Italy

From Thanksgiving until January, Ashlyn had time off from her medical school rotations. This time is supposed to be used for research and interviewing for residency. However, with an ease in travel restrictions, Ashlyn was quick to book a discounted flight and grab her backpack for Italy. 

She convinced her Aunt Angela to join her as well, since the rest of us still have school and work to attend. So while she did not research on medicine, she did do “research” on cappuccinos, pizza and Italian tourism.

Their trip started in Venice where they saw canals, bridges and toured the famous Piazza san Marco (also known as St Mark’s Square). 

They then traveled to Cortina d’Ampezzo, a town in northern Italy, to snowshoe and hike the impressive Dolomite mountain range. 

Florence, Pisa, and La Spezia were next on the itinerary. A major highlight of their trip was hiking along Cinque Terre, a string of five fishing villages perched high on the Italian Riviera connected by an 11km footpath. 

Finally, their trip ended in Rome where they explored all the major tourist sites, including a tour through the Vatican museums, climbing 512 steps to the top of St. Peter’s Basilica, and seeing the Pope give an address at St. Peter’s on the Immaculate Conception of Mary.

It was a wonderful trip full of prayer, adventure, and beauty.

Strings

As a strings player, high school takes their music to an entirely new level. The girls wear black dresses and the guys wear tuxes. They look and sound so good compared to middle school.Our little one is under the purple arrow.

The students stand as their teacher/conductor enters the stage.

Here are the links to their songs. Each is about 3 & a half minutes long.

https://youtu.be/nyMqggaBx9k (Themes from the Nutcracker)

https://youtu.be/A_60cRsSnLY  (Christmas Grace)

https://youtu.be/z3i33vITqXo  (Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas)

A picture after the concert with one of her friends.

Branching

In Army ROTC, it's a special occasion to find out which branch you're assigned to and what duty you'll be training for. There's the Army Active, Army Reserve, and the National Guard. Within those branches you could get a combat slot (most common), amory, nursing, pilot, or other position based on your preferences, scores, and military need. The big reveal is called the Branching Ceremony.

The ceremony was closed to the public, but live-streamed on Facebook for families to watch. I took a few screen shots from my computer. Here, the highest ranking officer in SC came to speak. He's a Major General (2-star) and started by giving the cadets a few words about leadership.

Then, each cadet was called one at a time to the front to receive a small gift while their branch and assignment was announced. Our son's first choice was National Guard and logistics (ordnance). 

In this video, he is the 2nd person called. You can click the [ ] symbol in the bottom right to expand on your screen.

Logistics officers are multifunctional and rely heavily on data analytics in order to provide timely support during all phases of operations both in peacetime and war. Individuals in this branch must possess extensive critical thinking capabilities in varied stressful situations.

The U.S. Army Logistics Branch is comprised of three functional areas: 

• Transportation Corps (movement of personnel and material by truck, rail, air, and sea)
• Ordnance Corps (movement of weapon systems, ammunitions, communications, and electronics as well as making sure they are in perfect condition)
• Quartermaster Corps (support for general supply, food, gasoline, and mortuary affairs)

So, he got his first choice within his first choice - ordnance!! Now we're just waiting to hear which unit (location) in SC he'll be assigned for his monthly training. Both of these guys were assigned Ordnance, and they happen to be best buds. 😁 So happy for them!

Thanksgiving

I didn't take pictures of the table feast this year, but it was comical listening to the preparations. While I was trying to follow the recipes, the little one was making adjustments based on her own tastes. For examle, our pumpkin pie had twice the spices but only half the sugar. With the whipped cream on top, we decided it was perfect.

The best part of the holiday was simply having all my littles home. They may not be so little anymore, but they still make me complete. 

After just two days, the older ones headed back to Columbia. Their schedules are so busy, and I am grateful for the time we were together. Ashlyn had a wedding to attend with her boyfriend, Alex.

Our youngest couldn't wait to decorate the house! So when the other two left, she was ready to start right away. She loves all things Christmas, including the scented ornaments.

Quinceañera

In the Latino culture, girls have a party at the age of 15 called a Quinceanera. Both of my daughters have been invited to one, and this is the post of our youngest attending one for her friend. Click here for the earlier post from my oldest when she attended one in 2012.

The 10-hour party begins with Mass. This special church service compliments, but doesn't replace, Confirmation. Only a few of her friends attended the church service, and only our little one was Catholic. The entire Mass was in Spanish, but we responded when we recognized the prayers. The Mariachi band was an unexpected treat!

The birthday girl and her friends got to ride in a limo from the church to the dance hall.

I arrived to the hall before the limo and took a picture of how pretty everything was decorated.

Once the guests arrived, it didn't take long for them to hit the dance floor.

Here's a video clip:  https://youtu.be/kpuc13AbY-0

The birthday girl had quite a few choreographed dances with her family and cousins. Her friends had a front-row seat to all the action. 

After a while, there was dedicated picture time for all the guests to take a photo with the honoree. It was a cute group of teenagers!

I sat at a table in the back with the parents. We were right next to the smoke machine! 😅 

With all the haze, we kept feeling like we were at a different type of party that involved more than the adult beverages of beer and magaritas.

She then changed into a shorter dress so she could dance easier. Her friends all had a great time! We were one of the first to leave at 10pm, although the party continued until 3am. So much fun!

SC SofS

The nonprofit organization I work for, the Center for Developmental Services, was recognized as a 2021 Angel by the SC Secretary of State Mark Hammond. I received that award in Columbia at the State House.

This award can only be received once during a charity's lifetime for being good stewards of public funding. To qualify, the charity must:

• Be timely in registering their license and submitting financial reports to the state
• Use at least 80% of revenue on programs that benefit the community
• Make good use of volunteer time
• Not rely heavily on government grants

Each charity was allowed to bring 2 representatives. When my board chair and vice-chair were unable to attend, I phoned my son to see if he would be interested in joining me. After promising him lunch afterwards, he agreed.

The local news broadcast the ceremony. But guess who got the most airtime? My son (or rather his phone). 😂  You can watch the news clip here: https://www.wyff4.com/angels. 

Bald Knob

The first day of November was just gorgeous! Highs in the upper 60s, full sunshine, and a great day for a hike. The little one was on fall break, so Eric & I took a day of vacation and we headed to the mountains.

The waterfalls and rivers were a plenty, which is usual along the trail. The sound of the water running with the colorful foliage did wonders to reduce stress and refresh the soul.

We met quite a few through-hikers just starting on the Foothills Trail. We wished them all well, and were grateful for our small daypacks that just held a little water and some snacks.

Our destination was Pinnacle Mountain, and specifically, Bald Knob. It was one of my favorite lookout points along the Foothills Trail. The hike is rated as strenuous, but we found it to be slightly easier and would call it "difficult". The in & out 3.6 mile route didn't disappoint.

It was the first hike that our little one has been on since spraining her hip muscles, and she did great! I think she may have enjoyed it the most.