First Reconciliation

On Sunday, Ashlin made her First Reconciliation during a service at our church.  There were 110 students receiving the sacrament of First Reconciliation.  Ashlin was nervous and wasn't quite sure what to say.  She chose to make her confession to Father Andrews behind a screen.  After her confession, she was all smiles as she prayed her penance.  Although, from the looks of this photo, she was not happy about the whole thing at all (she did not want her picture taken).  This is the first step toward Ashlin receiving her First Communion next April.

Take care,
Michelle

Prayers for Isaac

Today I am asking for "Prayers for Isaac".  On Tuesday night during Norfolk Catholic's football game, this senior linebacker was injured making a tackle.  Isaac was put on a stretcher and taken to the hospital and then later flown to Omaha with a spinal cord injury.  On Wednesday morning, he was taken into surgery to repair his C1 and C6 vertebrates.  He is a very scared young man who does not have feeling in his legs.  The doctors have said that they will know in 72 hours of surgery if Isaac will fully recover from this injury.  The doctors were very optimistic after surgery.  But, Isaac has a long road ahead of him toward recovery and returning home to Norfolk.

I do not know this young man personally, but I do know his parents, Neil and Becky, and his youngest brother, Eli.  Many Norfolk Catholic students, staff and parents could be seen today wearing buttons with the photo above on them.

I ask you to pray for Isaac and his family.  The power of prayer is very powerful and I believe in it!

Take care,
Michelle

Our New 2012 Chevy Traverse LT

 Saturday morning Erica, Ashlin, and Justin headed off to the farm to spend the day with Grandpa and Grandma Korth, Cara decided to stay home by herself and hang out, and Keith and I left in our 2007 Buick Terraza Van to look at new vehicles.  The title for the van was in my purse with the intention of coming home with a different vehicle.  Our first and only stop was at Sid Dillon's in Fremont. 

 We had done no prior looking at vehicles.  I did not want another van and I did not want some large gas-hog vehicle like a Suburban (that is all I knew).  Keith wanted to look at a Tahoe, which could maybe pull the boat, but after one comment by the salesman about the 3rd row seating, that choice was ruled out.  We told the salesman that we needed to seat 6 people and went from there.  He immediately asked if we were buying new or used.  Keith replied that we would only consider used if it had low miles and was one to two years old.  It didn't take long to rule out used as a consideration.

The salesman showed us this Chevrolet Traverse LT and we went for a test drive.  He did ask what color we wanted to drive and our choices were black, charcoal grey or ice grey.  Keith ruled out black and he brought to the front this ice grey one.  Keith and I each test drove this vehicle while they worked up the trade in value of the van.  When we returned to the dealership, they had numbers ready and about an hour later we left with this new 2012 vehicle.

While eating lunch afterwards, I told Keith this is the first new vehicle I have had in my lifetime.  I've always drove used vehicles.  It was a great and exciting feeling to leave the car dealership with a vehicle that only had 22 miles on the odometer.

Take care,
Michelle

My Preschool Class

After Justin's Preschool party was over, it was time for me to clock in for work at school.  After doing a little bit of work, it was time for the afternoon preschool class' party.  I put on my witch hat and wig to go along with my black dress I wore to school that day.  I might only be the para for the afternoon class, but I still consider them my preschool class kids.

This year there are 20 students in the afternoon class.  These students are starting with the front row left to right:  Anthony, Stephanie, Kayden, Mia, Joseph

middle row left to right: Fernanda, Katrina, Oliver, Madison P., Hannah, Mickey, Irmarely

back row left to right: Madison G., Emma, Corbyn, Ty, Adrianna, Gracie, Mallory, Kara

Take care,
Michelle

Justin's Preschool Halloween Party

Justin's Preschool Class of 24 students.

 Halloween was a very busy day at school!  Each classroom had a Halloween party, the Sacred Heart Singers walked and sang at the Meadows, and the Kindergarten classes also walked and sang songs to the residents at the Meadows.  Erica and Ashlin walked to the Meadows with the Sacred Heart Singers.  They were both disappointed that I didn't walk with them, but I was at Justin's Preschool Halloween party at the time.  Therefore, they recruited Grandma Korth to walk with them. 

