are a high school graduate...

Tulips!

One of the most iconic signs of spring on Mackinac Island is the bed of tulips growing in front of Grand Hotel. Lots of tourists don't realize that all those beautiful bulbs are used for a single year. Well, by Grand Hotel, that is. You see, after they are pulled out and thrown on the hotel's compost pile, locals (like me) bring them home. No sense letting them go to waste, right?

Lovely

Spring arrives later on Mackinac Island than it does most places, but when it finally gets here, it's worth the wait.

Spring

May arrived on Mackinac, as it often does, with a chilly rain. I tried not to let it dampen my spirits and instead I focused on the flowers that have started to pop up. No tulips yet, just a few crocuses, snowdrops, and daffodils.

I'm told that because crocus has a Latin origin that croci is also grammatically correct, but croci just doesn't sound right to me...

Little Shop of Horrors

We started on March 12th for an April 21st opening night. 40 whirlwind days full of singing and rehearsing. And although tech week nearly did me in, I had an absolute blast. Needless to say, there was little time left in my schedule for blogging - especially in April!

For a tiny town of around 500 people, let me tell you - Mackinac has got some talent! 

I was cast as the Act One voice of Audrey II, a carnivorous plant with a deep voice and a taste for blood. I was also a member of the Derelict Chorus - A.K.A. a wino on Skid Row (hence the ragged shirt and trench coat.)

Working with the puppeteers to align my voice with the puppet's mouth movements (without being able to see one another) was a challenge, but we pulled it off.

Travis took over as Audrey II's voice when the plant grew and needed a deeper voice. (That's us at curtain call in front of the full grown Audrey II.)

For me, one of the highlights of Little Shop was getting to work with my youngest. K was the puppeteer for the smallest Audrey II. They were so excited when the prop builder said little Audrey II could come home with us. 

Truth be told - singing with a live band, in front of an audience, was pretty cool too. I never really understood the draw of participating in community theater until I was a part of it. Now I completely understand why people are willing to put so much work and effort into a play! 

Irresistible

I mean just look at that face.

So. Stinking. Cute.

I think

Professor Minerva McGonagall,

or Minnie, for short,

is the most adorable

kitty around.

Mackinac Island Carpool

Without a bus, Mackinac families "carpool" via snowmobile. This time of year, when we don't have much snow, kids get a ride as far as there is snow - usually to "the top of Grand Hill." Once there, they have to walk the rest of the way to school. At the end of the day, kids walk to the top of the hill and then ride the rest of the way. 

I Just Don't Get It

Recently Michigan passed an amendment to the Elliot Larson Civil Rights Act. This Act, originally passed in 1976, prohibits discrimination on the basis of "religion, race, color, national origin, age, sex, height, weight, familial status, or marital status" in the state of Michigan. While the law was interpreted to include protections for members of the LGBTQ+ community, Senate Bill Four codified those protections into law by adding "sexual orientation, gender identity or expression" to the list. 

To me, preventing discrimination of a marginalized group sounds like a good thing. Yet I know people who are adamantly against these additions. In fact the comments of an acquaintance of mine indicated that their church "would not stand" for this change and that "the battle is real."  To me the comments made it sound like the church is preparing for a fight. (And yes I know, I'm only giving you snippets of their words, but I want to protect their anonymity. If I were to share their entire quote, people in my community would know exactly who I was quoting, and I am not trying to badmouth or publicly shame anyone. I hope that if you're reading this you know I wouldn't take their words out of context, or intentionally misrepresent the intent of the comment.) Anyway... it sounded, to me, like this person was suggesting a fight was brewing.

It almost sounds, to me, as if the person I quoted wants people in Michigan to have the right to discriminate against others based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. So not hiring, providing a hotel room to, allowing to use a pool, renting to, etc. to people based on their religion, race, age, gender, height, weight, marital status, or nation of origin is not OK, but if you think they are gay or trans, then it is OK? Whether one approves of people being LGBTQ+ is irreverent; they're human beings who, in my opinion, deserve equal protections under the law. 

I genuinely don't understand how someone can justify the desire to keep discrimination legal.  I've never heard of a group of Jehovah's Witnesses picketing a plasma donation center,  a group of Church of Christ, Scientists trying to shut down a hospital, or a group of Mormons trying to get a coffee shop shut down; despite their religious objections to those institutions.

How does a person, in good conscious, fight against all Michigan citizens having equal rights under the law? I suppose all gains in civil rights have come with a fight. Our country was born out of a fight for rights, women fought for the right to vote and African Americans fought for Civil Rights. Perhaps it's just the Queer community's turn? I would have hoped we would have learned something from all those past fights.

Good Luck

This kid, along with the rest of The Great Lakers (Mackinac's robotics team), is off to Lake Superior State University today for his second competition. The entire team  worked hard on building this robot, so I hope they do well. It's pretty amazing to me that we can field a competitive team considering we only have about 30 students in out entire high school!

Lovely

The flight from St. Ignace over to the Island may be quick, but it always puts a smile on my face. 

Nope

Soylent Blue and Soylent Black might be OK, but there's no way they'll get me to try Soylent Green, even if it is mint flavored. 

I would love to talk to their marketing department to find out just what they were thinking. 

Today's the Day

This afternoon was out first read through of the script. I am so excited to be a part of this. Everyone involved is so incredibly talented; I just hope I am worthy of being included.

Changes

As I was cleaning out a closet the other day, I came across a box full of notes I'd saved from high school. Don't ask why I saved them - I really don't know, other than I tend to be a packrat... 

As I sat on my bedroom floor reminiscing and happily attempting to decipher the handwriting of my high school friends, it struck me; neither of my children have experienced the simple joy of finding a page-long, hand-written note in their locker. Nor have they ever been quickly handed a note in the hallway while they rush to class. Of course they don't write notes any more - kids text. Even in our little school with only 30 high school students, who are always together - they text, or use Snapchat. 

Writing a note took time - it took commitment and you didn't do it for just anyone. A page-long, hand-written note only went to someone who mattered to you; maybe that's why I saved them. It makes me wonder if any of the notes I wrote back in high school are in the back of someone else's closet. 

As silly as it sounds, I'm really glad I didn't grow up with a smart phone in my pocket.

Fun

 

It's going to be a lot of work, but I think it's going to be a blast! I've helped out with costuming several community theater shows recently, but I've not been in one since before my kids were born. And even though I won't actually be on stage, I'm looking forward to doing a little voice acting. And I get to sing!  Though I'm sure my family will be sick of my one song well before show time.