Sweet 16

Derek turned 16 yesterday

Opening his presents in 2005 as Adam looks on

Derek and Adam skating on Saturday afternoon

Derek picked barbecue for his birthday dinner

Spiced Right

Trying on his new ice hockey stuff

Parallel parking practice for his driving test on Friday

Adam lighting the cake

Wacky Cake

And now for the reveal...Derek will have the "opportunity" to drive an "almost new" 2000 Honda Odyssey minivan back and forth to school each day where he will almost certainly be the envy of all his high school friends

Skating With Friends

Last weekend I took Adam and some friends from the neighborhood to the ice rink 

Christian, Connor, Patrick, and Adam

Ice Hockey Evaluations

Adam getting ready for his ice hockey league evaluation

He has been playing roller hockey for years, but is playing ice hockey for the first time this spring

Adam forgot to pack his new ice hockey girdle and shoulder pads so he looked like a hot mess with his ice hockey socks taped to his roller girdle

The coaches and other kids were kind of keeping their distance from this funny looking new kid...until Adam scored a few goals in the scrimmage. Then they started talking to him.

Adam's Band LGPE

Last week Adam's middle school band had their annual performance evaluation (LGPE)

Katie and Edenie in Selma

My sister, Katie, in Selma commemorating the 1965 Civil Rights march to Montgomery

Katie's beau, Edenei, at the Edmund Pettus Bridge

TSA Conference and GHP

Derek leaving for the TSA Leadership Conference early yesterday morning

Derek was bummed last Friday when he found out that, after making it to the state level, he did not make the final selection for the summer Governor's Honors Program. We felt so bad for him, but he said that, while he was disappointed, we were taking it harder than he was. He said he enjoyed the process and that he would try again next year. It helped us to see him taking it all in stride...and now we can plan our summer trip.
 

Capitol Fun Run

On Saturday morning, we took Adam downtown to run the Be Healthy Georgia Festival Fun Run

Gathering in Liberty Plaza across from the State Capitol building

Here he comes

Now to undo all the good he did on his run with brunch at The Varsity