School Starts

Summer ends early around here since the public schools start in mid-August. One clue that the first day is coming is the final wine club before the college kids head back to their respective campuses. Ella, Ian, and Jacob were all set for their sophomore years and Claire was preparing for her senior year of high school. This is always a bittersweet gathering - so sad to see them go but so proud of who they are becoming.

Since Callie was starting high school, the mom of one of her friends thought it would be great to kick of the high school years with a mother-daughter dinner. These six girls made it through a challenging covid-middle school experience and were ready to tackle the next phase of their academic careers.

Although we started some new traditions we had to keep some of the old. Out came the poster board. High school for Callie and middle school for Reese meant that we needed our annual pictures and signs. The girls knew it was coming so were happy to comply.

Or at least they didn't put up too much of a fight when we got them on the back patio for the photo shoot. They were also pretty excited since we finally got them new backpacks. It's the little things that make the first day easier.

The main thing Callie was nervous about was getting from class to class in a new school that was much bigger than Morton. Henry Clay has over 2,000 students, so we could understand her concern. She took time to prepare for the first day by creating a color coded map of where to go for each class period. It was pretty impressive and our understanding is that it worked well.

Now that she knew where she needed to go she wanted to meet up with her friends so they could all go through metal detectors together. Yes, it is a sign of the times. She and her schoolmates have to pass through metal detectors every morning.

The first day went well, aided in part by her map and her soccer teammates. She loved seeing the upperclass teammates in the hallways, and she even had one senior in her first period class. 

Reese also seemed to have a great first day. The 6th graders have their own wing of the school, but she still had a plan for moving from room to room. You can see here that she had to double backpack on her first day since she would be going straight to soccer practice after basketball tryouts in the afternoon. Talk about hitting the ground running. We're hoping for great years for both of the girls and they each got off on the right foot.

High School Soccer

Last year Callie played Henry Clay soccer as an 8th grader, which meant she could only play JV. This year was different because she was now going to be a student at the school and she could set a goal of being on varsity. For months she and her friends talked about whether or not any freshman would make the varsity squad. What also made this year different was that there was a brand new coach who didn't know anything about the players from the previous years. Tryouts started on July 15 and Callie was a bit nervous but was determined to do her best. We were nervous too and didn't want to have any expectations about the results. Turns out Callie knows what she is doing and she was one of only three freshman to make varsity. She was over the moon to say the least and especially enjoyed the traditional welcome the varsity bestows on its new members. It's amazing how long toilet paper can stay on trees.

Training over the summer was a little different than last year. The new coach has a day job so there were only evening practices. Callie was perhaps one of a small group upset that they did not have two-a-days. But she was excited to play with the sophomores, juniors, and seniors that she looked up to. It took a while for her to feel like she belonged, but when she got her uniform she certainly looked the part.

The varsity began playing games only a couple of weeks after practices started. The first slate of games occurred in the Bluegrass State games. Now an important coaching detail is that the new head coach, Haydon, had coached Reese when she was 8 years old and first starting at LFC. Her husband, Tom, coached Reese for the past two years and is the one who led Reese's team to the Village Cup championship. Reese adores Tom and the feeling is mutual. At the first game of at the Bluegrass tournament, Tom asked Reese if she wanted to hang with him on the sidelines. She jumped at the chance. This had so many more benefits than we could have imagined, because Reese learned first hand that many of the girls on the varsity squad were excited to have Callie on the team. And we loved this picture of Reese and Tom striking a similar pose on the sidelines as they analyzed the competition.

On the field, Callie started to prove herself right away. Not only was she in the starting lineup, but she scored the first goal of the season for Henry Clay in that first game. It was almost too good to believe and it certainly helped her feel like part of the team.

One of the great things for us at this point is that we have professional women's soccer just down the road in Louisville that we can watch. We had made plans with the Abrahams to watch Racing Louisville play the Portland Thorns. The Thorns are Ella's favorite team and they also happen to be really good. Of course, our girls would go with the Abrahams to watch paint dry, but professional soccer on a beautiful day makes things that much better.

