Celebrating The Boy

The Boy took his final ACT test on October 25th.  Today the results came in.  It wasn't a new personal record, but it did match his highest score to date.  And for that, I was really proud of him.

A couple more points would have made a big difference in moving him to a full-ride situation next year.  But as it is, and depending on where he goes, he is already qualified for half and even a three-quarters tuition scholarship.  His GPA and the ACT score are combined by some universities to determine the scholarship a student can qualify for at admission.  He is well on his way to a college education.  And I couldn't be prouder of him.

He's paid close attention to his GPA and has worked very hard to keep it up and to do well in his classes--even the hard ones, like Calculus.  He's even studied for the ACT and took practice tests.  It is all good enough for me.

Tonight, The Boy and Genius Golfer and I went to dinner at our favorite Mexican place to celebrate the end of the testing and the start of the applications.  Where has the time gone!?

Another Item Forgotten, Is Remembered

When The Girl left for school she didn't plan very well.  No.  Let's be honest.  She really didn't plan.  It was a last minute, throw it together, and hope it makes sense when she gets to school. 

Well, this past week she had a series of texts and a phone call, finally, to me to get something she needed, but didn't know she needed until just then.  (At least, that is what I am telling myself to avoid getting irritated by the timing issues here.)

She discovered at her first day of her chemistry lab that she needed a lab coat.  Luckily, I know someone who can get her a lab coat with an employee discount.  Me!  There is my first out of the office deal from this job!

She already had a pair of safety goggles (Thanks to Math club last year!) so she only needed the lab coat.  I found a cute, feminine one that cost me less than $20.  Not too bad, I thought.

Then, funnily enough, she was going to spend the Labor Day weekend with her darling roommate Kate who hails from Layton.  and lo, and behold, Kate's family was coming to American Fork to go boating with their uncle--so The Girl did too...and after boating (you see where HER family ranks here a little bit) the girls along with Kate's mom, Alisha, and little sister, Natalie, came by to visit and pick up the stuff The Girl needed that was still here.

I think Alisha and I might have been friends in the pre-existence.  She is wonderful and darling and completely delightful.  As is Kate.  And Natalie.

They also thought The Boy was pretty cute too, as they got to meet him as he was getting ready to go to work Saturday.  So the mutual admiration was flowing.

First Days

Today is the day....

Things To Do...

It is July.  In some ways I cannot believe this is possible.  In other ways, I wonder what took so long.  However, with the calendar flip today I am suddenly aware that I am running out of time to make sure The Girl is really ready to leave the nest.

I know she is ready academically.  And she is certainly ready in her attitude.  Especially if you ask her about it.  But I realize that I am doing her a disservice when she hasn't really had to cook fro herself and shop for her self.  She will have a meal plan--but she will have to supplement that with some cooking in her apartment.  I just hope she can get along.  It might be on macaroni and cheese cooked in the macrowave, true.

Otherwise, I guess I am ensuring that she will call occasionally to get a recipe or ask me how to make something she is trying to do on her own.  Maybe I won't worry about it and just lock in a weekly phone call or so.

Yeah.  That might be just the ticket.

The Cost of Procrastination

Since about November, and even before, The Girl has been working on her applications for all things college: scholarship, housing, FAFSA, etc.

For the FAFSA stuff, she had everything ready to go and even submitted with the notice that her parents 2012 taxes were "in process" of being filed.  Well, she and I have been asking Genius Golfer  to do this via Turbo Tax since January 31.  And considering we haven't made any money for 18 months, I figured this would be a piece of cake.  We've been asking probably weekly, and he just brushes us off saying, he'll "get to it when I get to it."

But he procrastinated until last night.  Because today is tax day across the nation.  The paperwork wasn't due until today, so he felt no rush.  Apparently he stayed up last night working on this and filed it electronically.  Just now, this morning, pre-seven o'clock, The Girl checked her email and discovered a notice from the FAFSA folks who were notifying her that she only qualified for a loan, no grant at all, and that the expected parental support for her collegiate experience was estimated to be $38,000.

I am sure that if we had submitted our taxes on February 1, her chances of getting the full Pell grant would have added up to $5,000 or so for her schooling this fall.  Now, because she is getting in at the very last, legal minute on the taxes being filed and thus finishing her FAFSA application, she gets diddly squat.

And this Pell grant qualification has been the only bright spot in our unemployment situation for me.  I kept telling myself, "Well, at least it is good timing to not have an income because it will help her with the FAFSA.  Now that isn't even true anymore.

Gut punch even before the day is officially started.  Lame way to begin the week.

Practice Day

Yesterday The Girl went to her first period class, and then (because her college classes were not held--due to UVU's spring break this week) I excused her from her third period class.  She had a "college visit day" today so her absence could be excused.  The funny thing here is that he visit was to her dear friend Nicole at BYU.  The Girl didn't even apply to BYU, but whatever.

