Well Sweet Pea – You are 16.

So strange to write that, but in many ways, it’s just perfect. It’s been so fun to watch you grow. I have always said that this age – where you are when I am talking – is my new favorite age, and I have never lied about that. You are witty and joyful and thoughtful. You are creative and talented and committed to school. What an awesome friend you are. You take risks and you stand up for what you believe in. I could not be prouder of who you are. I so enjoy being with you; we really enjoy being together. Driving you to school usually results in both of us laughing – and dancing and singing. Jojo is your FAVorite creature on the planet. And yet your torture him in sweet ways. Today you tied a helium balloon around his belly and laughed at him when he tried to lay down under the table.

Tuesday’s real birthday was lower key as you had school (at home, asynchronous because of COVID, but school nonetheless). I bought you a cronut (strange but delicious donut they sell on Main Street) to start your day. Eventually we went shopping to buy you sleeves for VB, a couple new books from Barnes & Noble, and a cozy new sweatshirt. Then I took you to your first VB game as a JV player. You played GREAT and the team won all three sets. I got you Chipotle for dinner; over all a stellar day.

But it wasn’t even close to over.

Saturday, March 20, was the celebration to top all celebrations!! Auntie Amy organized the most incredible day for you!!! She created an advent calendar of sorts to walk you through your day: Include in this 16 grided day was 1) edible bouquets for breakfast; 2) a comedian/magician for the family zoom; 3) a $75 spending spree on Amazon in 16 minutes; 4)lunch of your choice; 5) cotton candy in 10 different flavors for you and all your friends; 6) a party bus for you and your closest 4 friends; 7) Java’s coffee; 8) a Rocky impersonator to wish you happy birthday; 9) thrift shopping; 10) A video-taped greeting of a Criminal Minds TV show actor personalized for you; 11) rented out the entire ice skating rink; 12) bubble tea for you and friends; 13) sushi from your favorite restaurant; 14) hired a botanist to redecorate your room in plants while you were out; 15) carrot cake from NY City; and 16) Presents. WHEW!!! What a day. IT WAS SO WONDERFUL TO CELEBRATE YOU IN ALL OF YOUR FAVORITE WAYS!!! THANK YOU AUNTIE AMY!!!

Mama, look! It’s REAL!!!

You earned your first trophy by earning a “superior” rating three years in a row for piano – Way to go Baby Girl!

And tonight, at your recital, you played a really hard song (3 flats) – a significant stretch. I could not have been more proud of your efforts. Your persistence and hard work paid off. You played this song for your music teacher and class before tonight’s recital. Tonight’s performance wasn’t the best you did this song, but that so doesn’t matter. What matters is that you KNOW this song… you’ve played it a million times for many people’s enjoyment… including yours.

I could not be more proud!

What is music federation? IMG_1527

2017 5th grade spring piano recital from Aluehmann on Vimeo.

Monday night we gathered as we have many times to see what you’ve been up to and admire your accomplishments.

This time we got to hear you and the rest of the (very large) 6th grade chorus sign some really fun and creative songs. You really like your choral director, Ms. Howard, a long-term sub. A few days after Monday’s concert, you played your piano recital piece for her (and the class).

I love how these pictures show you and your friends growing up so beautifully while still maintaining your awesome spirit.

Love that you are stretching and trying new things all the time! Can’t wait for the next time!! Love you!

How is that for the saddest perspective on graduating from elementary school. Next year you will be in 6th grade at the middle school. As I was driving you to your last day of school you announced,

Today is my last day of recess for my whole life.

We both sighed.

Monday was your “Moving Up” ceremony, and Wednesday was the last day. You definitely won the award in many people eyes, mine included, for best “Moving Up” day outfit!! You rocked the shoes!!

They had a little party in your classroom afterward – popsicles and everything! YUM!!

And then this was picking you up after you very last day:

One of many promotions in your life, I treasure every opportunity to celebrate you!!

This is an email I just sent to our extended family…. we sure did have an awesome time!! You and I are beginning to really love our adventures together!! I love that!! You are my navigator, and together we figure out where we want to go!! We ended this trip with the BEST ICE CREAM IN NASHVILLE – I think the world actually. We both had “Savannah Betterment.” YUM!!! I love you Peanut Butter!!!

We just got back from a week long trip to Nashville with a quick trip to neighboring Kentucky. Madey and Jim were with Maya and me until Thursday. Maya and I stayed a few days more and came back Sunday.

Sunday-Tuesday – Mammoth Caves National Park in Kentucky, short cave tour and horseback riding. Slept at an organic farm run by Mom and 3 daughters – collected eggs each day (that we ate for breakfast) and fed all the animals. 100 adult chickens, 40 babies, 3 bunnies, 5 dogs with puppies born the day we arrived, goats, a chameleon, bird, fish… awesome experience. We laid on hammocks and jumped on a trampoline; shopped in an Amish store, and I thought about Dad and Mom a lot! You would LOVE this place!!

