<p>camathmom–congrats on your FA appeal. I know it’s silly, but I’m taking your news as a hopeful omen. </p>
<p>phb–Your D had many great choices and selected one that will challenge her and bring so much honor. Tell her another mom she doesn’t know wishes her all the best at WP.</p>
<p>OWM–you are the BEST mom. Love to hear about your S2’s gluten-free, dairy-free party and how so many of his friends will be with him at Mizzou.</p>
<p>Mil Mom–at last! So glad you got such good news.</p>
<p>And from posts on other threads, I think that sneaky EmmyBet may have slipped ashore!</p>
<p>Snoozn, I see Boulder hasn’t changed since I went there. </p>
<p>Congrats Militarymom on finally finding out where you will be living and to camathmom on FA!</p>
<p>proudmom - horrid news. My heartfelt condolences to his family and all his friends. We went through this exactly a year ago - a friend of boychild’s from his public school. I just got a notice yesterday that the guest book in the local paper was expiring. I guess it’s only available for a year.</p>
<p>50–Thanks for asking about ‘the decision’…we’re still on the boat here too. Hopefully last school visit is the 22nd and still waiting on finaid decisions from a couple favorites.
Oh well, if housing becomes challenging wherever she ends up due to late sign up I will just remind her it’s only for the first year!</p>
<p>Congrats camathmom on the FA, hope it’s an omen for the rest of us!</p>
<p>oh proudmom, what horrible news and so so sad. How is everyone doing?</p>
<p>phb–West Point. Amazing choice and what an honor.</p>
<p>Last year S2 made visits to his two finalists (UChicago and Tufts) fairly early in the month, and then “tried on” each of them for a while. Also got on FB groups and talked to students. Even chatted with admissions folks. He had such a tough time deciding – they are both great schools. Chicago runs to the theoretical and Tufts to the experiential, and he thrives on both and has always had a knack for integrating the two.</p>
<p>It wasn’t that it was so hard for him choosing one, it was saying good bye to the other. I still get emotional about it. OTOH, he has talked about Chicago for grad school. </p>
<p>Finally, he pulled up the course catalogs on the two desktops in our computer room and looked at the course listings side-by-side. Funny how courses with the same name can have such different approaches. At that point it became pretty clear to him. But stil…</p>
<p>rom yes I took care of that weather in NC for you-no problem. ;)</p>
<p>I am so sorry to hear about the suicide. I’ve done my share of working with the HS age kids in town and it is always so sad when they open up and talk about what a tough time it is in their lives and their friends lives-and it’s so easy to forget that. </p>
<p>Yes it is hard to say goodbye to the other school. I think I am still dealing with the loss of U Rochester-that was his favorite school for so long and it is such a great school-I wish he could go to two at once!</p>
<p>**The SS Indecision left port on April 1st.</p>
<p>The ship will stop in many ports this month with the last port call scheduled in 15 days when all final commitments to schools are due. (Or nautically speaking, it’s time to sink or swim.)** 4/14</p>
<p>Thanks for the words of support; it is definitely still tough here, obviously for the family but also for the many students who were friends either with the young lady or her older or younger siblings. All in all, most of the kids at this large HS have been affected personally. </p>
<p>The temp is cool here and we’re expecting more rain but at least I think we are finally done with SNOW. I hope you are all enjoying blue skies and warm weather!</p>
<p>First, proudmom: I am so sad to hear of your news. This is the first year in a while at our HS that there has not been a car accident or other death in the senior class. It is so tragic, especially when suicide is involved.</p>
<p>And yes, I’ll confess that I posted D’s decision yesterday. But H was breathing down my neck to leave for a dinner outing and I didn’t get a chance to post here! She had narrowed her choices after answers came in to 3 schools, and over the past two weeks was able to eliminate 2 of those schools for very thoughtful reasons (e-mailing students, reading websites, evaluating curriculum, and using collegepick). She has chosen Adelphi University, where she can get the degree she’s always wanted (a BFA in Theatre) and do their Honors Program for its Great Books program as her liberal arts component. She can also be near NYC, live on a campus that provides her with the amenities she prefers, and take advantage of a very generous scholarship.</p>