Coincidentally, Callie's high school team had also arranged to go to the game as a group for some good old team bonding. We saw a great game in which the first goal was scored on a great run by Sophia Smith, a striker on the Thorns who is also a star on the national team. She was amazing to watch. And led by Ella, we did some post-game lingering and managed to get a photo with Sophia. Awesome doesn't even begin to describe it. The new soccer year was starting off very well.

Camps

As the girls get older and our schedule gets busier, camps are harder to fit into our summers. However, the girls have always wanted to go to sleep away soccer camp, and while we were with Callie in St. Louis, Reese got to attend soccer camp at Centre College about an hour away. Good thing that the carpool connections stayed strong so that Reese could get a ride there. It was only for three nights and four days, but she had a great time.

When we asked Reese what she liked most about the camp she said, rooming with Emerson, staying in college dorms, and getting to play soccer every day. It didn't hurt that her team at camp won the tournament held on the last day. It was a great camp and we hope Reese gets to go again next summer.

Reese was also able to fit in a couple of other camps after the soccer one, She spent a week at Cathedral Domain for the first time. She finally got to do all the things that she had been hearing about from her sister who has gone to Cathedral for years. And once again Reese spent a week at Bluegrass Christian Camp. It was supposed to be with her friend Ella, but then Ella got sick and couldn't go. Reese was not excited about the idea of going without her friend, but she ended up having a wonderful week. It didn't hurt that she had a girl named Haley Flynn as her counselor. Haley is a great soccer player from Lexington, so Reese was excited to hang out with her. Another plus was that Annie Sewell was also a camp counselor in training that week and she looked out for Reese and gave her hugs.

Callie also got the opportunity to go to Centre Camp, though her experience was slightly different. It turns out that at the high school ages most of the campers attend as full high school teams. Callie and her friend Addie were part of a relatively small group of "Independents," which made some of the activities and team exercises a little more challenging. In the end, though, Callie had a great time because she got to sleep in the dorms and play soccer every day. 

Centre ended on Saturday and less than 24 hours later Callie was packed up and heading off for a week at Cathedral Domain. She loves this camp and was very disappointed when she missed it the last couple of years. The week was a lot of fun and as always she needed a lot of sleep when she returned.

Now this may not have officially been a camp, but Sarah also got to pack a bag and leave her family for a few days to spend time with friends. In this instance she hopped in a car with Kelly, Ella, and Ella's friend Sophia and they headed down to Atlanta to see the Chicks in concert. It was a great weekend and the Chicks lived up to expectations. Maybe one day John will get to go to camp.
 

Soccer Cups

 Once school had ended we turned our attention to the flurry of activity on the soccer field as both Reese and Callie's teams entered the postseason competitions. Reese's team would play in the Village Cup, which is a statewide competition. At their age, the season ends there and there are no regional or national progressions. Over the course of the year Reese's team dominated and had only lost one game, including tournaments. In short, we had high hopes entering the Village Cup.

The girls did not disappoint and played like champions. The first weekend they won 6-0 and 5-1. They headed into the semifinals against the other Lexington-based club team called Commonwealth. Safe to say they wanted the win because the final score there was 9-0. This set up a rematch of last year's final against Javanon out of Louisville. The girls scored two goals early, dominated for much of the match, and held on to win by a final score of 2-1. 

This state championship ended an impressive two year run for this team and their coach. They grew as players and as a team and made it clear that they were the team to beat in their age group in Kentucky. Just as, if not more important, they are a group of fun-loving and goofy girls. They are going to miss playing for Coach Tom, Reese especially, but they are looking forward to what comes next.

The immediate future was another pool party. One of the families invited the team and parents over right after the championship to enjoy food, swimming, and even a tractor ride across the farm in Madison County. It was a great opportunity for everyone to relax and soak in the accomplishment.

