Sophomore Year Begins for Miriam

It is hard to believe my baby is now a sophomore in high school - but true. Three more years and she will be on her way to college.  I should not think of that - but it is good to be reminded of it so that we can intentionally spend as much time possible to enjoy the time at hand.  

In band she will be playing the snare drum this year.  The thought of her drum line buddies tickles her every time.  That is where she made real friends and deeper connections.  She gets excited about music - it is something I don't understand this but I see it happen on a regular basis.  

This year she will be taking the following subjects: Spanish 2; Chemistry; Calculus, AP World History; Honors English; P. E. and band.  She is a diligent student and a smart cookie. 

God please help her to be the person you want her to be.

Going One Step Forward

My beautiful baby!

Miriam finished middle school this year - 2014.  Next year she will be attending Oak Ridge High School.  

Being Silly with Erich

Different

Confident

   Bullalayaw (Rainbow) Eyebrows

I thank God for giving me my Surprise Baby.  

Letter from Mrs. Cox

This card shows two obvious truths:  Miriam is doing great in middle school and she has a great teacher. 

Miriam Finishes 5th Grade

Principal Mrs. Jensesn

On June 3, 2011 Miriam graduated from Brooks Elementary School.  She finished fifth grade with President's Academic Excellence Award.  Tim and I are very pleased and feel rewarded beyond what we deserve as parents.  We thank God for guiding and protecting her. 

After  eleven years of being a Brooks-family, the Lewis family also graduated from the school and is now ready for the next phase of our life.  Miriam will be attending Rolling Hills Middle School.  Since Shannon and Brahms went to Camerado Springs Middle School, this will be a new experience not only for Miriam but also for Tim and I. 

Her favorite teacher:  Mr. Nordquist.

We are all very proud of her

Two silly sisters.

Showing her President's Award plaque

Goodbye William Brooks Elementary School

We thank God for Miriam and the way she is growing up to be. 

Shannon's Graduation

Shannon R. Lewis

Class of 2011

May 27, 2011 at 7:00 pm

Oakridge High School

Shannon marching with old time classmates Ross and Shawn...

Relatives and friends came to celebrate with us.

With daddy...

With mommy...

Tim and I thank God that our daughter, Shannon, finished one more step in her pursuit of education.    No end is ever an end...instead every end is a beginning.  Her graduation marks the start of her college life. This truth was translated by George, my father-in-law, when he asked me if I was losing a young kid or gaining a new adult child.  We tend to assume that ends are stop signs.  However, they are only markers of change.  As Shannon completed all the finals and AP exams she was, at the same time, working on some details of her preparation for a new life in away from home. 

University of California (Irvine) here she comes...

AP Classes Cost Money

This year Shannon enrolled in six AP (Advance Placement) classes.  Brahms enrolled in one.  I was pleased because that means that if they pass these classes that they won't have to take them in college.  Now the school year is about to end, the kids are preparing for the final exams and guess what?  We have to pay for their exams.  AP exams are expensive - $89 per subject.   Multiply that by seven.   In the previous years when we were paying for two or three AP exams for Shannon alone, we didn't seem to notice the cost.   Well, I will be consoled by the knowledge that if they pass their exams their college fees will at least be reduced. 

Next year I will be more aware of the monetary implication of AP classes.   I will still encourage my kids to take them if they can.  Who knows, God will still allow us to afford the cost.  :)

Academically Fine

Mr .Nordquist announcing Miriam's Award.

Brooks Golden Bear Award (BGBA) is an award for academic excellence.  So far Miriam has not missed to get one since she was in fourth grade.  We are proud of her.  Although she's so tiny her "smarts" are not as inferior as her height.  :) 

She is enjoying her fifth grade year except on those sad days when she gets in trouble for dozing off while Mr. Nordquist gives his lectures. 

