End of Year and May Day

Between final weeks of soccer and basketball, we squeezed in attending Owen's friend Reef's baptism.  What we didn't squeeze in?  Nice clothes or even shoes for Owen.

Final game.  It was against the toughest team in the league.  It was rough.

Game shenanigans.  This is when Kate was still happy to be around Brady.

So proud of this girl!  Before COVID, she was on Student Leadership.  This year, a few events started creeping back into school, but she was feeling a little impatient with how many things her class missed out on (Koke'e trips, Oahu trips, Big Island, etc.).  In her coding club--the one and only club that reemerged this year--she and her friend Caleb petitioned administration to let them organize a track meet.  For the next couple months, she worked with Owen's teacher, Ms. Nishikura, the principal, and her coding club teammates to organize volunteers, map out distances, create sign-ups and flyers, order prizes, etc.  It was a large undertaking and the day of the meet finally arrived.  I was lucky that her races were before my classes, so I could volunteer the first 2-hour shift and see her race.  

She is little miss speedy long-legs.

Her relay team won first place.

A team of soccer girls.

The rest of the day, she worked with the younger grades, organizing them into heats, tallying scores, and handing out participation ribbons.  I was thrilled to get videos of Owen competing in Long Jump (he placed 3rd overall in K-1) and winning his heat of the 100 meter, crossing the finish line and breaking the ribbon.  

Post-meet lollipop.

The same day of the meet, it was Chiefess Open House.  Kate enrolled in my school as well as Chiefess, unsure which she would choose.  She opted against any virtual days and is headed to this huge campus in the fall.  It will be a big adjustment.  These are friends from early elementary who have been in different classes/pods for the last year.  It is tricky being a pre-teen and getting comfortable in relationships, and more daunting than walking the campus were the strides she took getting reacquainted and friendly with them.

Kate won state Reflections for her original song, "I Will Change the World."  It went on to Nationals as well.  Typically, PTA flies the parents and child to Oahu for a banquet and celebration.  This year went completely without fanfare so we took her to the dinner of her choice at Holo Holo Grill.  She was happy to order off the adult menu.

One more session with me before Guild, with three days to go!  The kids did well.  I pulled them from school a bit early, choosing the time based on the judge being east coast and virtual, as well as Zachary's finals prep classes.  He was so nervous before his performance, he wouldn't get out of the boiling hot car for 40 minutes while Kate ran to relax and then completed her program.  Both kids wanted me no where near the studio, so Owen and I found a baby bird and went to Target while they played.  Their teacher was very pleased with their performances and we get scores back this week.  Every year, I think we are barely going to get through it and every year we do.  I love listening to them work hard and put so much intention into their music.

One final stroll/bike ride before we find out Brady has COVID.

Yay!  Hugs, kisses, and a lunar eclipse.

The next morning, Brady went to work but started feeling funny.  We had colds two weeks before and he thought it was leftovers, but after putting kids to bed, he realized it was not and took a test.  COVID!  Terrible timing!  This was the week before my birthday backpacking trip, finals for Zachary, Guild, 5th grade graduation, and May Day for all three kids.  We figured none of it would happen other than Guild which was the following day.  However, Brady isolated himself completely from the family.  I slept a couple hours a night total on an air mattress (waking up as a Karen burrito with my booty on the ground and surrounded by partially inflated material), he stayed in the master bedroom suite emerging only with Clorox wipes in hand, a mask on his face, and when the family was out, and his food was delivered outside the door or given to him outside on the lanai.  Every night, I was convinced I had COVID and took test after test.  Negative!  Kate was so upset and refused to even look at Brady--apparently COVID is spread through eye contact.  Brady worked all week, got a tiny bit of affection from his dog, and was lonely and excluded from all family interaction.  

It worked, ish.

Zachary's May Day!  He did NOT want us to attend and hated every minute.  I guess that is normal for an 8th grade boy, but I missed the enthusiasm of my elementary student who delighted in performing.  I was committed to a school field trip and Brady planned to go...before COVID.  We both caught his performance virtually.

I picked up Zachary from school that afternoon to get stuck in a traffic accident on the way home.  It was a standstill for 45 minutes before we finally turned around to kill time.  Brady was locked in his room, and Kate and Owen entertained themselves at home for the 5 hours we ended up stuck in town.  We made the most of it!

We were not the only ones stuck.  We ran into friends at Target and all went bowling.

After bowling, dinner.  Traffic still a parking lot.

Kate made mango bread and we watched a movie together the next night.  I felt some mama guilt for how long these kiddos were on their own the day before. 

Our house was constantly Lysol-ed, but we were living in disarray otherwise.  After night three with my booty scraping the hardwood floor, I kicked Zac out of his room, slept on his bed, and had him come to the den on his beanbag.  Don't feel bad for him.  After the isolation period, he asked if it could be his permanent situation.  He loves his accessible comforter and sleeping with Roxy-girl on his bean bed.

Once Brady was outside his quarantine period, he and Owen hung out more.  In the meantime, Owen got sick.  We gave him three covid tests and all were negative, but he was sick.  There are so many viruses flying around our island right now, but we do think he had COVID but not enough viral load to register as positive.

Mid-day nap between errands.

