May, May, May, May part 1

I'm still a Mother...even on Mother's Day.  I get lovely presents and get to wear some of the most darling jewelry I've ever been given.

Colter had his kindergarten sing.  He allowed me to take pictures and videos this time...

Lorien had her very last Orchestra Concert, ever!  Four years of playing the viola in high school.  Way to go baby girl.  

She got to stand with the graduating seniors and announce she was going to SMC.  She played a great joke and said "Julliard" at first.  The whole crowd wowed at the same time and her orchestra teacher said "What, really?!" before Lorien let us all in on the joke.  Well played Lorien, better than the tired, old: "I finally got my letter from Hogwarts."

We all got ice cream to celebrate Lorien (and reward ourselves for sitting through our last high school concert).

The Oakland Temple opened to the public as part of the rededication.  We took a tour on a busy, rainy Saturday.  Lorien's friend, Emma, tagged along.  Clare had dance team tryouts so she missed the family trip.  But Clare and Wyatt got to see the temple the week before with the youth from church.

Our temple tour was the same day as Senior Ball.  Lorien was super mad I made her go to open house before ball.  We were late...but she managed. 

This is Lorien and her friend, Erik.  Erik has a drag queen persona named Creme Brulee Queen.  He makes his own dresses, does his makeup, cuts, colors, and styles his wigs, and has an act to boot.   He has gone to the last several formal dances as his drag persona.  He makes group pictures way more entertaining, for sure.

Lorien had a glorious time with her friends.  I forgot to mention: she bought her dress without me.  She and a friend went dress shopping.  She told me about it later and I was sad.  This was the last formal event for Lorien and my last chance to go formal dress shopping with her.  I got to use my life coach stuff for it in letting myself feel sad.  It was interesting. 

A week later, when she was trying on the dress, the zipper split.  I spent an hour or so on the phone tracking down the same dress.  Most of the stores I called didn't have it.  I finally found one up in Concord that had the dress but it was on a mannequin and had some dirt on it.  I agreed to buy it for a discount and made the trip up to the store one day when I was driving dance.  The dirt came out in the wash and Lorien had her lovely gown to wear.  I got to be part of the last formal dress shopping experience after all.