SOLC #16: Celebrating Yesterday

Day Number 16 of the Slice of Life Challenge. Thanks to twowritingteachers.wordpress.com for the encouragement and inspiration to participate in this great event!

As I mentioned yesterday, I am spending the weekend in Michigan with my oldest daughter, Larkin, who is also blogging in the SOLC at lalalalark.wordpress.com. Yesterday, we wrote about the same event from our different perspectives. I know that she wrote a celebration post of yesterday, so I'm going to do the same. We loved the celebration posts that we read from Friday and hope that you'll all forgive our Sunday (not Friday) Celebrations. We'll see how much we agreed on to celebrate.


In a somewhat chronological order:

1. We made it to the airport on time for a 6 am flight and I had already printed the boarding passes so we didn't have to stand in a very long line.

2. The lady at the Budget car rental counter upgraded our car from a dinky one to a Ford Focus. Larkin hates it, but I'm developing a relationship with our red Focus.

3. Shout out to the Waze app. It has gotten us everywhere around Ann Arbor. Between that and Suri, we have found everything, including a place to have our nails done.

4. My husband, Garth, who is at home with the other three daughters and my father (my mother is also away this weekend), entertaining their friends, chauffeuring to games, and keeping them all happy and safe. No easy task.

5. The predictability of some stores and places: CVS, Whole Foods, Hampton Inn...You know what you need and you know what they will provide.

6. The originality of other stores and places: We ate at Zingerman's last night and if any of you are ever in Ann Arbor, do not miss Zingerman's. I took some pictures of my meal, including the sweet potato fries and they were incredible. Larkin thinks it's silly to post pictures of my fries, but I might...

7. The fact that UM students know how to have a good time. The campus is in full swing with St. Patrick's day on the horizon. Parties and greenness were everywhere yesterday.

8. The incredible talent that exists in the college generation. We went to a dance performance last night, that also featured an a cappella group. They were all just. so. good. I never had the courage or composure to perform the way that my daughters and their contemporaries do and I am in awe of this.

9. The incredible level of acceptance that exists in the college generation. At this performance, and all over campus, were students who would never have been able to express themselves and perform so openly and joyfully.

10.  Larkin's declaration of excitement, appreciation and love at the end of the day. Please note that if this were not a chronological post, this tenth celebration would be first. Isn't it the best to see so much joy in your child?

Off to bask in a day that doesn't feel overwhelming and over-scheduled.