Reese's age group stops at the state level, but that is not the case for all ages above her. In other words, Callie's U15 team would have the opportunity to move on from state if they won their age group of the President's Cup. Their march to the Cup began with a weekend of pool play in Lexington. They won their first game 3-0 and then tied the second game 1-1 on a rainy and blustery day. Sometimes you need a little luck on your side, and in this case the girls advanced out of their group based on goal differential. That meant that the following weekend we were headed to Bowling Green for a semifinal and hopefully a championship game.

The semifinal brought a rematch against a team they had lost to 1-0 at the beginning of the season. This time was a bit different. After it was 1-1 at halftime, Callie broke the game open with a goal in the second half and the floodgates opened. Callie scored another and the gamed ended 6-1. The finals awaited the next day. But we had a few more things to do before we could even make it to Sunday.

The soccer game had started at 8:00am, which gave us just enough time to hop in the car to drive from Bowling Green to Louisville so that Callie could run for Morton in the state track meet. It was a lot, but Callie really wanted to do it and not let down her team. She ran well and we got to watch some cool pole vaulting, so it was a win-win all around. Once she was done it was back in the car to head back to Bowling Green.

It was a hot summer weekend and after a long day the girls wanted slushies. Sarah was more than happy to be one of the parents to drive the crew to Sonic. Pictured here, the girls were in a state of bliss, unaware of what was about to unfold. When Sarah and her crew drove back to the hotel it was dark and as she turned into a parking spot the headlights illuminated quite a scene. A young couple were showing their passion in public and both of them were topless. Sarah was mortified, they girls were shocked, and this episode was told and retold many times over the next hours, days, and weeks. 

Fortunately the girls were able to sleep well that night and the next day delivered a decisive 2-0 victory in the championship game against the Lady Pumas. It was a great win and it meant that not only had they won their state but they also moved on to the Regional playoffs in St. Louis.

Callie loved playing with this team for many reasons, but getting to know and play up top with Una was a big one. The two had a great chemistry and combined for some great goals during the season and in Bowling Green.

The regional playoffs are a pretty big deal and we were going to spend at least four days in St. Louis to play three games and hopefully more. But this was a veteran crew because this was the second year in a row they had made it this far. They fell short in 2021 but were hoping for better things in 2022.

Last year Callie had the opportunity to play in some of the regional games but we weren't able to attend any of them. This time was different and we were excited for the whole experience. As you can see from the picture above, the players and their coach were pretty excited too.

The team moms were very prepared as well, having purchased mostly matching Eye of the Tiger t-shirts for the occasion. You will also notice the fan and misters in the picture. The forecast for St. Louis was scorching heat. There were mandated water breaks during the games because the heat index was in the low 100s.

In their first game out against a team from Kansas the girls fought hard. The heat was a factor but the other team had a lot of fight in them as well. The girls gave up a goal late in the second half and deflated a bit. The final score was 3-0, but they still had two more games to go. 

On Friday they played a team from Michigan and this time around the result was positive. Coach Taylor had made sure that the girls were not feeling defeated and they responded well. Callie had a goal in the 2-0 victory and the door was still open for advancing to Nationals. Their third game of pool play was another 2-0 victory over a squad from Ohio. This time, however, the goal differential was not in their favor. Although they finished with two wins, a team from another bracket advanced over them. It wasn't the overall result they wanted but they showed a lot of fight over the three days and we were all proud of them.

They also had a lot of fun on the trip. With only one game each day there was plenty of time to see the sights, including a visit to the famous arch downtown. After making a trip to the top of the arch they struck a handstand pose outside.

It was a strong end of the season for what turned out to be a very strong season overall for Callie. The team had 17 wins, 5 losses, and 2 ties. Callie and AK were the top goal scorers with 9 apiece and Callie won the Offensive Player of the Year award from her coach. Not too shabby. And with the club season ending June 18 she had less than a month before high school tryouts on July 15. For Callie, that was perfect timing.