Janae, Miriam and Emily

 Janae and Emily are Miriam's best friends.  Miriam looks like a tiny sprout when standing in between them.   She loves them both and is oblivious of her relative vertical status.  The only time when she realizes the size difference in this trio-friendship is when Emily and Janae get excited in a happy way and they pat or hug her.  "They are very strong!"  I told her that it would be a good idea to let them know their physical effects on her. 

Classmates:  Dan, Miriam, Will, Emily

Very soon Miriam will go to Middle School.   Today we filled out some paper work which is related to an orientation meeting for Rolling Hills Middle School - her future school.  My baby is growing up. 

Talent Show

Watching and waiting for their turn.

March 9, 2010 marks the first time that Miriam participated in the school Talent Show.  She decided to join Will Lezsinske and Erich Lippuner perform a Pokémon dance.  The three of them practiced a couple of time at our house.  The idea came from Will but the mastermind for the choreography was Miriam.  There were times when I tried to insert my suggestions but were quickly disregarded.  Their performance turned out very well.   The experience of coming up with a concept and putting it into a stage performance is desirable.  Doing the whole process with two other friends - having to agree or disagree and compromise with them - required a healthy exercise of humility and determination.  My Miriam is such a kind and sweet girl.  On the other hand, she has her own mind to know when to give up or fight for an idea.  This is a skill or talent that every person - young and old need to have.   

Miriam amazed her friends when she decided to join two other boys for the show. 

Two boys and one girl... They were so cute!!!

Miriams classmates and friends - Tobias, Will, Alex and Erich.

Although this is Miram's first Talent Show experience at Brooks Elementary, she has participated in several stage performances through our church.  In fact she is currently in the cast for the next Spring Musical.

Shannon Attends JavaOne

She just arrived from San Francisco, still wearing her name tag.

Currently, Shannon is taking AP Computer Science.  She was one of the few students who grabbed the opportunity to attend a giant computer conference - JavaOne by Oracle, in San Francisco.   It is a professional conference but her teacher fought hard to get permission for these high school students to be allowed in.  Kudos to Ms. Allen (?).   Shannon came home beaming.  The exposure to the professional world of computers and the friendships with her fellow students that developed during their trip were priceless, not to mention the tons of give-aways that she brought home. :) 

My child who said that she will not become a programmer because it is boring is now excited about the mental challenges and opportunities that comes with her course.  As her mother...I can smile because I feel the joy that comes from watching a child grow from cautious pupae to an adventurous butterfly that stretches her wings into the air. 

Bus Stop

The three Lewis Munchkins and Marcus Lippuner at the Montridge Way bus stop.

August 9th marked the start of school year 2010-11.  On that day Miriam had the privilege of walking her two siblings to the bus stop since her summer vacation extended two days longer than that of the high school schedule.   The bus stop is about 50 yards away from our house; I could watch the students from our driveway as they wait for the bus which arrives there at either 7:30 or 6:35 depending on the day of the week.   I think that the kids in the neighborhood are fortunate that the bus stops very close to where we all live. 

For Shannon this is her last year in Oak Ridge.  Soon...pretty soon she'll be in college.   Six AP classes is making her final year in high school challenging.  Well, she still has time to volunteer at the El Dorado County Library - so she must be doing fine.  

Marcus is Brahms' friend since he was in first grade.  Hard to believe that the two boys who used to so small are now in high school.  I still remember the time when they got in trouble in second grade; they had to spend their recess at the Principal's office every day for a whole week. 

Miriam longs to ride the bus but she'll have to wait till next year when she goes to middle school.  In the mean time she walks or rides her bike to school. 

Bus 36 on Montridge Way

College Tour - Day One

To help Shannon decide on which college to attend, we are doing a "college tour".  It is not our normal way of travelling but this time it's a road trip.   The first college was UC Merced.  Shannon did not choose it as one of her top ten but since it is already on our way we decided to take a look.  It is very new; some buildings are still under construction.  Shannon kept repeating that her school, Oak Ridge, has more students than this university.  Well, the good thing is that there is a lower instructor to student ratio.  Everything is new and fresh and maybe lab equipments are at least current if not top of the line.   The university sits in the middle of what seem formerly agricultural field and very close to the Yosemite Lake. 

