<p>Way too many thoughts about PW 2014 at SAS to share in a single post. </p>
<p>Like HarvestMoon1, definitely some sadness that it will be our last at SAS — unless we just feel like crashing next year (and the next, etc.)…which honestly, I doubt the folks at SAS would mind! Might be even more fun not to have to worry about shuttling from conference to conference and without a kid of our own to cheer on, we could go to ALL the games and cheer for all the SAS kids.</p>
<p>The weather on the East Coast (at least mid-Atlantic region) was incredible and showed campus off in the best possible light. As noted by a fellow parent on the SAS thread, so nice to run into parents of seniors as well as freshman and feel a connection and instant comfort in chatting about the school and our kids. I loved seeing some parents of seniors that we’ve known for 4 years now…and if the college app process was mentioned at all, it was always general and supportive terms (vs. “where is your child applying?”).</p>
<p>7D1 seemed happy and relaxed, despite having a fairly steep workload on top of EA/ED apps due soon.</p>
<p>Was “outed” by a few fellow parents who had followed the breadcrumb trail I’ve left over the years. Don’t really have any regrets on that…and all seemed appreciative of my efforts to keep SAS “on the radar” during the application cycles. Will be strange to retire from “active duty” here on the BS side of CC.</p>
<p>Anyway, should run…have a few emails to reply to from parents who reached out after PW!</p>
<p>Our first Parent Weekend was really great! The advice I got here was very helpful, meaning the second we arrived our kid seemed stressed to have ‘us’ on her campus, I didn’t take it personally. Her teachers, classes and peers were really impressive, what an amazing way to spend high school!! She came home afterwards for a week and mostly we let her rest and decompress. Things got a little tough last week when she returned, but I think she has settled back in. The newest/biggest obstacle we are negotiating (both her and us) is understanding teenagers, they are so mysterious and unpredictable! </p>
<p>Don’t know if anyone else noticed, Choate is getting supersized. The last headmaster was trying to boost the school’s selectivity by keeping the size around 850. The past two classes admited have been huge. My husband and I joke that they are overenrolling to pay for all the new construction. But seriously the fallout is that Hill House was a complete Zoo for PW meals. Never seen it so packed. Also could not elbow our way thru the line to get to eat. The parking was atrocious. The school at least when you add two parents each, made it very very cramped. Not sure how the students are faring when the parents aren’t there which is most of the time and what really matters. I have a junior so classroom size still small. English class was at 8, gave me a smile. Math at 12 ish - 15, maybe bigger. Not sure the average size of a typical freshman class. We definitely didn’t like the crowds. Same space for more people made it uncomfortable. But what can you do?</p>
<p>Now that Thanksgiving is approaching, I’m having a weepy moment. How happy is everyone to be getting their kids home for the break? I have already begun my “thankful” list and the transforming experience our son has had at his school is at the top. Now that we’re nearing the end, I am reflective and thankful for the encouragement and resources Choate has provided for him to:</p>
<p>• take advantage of more than I even knew there was to take advantage of
• be stretched in every way imaginable; his current shape bears no resemblance to the kid we dropped off in 2011 (not even counting the inches)
• fail, pick himself up, and learn the meaning of perseverance
• succeed and handle his triumphs with grace and modesty
• hone his wicked sense of humor into a weapon resembling real wit
• stick with his sport because of his admiration for and commitment to his teammates and not for glory (little has been had there)
• joyfully choose the harder path, without fear of failure<br>
• craft a college list with nothing in mind but achieving his own goals</p>
<p>and, finally, to emerge with a sense of self-worth, sensitive to beauty and grace in his life, and a commitment to improve and protect the lives of others. Our son is a man. I can’t wait to hug him and tell him how thankful I am to be his mom.</p>
<p>What are you giving thanks for this holiday?</p>
<p>I have not posted much on BS threads. I just moved from lurker to live about a month ago, but am glad to join you! My DD is in eleventh grade.</p>
<p>I am sad to not have DD home for T’giving (too expensive with end-of-year also approaching- I will see her in a month), but very happy she has some BS friends and their families with whom to celebrate the holidays!</p>
<p>I am very thankful for the great opportunities and the great choices that she has, and the great relationships she is in!</p>
<p>One BS tradition I love is the family style Thanksgiving Dinner students and faculty share before Break. K2 looks forward to this every year. He loves the food ( his school does a nice job ), festive atmosphere and unity. Plus, everyone is pretty excited to get the heck out of Dodge. </p>
<p>I hope this doesn’t sound mushy but I’m very thankful my son embraces his school like a second family. It’s been his home away from home and I’m forever grateful for all the wonderful ways they’ve embraced him back. </p>
<p>@Britmom5 No problem. @twinsmama has been less active since the end of the last admissions cycle, so I was just answering for her. She has indicated that her D’s first choice is to join her twin, but is looking at other schools that are not too far from home IIRC.</p>
<p>Pretty sure we all made the pilgrimage to see Mockingjay Part One. </p>
<p>( I know the movie was true to the book but Mockingjay Part Two better be good - and I mean really good. ) </p>
<p>Everyone in my house is super excited about seeing The Hobbit during Christmas Break. Our local theater is showing The Trilogy in one seating the week before Christmas . Guess who’s having a very Merry Hobbit Christmas? In 3D… Seven hours… in a theater with Hobbit/ LOR fanatics… I can’t wait! It already feels like an episode from The Big Bang Theory… </p>
<p>How was everyone’s Thanksgiving Break? </p>
<p>I couldn’t get over how happy K2 looked. Every time we were face to face talking, I kept checking his ears for ear buds because it was almost like he was dancing. Weird and kind of wonderful at the same time. So much positive energy now that he’s in wait mode for ED.</p>
<p>Fingers crossed for all the ED applicants out there! </p>
<p>Fingers hurting here. CK will only have one decision before Christmas, others in January, the rest later, but at least he is done with all his apps. Two of his choices have huge financial and emotional ramifications for us. I wish this were over. We held him very close over the break.</p>
<p>My aunt died yesterday. We weren’t very close; she fought cancer for a long time; the hardest part is watching my mom cry. </p>
<p>Her death really has me thinking. Any one of us could be gone tomorrow, so I’ve started telling people exactly how much they mean to me. I couldn’t focus on my work last night so I was emailing my seventh grade ELA teacher and finally told her flat-out that I love her. </p>
<p>I stopped my friends in the hallway before class. I told one of my sophomore friends that I admire her individuality and compassion. I told a girl how much I love having her sit near me in class and that we should get together over break. I told my sixth grade locker buddy how I value how nice he is. </p>
<p>Why do we wait until people are gone to tell them how much they mean to us? I was going to have this similar eulogy conversation with my current English teacher (I love her to Pluto and back), but she went home early and I told her it could wait. </p>
<p>But what I realized as I spaced out during band is that it can’t wait. I have to tell her how much I adore her and want to have her in my life forever. Because before I know it, I could be too late. </p>
<p>I don’t want to be left standing at a gravestone with something I never said. </p>
<p>That’s a beautiful thought, stargirl, and appropriate anytime, but especially as we enter into this reflective, family-oriented time of the year, it’s a nice reminder to love and appreciate those who mean much to us while we still can. I’m sorry to hear about your aunt, and I know you’re giving your mom extra hugs and love during this time. She is fortunate to have a daughter like you.</p>
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