Milestones worth Celebrating

This was going to be a unique crossroads of milestones for the younger residents of the Bowes household. Callie was going to be completing middle school and Reese would be finishing fifth grade and marking our family's last year at Cassidy Elementary School. Everywhere we turned were reminders of what was coming, including a congratulations sign for all graduates at our church.

Leading up to graduation, Morton Middle School put on an 8th grade dance to give the graduates one last fling before the big day. Because of cotillion, Callie and her friends had gotten used to dressing up.

 

From this picture you can see that Callie and her closest eleven friends in a rainbow of assorted colors had dinner together before hitting the dance floor. But as Callie reports, middle schoolers do not dance. Some things never change.

Finally the big day arrived and we all had our work cut out for us. Callie had stated years ago, if Reese and I graduate on the same day you guys should just go to Reese's ceremony. Obviously we would never do that, but circumstances certainly tested that commitment. Our day started early with a photo shoot on the back patio with our two honorees. Then it was off to Cassidy.

We arrived at Cassidy early so that we could get good seats for a number of reasons. In our experience with both girls, Cassidy does a great job with their graduation and after dealing with the pandemic restrictions it was great to all be together to celebrate these kids. In a wonderful twist, Reese received one of the special awards of the day. This was from Mrs. Adams, the librarian, and she highlighted Reese's enjoyment of reading and that Reese was a wonderful presence throughout her six years at Cassidy. We were already proud of Reese, but this certainly made us beam even more.

After the formal graduation, all the kids and families squeezed into the cafeteria for some snacks and photo opportunities. This crew just happens to include many of her soccer friends and are a good bunch. Not too long after this they continued their celebrations at a pool party. But before Reese could do that, she had to dash out the door with Sarah to join John and Callie across town.

On a typical year, going from a graduation at Cassidy to one at Morton would simply involve walking across the playground. This year, however, things were very different. Due to concerns about crowd size and covid, Morton's administration initially decided to have graduation with only the kids present and the parents watching online. That announcement did not sit well with many parents and to make a long story short, on graduation day Morton kids and their families had an in-person ceremony in the gym of Transylvania University. The location and timing meant that John and Callie had to leave Cassidy's ceremony early to make sure Callie was on time. Fortunately, Reese and Sarah made it right before the ceremony started.

It continued to be a day of wonderful surprises for us as Callie received a special award as well. The award she received was for the most accomplished female student athlete in the 8th grade. And we are happy to report that Callie definitely puts the student in student athlete, finishing her middle school career with straight As all three years.

Just like her sister, Callie is fortunate to have a group of great friends around her. They are great students, involved in all sorts of activities, and just good folks overall. Not too long after this picture they had their own pool party to go to. The big difference for them is that their party was co-ed and hosted by a boy.

It was a beautiful day overall that exemplified how fortunate the four of us are to be part of a great community of schools, kids, and fellow parents. These milestones were made even more special in that they marked the accomplishments of these kids who endured a great deal of uncertainty, instability, and disruption over the previous two years. It was not easy for anyone but the smiles of the day say it all.

Spring Activities

Spring brought another new activity to the Bowes household as Callie decided to try out track and field for Morton Middle School. John ran track in high school so was excited to see what she could do. He had forgotten just how long track meets could be, however. 

 

Callie ran the 200, 400, and 800 with some regularity. Her coach had her run the mile once, but Callie did not exactly enjoy the experience. She also ran a few relays and overall learned a lot about herself and the sport. Not sure it persuaded her to give up her soccer cleats, but we are hoping she has a couple more seasons in her.

Just like all sports, track was a great way to spend time with friends. In fact, based on how long the meets last track is more about time with friends than the actual sport. Nothing wrong with that, of course. Holland, pictured here, and Callie also got to run some relays together which provided a nice balance of support and competition all in one package.