Tuesday – Thursday – Stayed with the person we call “Best Friend Dave” (Jim’s best friend) and his wife AnnMarie and their beautiful 2 children – Jacob (3 years old) and Sophia (5 years old). They used to live in Rochester (Dave was Jim’s doc student), until Dave took a job at Vanderbilt. We hadn’t met Jacob yet, as he was born in Nashville. We made art at the Frist Center, ate at Nashville icons, went to an amazing botanical garden called Cheekwood that reminded us of “Meijer’s Gardens” in Bianca and Mark’s neighborhood (a must see if you haven’t yet!!). We collected frogs at varied stages of their life cycle in a pond and saw an incredible organic vegetable garden in bloom.

Thursday-Saturday – Maya and I went to her first conference – National Science Teachers Association annual meeting. We had a BLAST!! Fun toys, games, stickers, movies, demonstrations all over, and everyone loved engaging a fun kid like Maya. Maya was great about going to sessions that were more talking-based as well (she made movies on her iPad from past home movies we had taken). We met amazing scientists doing fascinating work on patterns in nature and the coexistence of various animals that would appear to be competing for scarce resources. Cool, hip, creative, fun, articulate young scientists.

Got home at midnight on Sunday to a crazy house – ALL of our first floor (including fridge, washer, dryer, piano… you get the idea) was moved out to our garage so our floors could be redone. They looked great, but wow!!

So, Jim took me to a spa. We are at Mirabeau – a beautiful place about 90 minutes from Rochester – a place we go about twice a year for “marriage improvement.”

It must work because today we celebrate our 8th anniversary. 🙂

National Park #2 – The Everglades… Learned so much!! There aren’t too many times in life where you have the opportunity to be so deep in nature that you are incredibly humbled by it all. Going way out into the Everglades was one of those precious times.

The next day we did some more Everglades with DJ:

Nobody knows what Federation is, but it’s where 3 judges judge my piano playing.

Last Friday I had to do Federation. My scaredness was on and off. But when I got on that piano bench I felt better (but still scared). My first song was “Trumpet Fanfare” by Robert D. Vandell.

And my second song was “Sword Dance” by Faber.

I messed up. I thought I did badly. But then, out of the blue, my teacher texted my Dad. And the text said, I was…

PERFECT!!!

I’m so happy its done.

My Federation Dress:

The end.

-Maya

You just finished a week of Girls Rock! Rochester, and it was AWESOME!! Playing in a band of five girls (you on keyboard and our dear friend and neighbor Ariel on vocals), you created a name and logo, you authored a song, and you screen printed your t-shirts. A professional photographer took your group and solo shots. Today you performed “Waffle Fries” the song for a very large, screaming audience. (I know, because I was one of the ones screaming!! 🙂 )

You owned the work this week – writing your chords on your arm so you could practice. Feeling the stress and then relief of having to author a song collaboratively with a deadline.

Watch you Rockin’ On!! Here is your performance on YouTube!!

Definitely need to do it again next year!!

What a special time to set aside a day to celebrate and honor our Dads together…dads in all the different ways of living that relationship.

Personally, I think about my Dad many times a day. His heart lives in mine. Some of the specific ways I hear him or feel him smile are when I work to be the person I want to be when circumstances are challenging; I can hear him talking to strangers that I’m interacting with (I can hear him demonstrating deep interest as he would say things like, “Is that right?”); I literally hear his chuckle in my ear and “I’m so proud of you” whenever I take on and finish some strange challenge or adventure (e.g. I just finished running my 61st day in a row, and raced one of those days in a sparkly dress – coming in 2nd in my age group). I can hear his stern encouragement regarding working hard and teaching children to do the same; I hear the same stern confidence and committment to respecting one’s parents and others and the need to nurture that. I am eager to open my house and my car and my (whatever)… to those who I have the privilege of helping… a deep–seeded foundation from growing up with Dad and Mom. I thoroughly enjoy my children like Dad thoroughlly enjoyed us… and, because of that, I have become fully aware that liking your children is different from and just as important as loving them. Really enjoying them is so much fun!! And, to close each night, when we go to bed and say prayers, Maya says, “And God, please take really good care of Opa… I miss him. And Oma.. She misses him too.” Just a few of the ways Dad continues to talk with me, teach me, love me and enjoy me.

Jim is an awesome Father too, and it is such a blessing to be his partner in the work he does with our three amazing kids. Jim’s relationships with each of the three is so treasured and important to him. He celebrates their strengths enthusiastically with them and with anyone else who asks. Each kid gets many hugs and I love you’s every single day. Today, he got up early to go to work (ICU attending this weekend) so he could cheer Madey and Maya on at their piano recital. After going for a bike ride with Dan and making us all a yummy dinner, he played board games with Madey and Maya (so I could run). Eager to engage any and all of his family in the more challenging conversations of life, we all benefit from his deep faith and thoughtful ways of navigating life. We are all so blessed by Daddy Jim.

As I think through ALL of the Dads in our family, I am reminded how blessed we ALL are as a family. So many amazingly loving Dads who give so much and care so deeply… who have and continue to shape our lives. Thank you and I love you.

I am continually reminded how very important it is for all of us to support and encourage, love and believe in the fathers around us.

God, thanks for loving us in and through Dads. Hope you all had a great Father’s Day!!

This is the present we gave Dadey Jim – a new phone case with pictures of his favorite little people: