Celebrating Pooker!

(Senior Picture taken 7/2008)

Our wonderful Pooker Baby finished her studies at our T Homeschool Academy in January. She didn't want to celebrate then because some of her dear friends were off at college. So we waited until summer. We had to wait until after swim team. Pooker approached her dad and I a few weeks back and asked for her party. She now needed to "get it in" the schedule before her college friends headed back to college. Her best very best friend C was heading out and we needed to have the party.


I thought that I would have been fine if we had cancelled the party all together. I was so wrong. The party was the best thing that could have happened. Pooker is a remarkable young woman and she deserved to have us celebrate her scholastic accomplishments.

This was a party in true Pooker fashion. She invited her friends and their families. At first I thought this would be too many people and we would need too much food. The suggestion was made to have just a dessert party with the chocolate fountain. Well we reserved the neighborhood clubhouse one week before the party, scrambled to get invitations out, created the list of items needs, Bear created a History of Pooker Slide show, and Moogie created a memory book. It was a very busy week, but so much fun.

Then Friday came. Mom went shopping and took everyone but the oldest three up to prepare the food and the room. We cut the tips off of 10 pounds of strawberries, chopped and cubed 10 cantaloupe, and sliced and diced 2 huge watermelons. We set out marshmallows, cookies, cakes, pretzels, and anything else that might be yummy in chocolate. We made coffee, lemonade, tea and even put out jugs of water. We blew up 60 blue balloons.

Then we left to come home and get dressed. The older group went up with their dad. They finished decorating with signs, hung some of the balloons, draped cray paper from light to light, and sprinkled the confetti. They also assembled the TV and DVD player so that we could all enjoy the Pooker slide show. So much work and then the fun started. We had many friends from all aspects of our lives come to celebrate with us. We had neighborhood peers, first friends from our move to Texas, fellow Cudas, Life Guards, Life Teen Friends, Confirmation Class friends, Homeschool friends and families, and even a one week old baby joined our party.

We must let everyone know how thankful we were to have you join in our celebration. It was made that much more special because you were there. I am sorry that we ran out of strawberries so quickly (I probably needed 20 pounds of strawberries.) Thanks to all those friends that swam and I didn't get much chance to chat with. Thanks to the parents that brought their young teens. Thanks to the neighbors for not getting upset with our capture the flag game that went into the evening.



Pooker you are a wonderful person. Some friends will come and go but for the most part you have a solid group of friends. Hang on to them and thank you for sharing them with your family. Enjoy your college adventures. You are called to change the world by being the best you possible. Surround yourself with like minded friends, follow your heart but only as it is guided by the Spirit. Know that no matter what your family loves you bunches and bunches!