Speaking of competition, Reese was selected for Young Achievers, which is a program we know little about but it sounds pretty good. We discovered that this in part meant she had to do a photo shoot. John got to take her and it was quite an experience. Reese loved the photo shoot and the pictures came out well. This program allows you to buy a couple of these pictures and they produce a poster for the school. Unfortunately we never actually made it into the school to see the poster for ourselves, so we got this photo from a mom who spotted it and sent it to us. Reese may not stay young, but we hope she keeps achieving.

Sarah has become the official hairdresser of the Abraham household, or at least the go to stylist for big events. Unlike a couple of years ago when she got the day of emergency call from Ella, she was booked weeks in advance for Claire's junior prom. Sarah still hasn't had the opportunity to tell the Abraham girls that this is not her specialty, but she tries to do the best she can to meet their expectations.

It just so happened that Claire's prom was on the same day as Callie's final night of cotillion, so the girls got ready together. It is important to note that spring is also lacrosse season, which is why Claire is sporting a significant shiner on her upper arm from an opponent's lacrosse stick. Like her older sister, Claire is a role model for our girls, and it is great to see her and Callie have this moment together.

Callie's Coto group was short several members on the final evening due to soccer games, but it was still a good-sized crew and Callie had a great time. The cotillion season came to an end and although Callie had a good time we are not sure if this is something Reese is going to be interested in when her time comes. Time will tell.

And just like that, Easter had arrived. The theme this year was Spa Day, as the Easter bunny realized that busy schedules and end of the school year anxieties needed to be balanced out by some sweet smelling lotions and soaps. Unlike cotillion, this is right up Reese's alley, especially because it still includes candy.

Easter Sunday was a beautiful day and our church held an Easter egg hunt for the first time in a couple of years. Callie and Reese did a great job helping all the little kids find eggs hidden throughout the church and outdoor garden. It is a bit strange seeing them on the other side of these traditions. They are definitely getting older and we will see how long Sarah can hold onto her position as third tallest in the family for pictures like this one.

Easter for us always includes brunch with the Chrismans and a picture with the Abraham girls. This was the first year that Ella wasn't present for the photo, which is a big change. However, we still had to get it in even though we missed Claire at church. She drove over to capture the moment, which we are grateful for. And we are happy to report that this year we did not have any fires break out  during the meal.

The pandemic disrupted a host of school traditions, but we are happy to say that the Cassidy fifth-graders were able to participate in Biztown. It was actually the first time they had been able to run this program since Callie did it when she was in fifth grade. Reese was very excited to be the CFO for the Bluegrass Philanthropy Group. However, at the last minute her friend Meredith, who was assigned to be the CEO, was ill, so Reese was going to have to handle both job duties. She was up for the task, but certainly stressed out.

As they learn the ins and outs of the business world, Reese and her friends also learned the joys of the business lunch. In one of the soccer carpool drives in the week leading up to this day all John heard about from the girls was how their moms were forcing them to wear dresses for Biztown. While they may not all have ended up in dresses they cleaned up well and at least didn't have on their smelly soccer clothes. 

After lunch Reese was back to work where she took all of her tasks very seriously and was irritated that her mom, who volunteered to be there that day, kept trying to take pictures. Reese was very excited and relieved that Meredith was able to make it after lunch for the second half of the Biztown experience. That meant Meredith took on the responsibility of making the speech for their business at the end of the day.

Once Easter is passed we start to ramp up all of the end of the school year activities. This year we had a new one organized by Erin Oakley, the mother of one of Reese's buddies, Mary. It was a color run around the Morton track, so we have some good before and after pictures. Here we see Reese and Mary decked out in their pristine white Cassidy t-shirts.

And here are the same two kids minutes later after their run. Nothing like getting pelted with colored powder to make a run even more enjoyable. The run took place on a Friday afternoon, which of course meant that we were fitting it in to a packed evening schedule to kick off the weekend. Once the run was done Sarah handed Reese a clean set of clothes and a face wipe so she could pull herself together before going to a ballet performance of Cinderella at the Lexington Opera House.