A few months ago, Rock Springs High School did a fundraiser for a local little girl. They sent notes home with all grade-schoolers, and if they made a donation to the Make-a-Wish Foundation, their names would be put into a drawing to shadow a high school athlete. Well, guess who one of the winners was? Liam! He got the amazing opportunity to become an honorary member of the boys basketball team for a week. First, he got to attend a practice.
Meeting his "teammates."
The coaches and team were so nice and cool to Liam, and really made it special. He got to practice right along with them, and at the end of practice when they circled up for a cheer, the cheer they shouted was "Liam!"
Then at their game Friday night, he got to wear his official Rock Springs Tigers shirt,
and be at the end of the tunnel when the players were introduced.
The National Anthem.
He was pretty hot stuff, being the last one to high five all the players, and even got chatted up by a few cheerleaders. (He later told us that cheerleaders are "SO annoying." Hope he remembers that in a few years.)
Then the game started, and he took his place... yes, right there on the bench.
His main job was to get water for the players when they subbed out. Two of his friends from school were sitting near the water cooler, and thought Liam and his job were the bomb. So he graciously allowed them to push the water button for him.
Just chillin' out, watching the game, and cheering on his boys.
It was such a cool night for him! The game was a state qualifying one, and sadly, we lost by one measly point, but it was a very intense, great game and we all had fun.
Here's Declan starting a new session of swimming lessons.
And us celebrating Dr. Seuss' birthday at Grace's school.
And now, let me tell you about my two favorite things about Wyoming.
(FYI - My two least favorite things? Wind and semi-trucks.)
First, I just can't get over how much I love all the antelope! They are everywhere! We regularly see a big herd grazing right behind our subdivision, or we'll be driving in town and some will casually cross the street in front of us. I am going to start carrying my camera with me when we drive anywhere because I never have it when I see them, but I did capture these guys crossing the street.
They are such beautiful animals and even after nine months living here, I still get a thrill when I see them!
And my other favorite thing about the Cowboy State?
Definitely the schools.
As a state, Wyoming has very few inhabitants and lots of money, and those two things make for excellent quality of schools. I did not start out so impressed. When we moved here and I registered the kids for school, I tried my darnedest to only register Sam for half-days of kindergarten. (It's all day, every day here, although kindergarten starts an hour later than the other grades.) I didn't think it would be a big deal, since I did it in Washington with Liam and the school was totally cool with me coming to get him at lunchtime every day. In fact, the secretaries, principal, and district people I had to go through to get permission all said, "You're right. That is just too long a day for a five year old. Good for you."
So we moved to Rock Springs and I attempted to do the same thing with Sam. And you would think that I was an absolute nutcase from the responses I got from everybody I talked to about it. In fact, the principal had the nerve to say, "Well, I don't know what the schools were like in Washington, but here in Wyoming, WE are all about education." What?!?! I was told that if he wasn't ready for kindergarten, I should keep him home another year or homeschool. Well, the thing was, academically, he WAS ready for kindergarten and there was no way to keep in preschool another year and still have him be challenged. We just didn't feel he was ready to be in school and away from his mom for 6 hours every day. I thought about homeschool, but just didn't think it was for us at the time. So after many tears on my end, Garreth and I decided to give it a try and if Sam didn't thrive, we would pull him out and homeschool.
It took a little while to adjust and he definitely had to figure some social skills out, but now Sam is thriving and loves school. He is a fantastic little reader and at the top of his class academically. It helps that he has a teacher who is amazingly patient and genuinely loves Sam and just gets him. But it took me a while to give the school (and that principal!) a second chance. After seven months with the boys at Sage, I am so happy with the education they are getting and the experiences they are having. It is an amazing school.
Which brings me to why I began this long rant. Grace and Liam started their mandatory state testing last week, and it goes through the end of March. They have been preparing for months. Last week, we got a letter in the mail inviting all parents to a special parade for the kids starting PAWS testing. On Monday morning, the first day of testing, the teachers had a huge breakfast for all the 3rd and 4th graders, along with a pep talk where they handed each kid a gold medal. Then the students lined up to leave the cafeteria, and over the school's loud speakers, "Eye of the Tiger" started blaring through the halls. The kids started walking to their classrooms through halls lined with police officers and fire fighters in uniform and tons of parents, all clapping and cheering for them, giving them high fives, and wishing them good luck.
It was awesome.
Liam's face looked a little apprehensive when he passed us, but I asked him later what he thought about it. He said, "Well, I went in and sat at my desk and I just felt so... BIG. I really felt like a rock star." I know it seems like a small thing to even bother blogging about, but it's little things like this that make me absolutely in love with their school.
Grace goes to a different school, White Mountain Elementary, which is just for 5th and 6th graders (another thing I love about our district) and equally amazing. Her school had a Zumba instructor come in that morning and the kids all got to dance before they went to take their tests. I love that the schools work so hard and come up with great ways to build up my kids, give them confidence, and do everything they can to help them succeed.
