Another Exciting Week

 We had another week full of surprises and excitement, some bad, but mostly good.

Victoria's all healed from her bronchitis and displaced rib, but she had a mishap with too much excitement going on with friends in a car and she shut the car door on her thumb. Turns out that she has a broken thumb along with strep throat, which she suspected she might have after being around someone who had it. So she has to take more antibiotics now, which gave her a rash and stomach issues, though that is improving now. Two rounds of antibiotics within a month was not a good idea. I keep reminding her to eat lots of yogurt. It seems she is improving now, so fingers crossed she doesn't have any more problems this semester!

Kade performed so well at the Fall orchestra concert this week! He decided not to try out for symphony for his 7th year of orchestra, and just stay with concert. While I supported this decision, it would have been fun for him to play with the more advanced students, especially because he is really improving. His new expensive viola helps with that too! The good thing about him staying in concert orchestra is that they need his help! The violins are okay in that group, so some good violas are really necessary. In one of his pieces, which I'll include, many people commented on how the violas carried it and did so marvelously. I agree! I'll also include the piece with the concert and symphony playing together with the choirs. It's amazing!!

Warming up. Kade's in the middle.

I was chaperoning the musicians in the balcony, so we snuck a little selphie in.

I told the stinker to smile when they were done, but he did not.

A smile with Izzy, though.

Finally, Austin ran in regionals yesterday. It was a breezy, sunny, but chilly day. He and Jack went out pretty quickly and Austin got a PR on his first mile with a 4:53. He stayed very near Jack and Isaac for most of the run. It was the final half mile that made a huge difference. When I saw Austin running in as the first Salem runner, finishing with a 16:26, not a PR, but still amazing, I was surprised to not see Jack there. Then I saw Isaac about 20 seconds later and I thought I had somehow missed Jack. But then he came in about 20 seconds after that and he did not look good. I cheered the rest of our team on as they came in one after the other, before going past the finish line. I always try not to get in the way nor approach Austin right away (we're actually not supposed to), but I always want to get a glimpse of him standing. I saw so many guys on the ground, including Jack. Austin looked pretty good, but he was worried about his friend. He and some other teammates helped Jack up and walked him to sit on a bench. The rest of the post-race was solemn as everyone worried over Jack who was numb, vomiting, and had a hard time with his vision. Austin and Isaac said that their arms had gotten super numb during the race because of the temperature. It wasn't that cold, but they had their little tanks on and the way their bodies warmed up on the inside but were cold on the outside was not a good mix. Jack had the same problem, but the numbness went to his entire body. He ended up in the ER yesterday, but I believe he is doing better now. In the meantime, Austin is the only Salem runner who qualified for States. Isaac missed it by 1 place and 5 seconds. Somehow, our whole team came in 5th in that meet! So, while we are so excited that Austin gets to run in the State Championship this Saturday, we are also grieving Jack's health, who always seemed invincible, and Isaac's situation who is a senior and missed his chance for States by so small a margin. (Isaac is actually pretty upbeat and chipper, I think he's mostly worried about Jack.) Austin is excited, but he really wanted to run with friends. I told him he has to run it for the whole team! And the final meet after States, Jack will be back with a vengeance! (A healthy, safe vengeance in my opinion).

While we were waiting for the meet to start, Jason and I tried to keep up with Erik in soccer.