She had a chance to spend the night and hang out with her friend and shadow her all day in her university classes.  At least she got the chance to see what kind of stuff is coming for her.  In that way, it didn't matter which school she visited.

I had a good idea where I would go to college, simply by doing the math.  There really was only one place that was cheap enough to attend.  I didn't have the scholarships The Girl has and my payment option was a very gracious set of parents.  So I went where it made financial sense--BYU.  I resigned myself to that but still flew out to visit for a weekend when I was still a senior in high school and stayed with friends from my home ward.  That was a good weekend.

It was great to hang out with friends who showed me around and helped me see that I could fit in on campus and gave me the idea that I could be happy there.  The resignation turned to excitement after that weekend trip.

In The Girl's case, she will have a chance to got up to USU (her chosen school) at the end of the month for a weekend visit there.  I'm sure she is excited about going to school.  The real trick is getting her to keep her head in the game until high school graduation.

But last night was a practice for me to have her gone.  The Boy even asked last night, on out FHE activity--a trip to Costco--what Genius Golfer and I would talk about once they are both gone?  Mean boy.  I'm consigned to them leaving...that si what I raised them to do.  But it might be nice if they issed US once ina while.

I guess I need more practice.

It Keeps Getting Better

We have had some amazing things happen this week.  None of them involve the weather, and sadly not the BYU Cougar basketball team either.  But in our family's little world, they are pretty dang amazing.

Last night was The Boy's board of review, the final step for his Eagle rank in scouting.  He passed and with flying colors.  Today he is an official Eagle! 

(Now, if everyone will just pray that his formal notification from the National BSA will arrive in time that we can go forward with the planned Eagle Court of Honor on May 1st while my family is here; I'd appreciate that a lot.  Thanks.)

Then, as you have heard, The Girl found out a week ago that she won the Energy Solutions scholarship for her high school, worth $2000 for college.  This week, she discovered that the university where she wants to attend has a program that will MATCH that scholarship with on e of their own, so her $2000 can potentially be worth $4000 is she keeps up her grades and is accepted at Utah State University in the fall of 2013. 

This tidbit was thrilling!  To know that her first year of school could already be paid for with scholarships and the money she has earned last summer, along with what she thinks she will earn this summer working at the pool.  Awesome!

Now if the Cougars had just beaten Florida last night, it would be a trifecta.  But overtime in the Sweet 16 isn't too shabby.  Plus, Jimmermania has been a great ride.    But I guess we can't have it all.  I sure do like what I have at the moment though.  What great kids!  I love them!!

Oh Happy Day!

No, with that title I don't mean I'm writing today about BYU making it to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA tournament, though that is pretty cool.

Nope, I am writing today give The Girl a big shout out! 

She found out Friday that she won the Energy Solutions scholarship for her high school.  It is a $2000 scholarship given to one sophomore at each Utah high school who plans on studying in the math or sciences arena at college.

She had to apply, and answer several small essays and submit two letters of recommendation--and of course, plan to study in a field of math or science.  But it is good for any college she chooses. She did it pretty much on her own.  She had me proof read her little essays, but she knew more about the topics, for the most part, than I did.

I'm just so proud of her.  She is a bright, intelligent, happy girl with lots of friends and an innate desire to do well at whatever she is doing.  She is a self motivated and determined student and has a creative and imaginative mind.

She has already scheduled her junior year to all but finish her associates degree with her high school diploma.  She already had scoped out the university she wants to attend and is narrowing down her major. 

I was never that together when I was her age.  And I was never that smart either.  Good thing for me that I have her.  She is a joy and a tremendous help in our family.  Now if we could just get her a little more interested in learning to drive....or maybe not.

Oh, The Pressure

The Girl is less than two weeks away from beginning her first college concurrent enrollment class. I got a call this morning that she was lacking one more form to be completely ready to begin.

I feel so much pressure about getting her class schedule right. She will have opportunities to take college credit classes in high school as well as Advanced Placement classes that will count for college credit. I never had those chances as my high school didn't offer such things.

The Girl has her own plan in her head for what she wants to do in high school as well as what she would like to do--at least, as of right now--in college too. Her plan is unlike the other girls in our neighborhood and at church. As these girls get together for any reason I have heard derisive comments that The Girl "isn't doing it right" or is "making dumb mistakes" and making "lame choices".

I worry that this kind of peer pressure is too much for her to withstand. I am concerned that her wishes and desires regarding her class choices and collegiate ambitions and goals will crumble under the pressure of alternatives taken by her peers.

Here is where I am really hoping her stubbornness makes a stand. I know she has it in her.

As her mom, I am concerned that I get her signed up for the correct classes and lined up for the right programs that she will benefit from all she does from here on out. I feel like I know so little about what she needs that I am not much real help. I am learning as quickly as I can, but she is passing me by. Soon she will having things in her own hands and she'll be great.

I just hope I can keep up and not embarrass her.