<p>However, yesterday she also completed her WL application to Brandeis. Now that it is done, we’ll just let that go. She is very excited by the possibility to get a top-notch BA in theatre near another wonderful city. Maybe she’ll get some good news from them in a few weeks, but in the meantime she is throwing her heart into happily going to Adelphi in the fall.</p>
<p>So that’s our story.</p>
<p>Now, on to prom tonight! Two girls here are going; Japanese D made quick plans a few days ago to go with friends, bought a dress last night, and is very excited. D will have a great time, too, and kids are coming here afterwards. I don’t think we’ll need to have anything lactose- or gluten-free, fortunately!</p>
<p>Best wishes - hope the weather is better wherever you are. Pepper, you forgot about WI!</p>
<p>Proudmom - So sorry to hear of that tragic news! I always think if only the person knew how many people would be affected by their death, because it does shake the entire town not just their friends and family. </p>
<p>On a brighter note, all thanks to Pepper (yes, we are friends for life!!), the choir of angels appeared and doves flew overhead in Pittsburgh. Ds came home (6 hr drive mind you) at around 11 pm, came up to my bed and whispered “M-o-m-m-y, I know where I want to go to sch-ool!” It was a beautiful thing! He took my advice and hooked up with dd’s best friend’s brother who goes there who gave them the grand tour and lots of insider info. So before he leaves the SS Indecision, he will play a little jazz, salute you with his best drum major salute (got to post that pic to shutterfly, he does a fine salute) and jump ashore. Spring break starts today, his car died (apparently it needs a new engine which is ridiculous) so we have a whole week to find a new one, yeah!</p>
<p>proudmom: So sorry for your community. Ohiomom is right; words are inadequate. A few weeks ago, the 8th-grade brother of a very popular senior girl committed suicide. It was so difficult for her classmates to know what to say to her or how to help her try to enjoy the senior year celebrations, like NHS, swim team banquet, etc. Last Saturday, they responded by voting her Prom Queen. I thought it was a lovely gesture.</p>
<p>Congratulations to EmmyBet and Amanda. Great kids, great schools, great relief!</p>
<p>The birthday party continues as the boys spent the night. I THINK I can get our son’s car out of the driveway to go to Zumba this morning (to work off last night’s feast.) Everyone is still asleep and two friends’ cars are parked behind my side of the garage!</p>
<p>Cold, windy, rainy day here. Perfect for finishing the picture book I’m creating for graduation.</p>
<p>Psst - emilybee: I was so happy to join you in the E-section, list buddy! And congrats to Amanda, who might end up being our alphabetical leader in the Class of '11!</p>
<p>Grats to EmmyBet’s daughter on Adelphi and AmandaK’s son on Pitt! We’re waving from the Lido deck!</p>
<p>owm, that was really nice of you to make special food for the allergy kids. My husband and two of my kids are celiac (gluten free) and they are always grateful when hosts go out of their way to make something special. If anyone else has an event coming up where you need to accommodate gluten free folks, my best suggestion is to make cupcakes. Gluten free foods have more of a tendency to fall apart and cakes often come out of the pan in several pieces (personal experience!) Also with cupcakes, you don’t have to worry about the knife and serving pieces becoming “contaminated.” And if you have a Whole Foods around, they have wonderful pre-made gf cupcakes, pies, etc.</p>
<p>Proudmom, very sorry to hear about the teen suicide. Last year a boy my daughter had gone to middle school with committed suicide. His mother wrote the most moving (and heart-rending) obituary I’ve ever read. She opened with a quote that I try to keep in mind every day:</p>
<p>“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” Plato, The Republic</p>
<p>Congrats to EmmyBet, AmandaK, cptofthehouse! Doesn’t it feel great to have a decision? So happy your kids feel great about where they’ve chosen to go. And so glad things worked out so well for MilitaryMom.</p>
<p>Psst - emilybee: I was so happy to join you in the E-section, list buddy! And congrats to Amanda, who might end up being our alphabetical leader in the Class of '11.</p>
<p>So happy your D’s come ashore! Was getting very lonely. ;)</p>
<p>Proudmom-sorry to hear about the loss. I can’t imagine what that family is going through.</p>
<p>DS has disembarked the ship. He has decided on U of I. He really wanted to go to Vanderbilt, however within the majors he wants right now (accounting, finance and civil engineering), U of I is higher ranked. We went to admitted students day yesterday and everything clicked. </p>
<p>The biggest issue now is finalizing where he will stay. I had already signed lease for apartment next to college, but now he wants to go to a dorm and be cramped.</p>
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