 Justin was very excited about his Halloween party.  I arrived for the party early to help students put on their costumes.

 Each student completed a small craft pumpkin project and then they got to play a ghost beanbag toss game.  Next, they ate a snack of cookies and juice boxes.  Then their bags were filled with treats.

 Lastly, the students sang some of their Halloween and Fire Safety songs that they learned for the month of October.  Justin loves to sing and do the actions for the songs.  Some of the songs they sang were:  5 Little Pumpkins, Red Fire Engine, Goblins In The House, Pick A Pumpkin, etc.

As the party progressed, Justin kept taking off parts of his costume.  First, his eye patch and then his pirate hat.  After preschool, he went to daycare for the next party of the day and then ended the night with trick-or-treating in our neighborhood.

Take care,
Michelle

Young Americans

 Every three years Norfolk Catholic hosts the Young Americans.  This is a clinic that involves the arts and encourages all students in grades 3rd-12th to participate.  The students involved spend an intense three days learning songs and dances.  Then at the end of three days, they perform a concert for the public.  Young Americans is a group of individuals that travel around the world teaching students the joy of singing and dancing and proving to kids how much fun the arts are to participate in.  This group is hosted by our Music Booster Group at school and requires so much planning and parent help.  The Young Americans are put up in participants homes from our school.  The food for the event is provided, prepared and served by parents.  I prepared two vegetable dishes, a salad and a dessert for Saturday night's supper. 

 This is the first year that Cara and Erica have been old enough to participate.  The Young American workshop started on Thursday afternoon and concluded on Saturday night with the concert.  The workshop was open to Norfolk Catholic students and other students from Norfolk and surrounding towns.  There were over 200 students participating in the workshop.  Cara and Erica were in the orange and yellow groups.  The high school students were in the blue group.

 The first hour of the concert was a performance of singing and dancing by the Young American staff.  Norfolk Catholic had five graduates perform in this group.  To be a Young American, you must be asked to audition, be accepted, and then be prepared to travel all over the world.  One parent commented that he has traveled to England, Germany and Los Angeles to watch his daughter perform with Young Americans.

The second half of the show was a performance by the students with a section in which some parents/staff performed.  This Mom performed in that small selection of songs.  The girls were embarrassed that I would participate, but they were also happy that their Mom would perform.  We had to sing and dance also. 

I cannot put into words how to describe the amazing show that these students put on.  It was so awesome and inspiring.  There were many talented students.  Keith and I attended the concert along with both sets of grandparents.  We all thought the show was simply amazing.  Cara has already figured out that if Young Americans to continue to come back every three years that when she is a senior all four of the kids can be in the workshop together.  To have all four of them in the concert would be simply amazing to see, I can't wait!

I don't have photos of the performance because no flash photography was allowed and the lights were turned off.  Plus no video recordings were allowed because the performance was professionally taped. 

Take care,
Michelle

Downtown Trick-or-Treating

 Last Thursday evening the Norfolk downtown businesses hosted their annual trick-or-treating for kids.  Cara and Erica were busy at school with Young Americans, but Ashlin and Justin were not going to miss out on some fun of their own. 

 The weather was dreary, cold and very windy all day.  It even rained for awhile, but these two were determined to do something without their older siblings.  Right away after school, they put on their costumes and we drove downtown to start trick-or-treating at 4:30.  Ashlin refused at first to wear a coat because of her cast.  It was hard enough to get her witch costume on, but after walking a few blocks without her coat she put her coat on.  Then after a few more blocks, she took her hat off because the wind kept trying to take her hat and she couldn't hold onto her hat, her coat and her bucket with only one good arm.

Justin started out with his eye patch on, but after a while he gave it to me to carry and his hat kept blowing off in the wind.  We made it up and down both sides of the street getting candy at the businesses.  Quite a few of the businesses had the kids go inside to get their treat because of the cold.  But a few businesses did have employees dressed up outside handing out the candy.

They are all ready for parties at school tomorrow and trick-or-treating in our neighborhood tomorrow night.

Take care,
Michelle