To me UC Merced has a lot of potential.  We'll see what Shannon thinks.

We had lunch at Panera Bread in Stockton and spending the night in Bakersfield. 

Last Days of School

Miriam and Erick just being young and energetic in Coloma.

The last two weeks of school was extremely hectic for Miriam.   Coloma, Old Sacramento, Band Concert, end of school picnic, among others, were all packed into the last few days.  I felt very busy just making sure she's ready or make it to these events.  Thank goodness Shannon and Brahms, who have been out of school two weeks before, were so willing to walk Miriam to and from school.  That was one less things that I had to do.    

Tim was chaperone in two of the field trips and had to work longer hours at night to catch up.  My poor husband, he is so interested in being part of his kids' activities and it cost him a lot.  It also cost me some sleep because I stay up with him when he has to. 

Indeed school is over but that was not a guarantee that our lives are now less busy.  Welcome summer schedule! 

Old train tracks in Old Sacramento

Coloma:  Some of Miriam's room mates(Audrey, Emily, Janae)

Another Golden Bear Award.

Coloma here she comes!

Pioneer Girl

Yesterday, Miriam left to go on a field trip to Coloma.  She'll spend three days at the Coloma Outdoor Discovery School.  Every fourth grader in our school district looks forward to this first big field trip to the place where gold was first discovered in California.  Ever since they were in first grade they began to hear about this trip from the older students and as a result they get to imagine how it is to be on this field trip.   Now for the first time in her life she will spend the night (or a couple nights for that matter) without either one of her parents in the same building.  Scary and exciting!

Excited to go on her first 3-day field trip

For Miriam, Coloma is not new to her since our family went there a couple of times but what she is looking forward to is spending a couple of nights with her friends in the same cabin.  Prior to this trip they got to choose four friends whom they would like to share quarters with.  She considered herself fortunate because she got to be in the same group with four out of the four she chose.   She brought a chess set because she intends to teach one of her favorite friends play the game.  Fun!

Tim always tried to volunteer as chaperone whenever our kids went on a long field trip and this is no exception.  Even if he does not get to be in the same group as Miriam, the thought they are both in the same campus is comforting. 

Ready to go! 

Miriam has always stayed with me.  There was never a time when she was not with me other than the time when Shannon and I went to Spokane for a mother-and-daughter trip. Being the last child she spent a lot of time being the baby.  Now for the first time she leaves home and mommy.

It is my hope that she will be in her usual adventurous, curious, and friendly disposition.  May God keep them all safe.  I am looking forward to their return.

Pioneer from Mars :)

Full of Surprises

Ms. Williams and Miriam doing the Basketball Dance

The Open House at Brooks finally came and gone.  Since Miriam is our third child we assumed that things are the same and we were just there to show our unrelenting support to our child and her teacher.  On the contrary we were adequately surprised by so many new things.  For example instead of showing us work that they have done in writing, math or science, Miriam brought us to the computer lab to show us a movie she made about the places that her family (us) visited in the past.  Mr. E. Nordquist is smart to choose this to highlight the student's accomplishment. This is a technologically relevant skill and it makes the kids proud for being able to do something that is appropriate in this YouTube-saturated generation.  Miriam was proud to let us know that her movie was one of the class favorites.   

In P.E. we saw the students, under the direction of Ms. Williams, do a very athletic and synchronized steps-and-gestures called the Basketball Dance.  This took the place of the traditional Square Dance that the students did on their Open House.  Miriam was really into it and she was actually graceful - if grace was related to basketball. 

The other thing that surprised me is that Miriam displayed her extraordinary performance in doing the double jump rope.  I never thought that jump rope can be a very exciting sport.  With her keen rhythm and agility, she was bouncing like a ball!   One of the girls manning the ropes was Jenae, Miriam's friend, whose focus was impeccable. 