Owen has decided to save up for this board.

Kate was a stress case.  She was just as convinced that COVID would ruin her plans as I was that it would ruin mine.  Like mother, like daughter.  I wanted things to swing out for her so badly.

What I'm saying: this smile is fake.

At least she made it to carnival!  By Monday, both elementary kids were feeling good and I took them with me to school.  I was so proud of the improvements we made as a PTA to our End-of-Year Celebration.  This year, we had a dunk tank, two-person basketball game, huge lawn games, bounce houses, popcorn bar, prize zone, and an inflatable obstacle course.

Sadly, after letting Owen go back to school that day, it was clear he was still not back to himself.  He stayed home the rest of the week and I worked virtually.

The highlight of his week.  "Today, we lunch in the tub!"  -King Bidgood

Tuesday night was graduation.  Kate almost cried tears of joy when she woke up and realized she was still healthy.

Her special graduation dress and yarn eyelash haku she created herself.

Aunty Joy made her a money haku.

The ceremony and graduation dance.

Her 5th grade class.

All the kids pulled out these glasses during their dance.  It was hilarious and she rocked the look.

I remembered two things going into graduation: 

1.  The feeling of stupidity I experienced when Zac graduated and we had no leis for any friends or for him.  (To be fair: he downplayed the whole event and we had NO IDEA it was a graduation or anything other than a little transition celebration.  #haolemistake)

2.  How sad Kate's friend was last year when she received no leis as a new student to the school.  Kate was determined to give leis to every classmate plus about 12 extra.  This meant I ran to Longs a month in advance for the watermelon/strawberry pulls that go so well on the end of ribbon and make an easy and affordable lei.  I was so proud of of her generosity and kindness as she ran around making her deliveries.  There were kids that were covered and kids without many.  I almost sobbed when she sought out a friend who has struggled all year and gave him his only lei.  Lei-giving is nuanced: it can be beautiful and heartbreaking.

Ms. Kobayashi: best principal around.

Mrs. Perreira, her teacher for 2nd and 5th grade.  This lady has loved Kate from head-to-toe and given Kate encouragement at every turn.

Ms. Swart, 3rd grade teacher.

Next up: May Day!  It was announced late in the year that May Day would be the final day of school.  Brady and I were sick over it--we knew it was likely Kate would make court this year, something she looked forward to since Zachary was on court years ago.  We also had plane tickets for backpacking the morning of May Day.  We adjusted our flights to leave later in the morning, hoping to see the majority of the performances.

There is a lot of parent work behind the scenes: creating flower piece backdrops, setting up tents, and arranging at least 20 buckets of huge tropical foliage.  It turned out beautifully and somehow this is the only photo I took from that stiflingly hot afternoon.

Parents are also required to create the specific leis requested by Kumu Rachel for their class.  Owen was asked to do a haku floral lei.  I was ensured this was easy, and after an hour collecting plumerias the night before, we went to work.  This is the best we could do.  Shrug.  

Owen also insisted on making his teacher's lei--all by himself.

She was so gracious with him.

I think Kate will mostly remember that we had to leave May Day early to catch our flight. In a mean twist, traffic to town all week was backed up due to road construction.  We had to leave a full hour early to avoid missing our flight.  Ironically, when we left, we had an hour to kill before our flight because the one-lane issues of the entire week were resolved.

I am hoping she remembers that I was there behind the scenes, ironing, doing hair, taking photos, and giving squeezes and love.

Princesses and Ladies-in-waiting.  

The princess representing Moloka'i.

We learned that Kona typically looks grumpy but he is hilarious.

So much back stage anticipation and excitement.

The 2022 court:

Nic learned that we would miss part of May Day so he took off work and he and Shay came specifically to take our place.  My heart was full and my eyes all kinds of watery.

Jojo and Joy:

This is the only glimpse we had of Owen.  This is his friend/"girlfriend" Alison.  

Super awkward family photo.  I promise we were directed to do this.

We watched as Kate and Kona were announced, gracefully walking to their seats.  We listened to conch shells and participated in traditional chants.  

So grateful for the videos and photos we received.

Owen's haku clinging to his ears for dear life.

Owen and Vicki, who was in his classroom most of the year.

The mask that was washed a hundred times but worn almost every day.  He hated every other mask but loved his "fish mask."  

Goodbye, Ms. Nishikura!  She handled my little boy who clung to me like a koala and cried every day for a month after drop-off.  Thank you for being an outstanding kinder teacher and bringing out the best in little man.  

Her last words to Owen:

"It seems like only yesterday that you arrived into my classroom at the beginning of the year.  From that first day til today you have grown up so much as a student and as a person.  I feel so very lucky to have had the pleasure of being your kindergarten teacher.  You worked so hard on your work, as well as growing as a person, and I am so proud of you.  Even though I am very sad to see you go, I know that you will accomplish great things in your future.  You are kind, easy going, a creative thinker and you have some amazing athletic abilities!  Be sure to always let that show!  Never forget to challenge yourself and not always take the easy path.  Never give up and always do your best!  Please come back and visit me any time.  I will truly miss hearing all your stories about your family!  Thank you Owen for giving me the great honor of being your kindergarten teacher."