Lasts

So many lasts this year! Last fall choir concert, last musical, coming up on our last semester of high school.  It's been really fun so far, we had Maria's senior pictures taken a few months ago and even this morning, when it's like 38 degrees or something, it's so nice to look at them and think of where we were, in such warm weather and with Maria really enjoying the photo shoot and appreciating her youth and beauty in the moment.  At first it was funny to me to spend money to have pictures taken, when literally my senior picture is one that my sister took with me standing by a tree in the yard before I went to graduation.  But now I can appreciate what a sweet experience it was to have the time together when we took the pictures, and of course it's just - it's not that often that you can get all glammed up and pose and change three outfits and just - picture something in your mind how it's going to be and then it IS and now we have all these pictures of Maria in this exact moment in time.  

I read something recently that to be optimistic during hard times is an act of rebellion and I am really trying.  Things are hard right now - the stupid shutdown drags on, we are so worried about money anyway and now this - other stuff, it's just hard but I am determined to enjoy this time, to enjoy my life and our lives together.  But it's a challenge! 

Maria is doing great.  I feel like that's all I say on here! But it's true.  Over fall break we went to a campus visit at IU.  We went with some friends of Maria's and their moms and that was fun, it was a beautiful day, that campus is incredible.  It's 2000 acres and it has such history, I could really see her enjoying herself there.  One week later, we went to University of Cincinnati and it was wonderful too! It's so different, just 200 acres compared to the vastness of IU, and right in the middle of the city, super hilly and my favorite part was that the football stadium is in the middle of the campus.  U of C offers us in Central Indiana in state tuition, which is a great deal.  They have a pre-occupational therapy track that I think Maria would really like.  There are six hospitals right nearby and U of C does a lot with co-ops.  It feels a lot more like students are being prepped for life than it does at IU.  At IU it seems like there is a lot of focus on BEING at IU.  It's all very interesting, she is applying to Purdue and Marquette too and we will see what happens.  

This weekend is the musical at school, Maria has a supporting role and she is great in it.  There's just three shows and I know it will be over before we know it, like every other thing this year.