Miriam seem to truly enjoy her time at Brooks.  She continually surprises us.

Janae (R) and Miriam bouncing left and right like a ball.

When we begin to assume that we already know everything, we are about to find out that we are wrong! 

Miriam was really impressive!

 I love Open Houses - it's a time to be reminded of the noble tasks that teachers do.  We appreciate the teachers at Brooks Elementary School.  Parents like us can either choose to support the teachers or stab them with nasty discouraging remarks...but as for me and my husband we will support and respect them for the part that they play/played in the lives of our children.  

Hooray for Miriam!  Hooray for Brooks Elementary!  

Machine Drilling

Brahms is currently enrolled in Manufacturing Engineering.  One of the skills he's learning is to program tool paths to cut out designs in pieces of wood using a drill machine.   Every now and then he would bring home some of these pieces to show us what he'd learn.  He seems very proud of what he can do with the drill machine.  Seeing his lessons translated into a tangible object gives him a greater sense of accomplishment compared to just passing a test.  I've suggested that he could make presents for me using his new skills. :)

As if it was only yesterday when he was struggling (twisting his lips and jaws) to use the scissors to cut out pieces of paper.

Completing her AP Exams

AP exams are often presented as a dreadful thing.  They make someone feel that they have not had sufficient preparation - which I think is ridiculous since they had a whole semester to learn prior to the test.  Yet in the end when all is done and favorable scores are received, everything change.  The test will seem like the simplest thing they've ever done.   Indeed conquered fear results in confidence. 

Shannon took her AP exams in US History and Language and Composition.  She is relieved and pleased about her performance.  She came home sporting her AP-number.  It appears to me that examinees are treated like prisoners in the sense that they are identified by numbers and bar code instead of their names.  Remember Jean Valjean in "Les Miserables"?  He identified himself as 24601.  Okay, okay...that's not the case with the high school students.  I believe that it is just meant help avoid biases or discrimination on the part of the teacher or whoever will be checking the exams.

We're getting to the end of the school year! 

Mission San Miguel

Miriam has been doing research on Mission San Miguel.  When she has completed her research work, we took a quick trip to the mission so that she could realize what she's been reading all along.   She was pleased to see the place although I am not sure if she could, in her mind, re-live some of the things that happened in that place hundreds of years ago. 

It was a great trip.  Visiting San Miguel was just one of the many things we enjoyed as family on that day. 

Helping Kids Do Homework

The kids were flooded with homework last week.  Yesterday it was obvious that their workload has not subsided.  It was like a homework overload; my kids look like they were about to drown, metaphorically speaking.  Something had to be done to help these poor children.  So we, their smart parents, decided to announce that we needed to go see a movie.  The kids responded positively as expected.  They produced massive amounts of essays in Biology (Brahms), History (Shannon) and solved Math problems with ease.  We'll see about the quality of their work later.

To the theatre we brought them to learn "How to Train a Dragon."  They deserved a break.

Miriam and Her Friends

Will, Erich and Miriam

These three kids all live in the same neighborhood.  Miriam L.  and Will L. are classmates and Erich L. is her friend ever since they were very small.   They spend a lot of time together either playing or walking to school together or just playing imaginary characters.  They posed for me because they all got the Golden Bear Award (academic excellence award for Brooks Elementary School).  In addition to that Miriam also got a special award for her Personal Effort and her superior performance in the Oral Interpretation Festival and  ... They were supposed to show their awards but they already tucked them into their backpacks when I asked them to pose for me.

Awards Ceremony

It is my observation that when these three kids are together they are very dependable.  We parents can ask them to walk home and they make it home with no problem.  However, when one is not with the group, the remaining two suddenly become extremely adventurous.  They try to come home using other roads.  One time Will and Miriam decided to take a "short cut" on Platt Circle.  It took them almost one hour to before we could find them.   Normally the walk would take fifteen minutes at the most. The weather was really hot and they were carrying a lot of books.   Laura, Will's mom, found them all sweaty and red.