Chamber Orchestra College Tour: OU

I chaperoned Corbin’s Orchestra trip to Oklahoma University in the Sooner state Sunday-Tuesday. 

The students enjoyed a campus tour, a masterclass, sectionals with the university music department, and a side-by-side rehearsal and sight reading workshop.  They also went to the Oklahoma state fair, and a dave and busters type entertainment park. I also got to take a side quest as chaperone in a semi-sketch uber situation to take a student to retrieve her forgotten wallet. I taught a bunch of students to play mahjong. Another night, I was the assigned supervision for a dozen cellists in the hotel gym. I brought my clippers and gave 6 of them haircuts in the corner. I got to room with Shino Welsch and it was so fun to get to know her a little better. 

I also have loved being here with Corbin. He mostly does his own thing, but occasionally (like when I open the giant bag of sour starbursts) comes around for a little visit or hug. 

Something I love observing is how inclusive Corbin is. He makes sure no one is left out, that everyone’s needs are met, and that the bus driver and the campus tour guide and the chick fil a lady are thanked. He ran and got hair products to teach one kid how to style his hair after I gave him a fresh look. There are two sophomores with 10 cellist who are primarily seniors on this trip and Corbin has made sure they are always included in the boy group, and partners up with one of them any time there’s an odd man out. He’s having a great trip and said this one has been a favorite..which is a surprise to me, since he is missing Ammon and Hyrum and Neal this year, and Rich didn’t come on the trip. 

He’s a resilient soul and really good at being a friend. He texted me this photo from the back of the bus, where they have a fort built with their pillows, etc. What a fun guy. 

It’s good to be Meg Willardson

I’m with Corbin chaperoning the Chamber Orchestra college tour. Today we are at University of Oklahoma in Norman, Ok. I just glanced up at the kids during their  master class and locked eyes with Corbin. He nodded and tuned back in, but oh my mother heart! All I saw in that moment—only a few seconds probably—were 5 year old Corbin’s big brown eyes looking back at me. It was on this day 15 years ago when 16 month old Corbin finally stood up and bravely took his first steps unassisted. He is approaching full independence in nearly every aspect of his life.  I’m sitting here feeling really very to be here and enjoy a little time with this special son who I’ve been so lucky to mother.   

 Our friends, the Geddes Family, are moving to Utah. My kids are going to miss their friends, especially Bear, who loved playing with Hans and Beau. We said goodbye with a backyard glow dance party.  

It is no secret that I’m a little tired of driving the giant van. There are hours during the day when it’s just me now. The van feels superfluous with only 5 kids at home. Aaron had the kids wash it for me today. The interior is still a war zone of kid-abandoned garbage. There are bits of paper shrapnel and the musty air is fermented with the decaying orts of meals devoured on the go. But now, at least the outside sparkles. Thanks fam! 

We went to the fitness center as a family today to play volleyball and basketball. I rented a badminton court and showed the kids some skills. Sloane picked it up very quickly and is pretty good! Will def play again. I lettered in badminton singles and mixed doubles (shoutout to Sheena wherever you are) in high school. It was fun to show the kids a new sport and even more fun to play again. 

Corbin asked a cute friend, Gabriella, from Rogers to BHS HOCO last week!

 I’m slowly working my way through the Childrens closets with them for our biannual “this doesn’t fit” wardrobe purge. The little girls both had growth spurts and sized up in pants after nearly two years in the same size. Some lucky parent is about to hit the mother load of clothing drops at the thrift!

Soren and Sloane went with Titus and Flora to the retro arcade last weekend

My fave band is on tour. We caught Two Door Cinema Club  at Cains Ballroom in 2024 with Aaron, Brendan, and Fake Band. It was the first concert for Shef and Henson and we were right under the stage in the pit. It won’t be the same without Quincy. Nothing is the same without Quincy. I miss my concert buddy. 

Aaron and I haven’t purchased tickets to any of the shows yet but would love to figure out/justify a time to get away just the two of us. I think a weekend away together sounds glorious. (And darn near impossible with the dynamic of our kids and rides to all their things) 

Soren, Sloane, and Esme all sized up in instruments this month. Luckily, we have an extra full size cello for Soren that Corbin used 8th -10th grade. Not renting Soren’s cello was almost an even cost trade to rent a new “Henson” and “Maren” for the girls to play. I took no instrument photos,  but our luthier, Ray, has rescued two litters of kittens and they’re at the shop. Cats are gross, but these teeny kitties are cute. Nope, not cute enough to bring home a kitten. 

Soren raced in the Sugar Creek Showdown last night. He took 6th place for WJHS and ran 2 miles (in extreme heat) in 12:40. He has room to import e before high school, but 6:20 miles are pretty impressive! What I would give to run that fast! He did it with ease and felt amazing post race. We’ve been to this event so many times over the years. I can’t express how much I love that one of those runners is my son. Way to go Soren! And thank you Kasey and Corbin for showing up with Aaron and I to cheer for him! 

Happy Birthday: Bear and Esme are 11!

Aaron is in Cincinnati, so we are postponing party and candles etc until he is home, but it was still a very special day! They twins woke up to obnoxiously loud birthday songs from Corbin at an unholy hour before he left for seminary, ate banana chocolate chip muffins that I baked the night before, and Sloane played happy Birthday for them on her cello. 

Esme wore that birthday crown all day! 

Ryan came with me to pick them up from school, and announced as we dropped him off at his car that he was picking up Soren from school so I could take them out for donuts and ice cream. They were SO excited. 

I took them to Vargas Fruiteria in Rogers and the sweet owner made them the most over the top “super freak shakes” one chocolate strawberry shake, and one Nutella shake with a side of ice cream and donuts. So fun. 

They chose to skip piano lessons and come home to watch Mulan with Corbin, Soren, Sloane and Ryan. (TV rotting after school on a weekday is a luxury). And then another suprise: a FaceTime call from Quincy!! On a week day! None of us expected this and the twins LOVED having Quincy all to themselves to tell about their day and hear some crazy mission stories from Q. Aaron and Reese and Logan eventually hopped on the call too. 

Sloane had a pretty good attention struggle with it being the twins birthday. She wanted a turn with Quincy and didn’t want to let the twins hold the phone (or be in the room on her turn because she wanted to tell Q about a bday surprise she worked on). Her demands were loud and needy and Ryan called her into the other room with him and Soren. He and Soren also asked for a turn with Q while the twins took a call from Grammie on another phone. It was actually just a move to pass the phone to Sloane. I later found him feeding her fries instead of the dinner I made. 🤦🏻‍♀️ His defense line being, “as a you gets child I feel for her. And we do not negotiate with terrorists.” 

The twins got fries, too. What a fun life these triplets have with so many older siblings to keep them perpetually spoiled. I hope they will look back at their childhood and remember feeling seen and cherished. 

Bear and Esme are the best caboose go out crazy love train. It is such an honor to be their mother and I don’t ever want to take for granted the battle it was to call them ours forever. They are a living testimony of answered prayers. Sometimes in the chaos of every day (or envy of a jealous sibling) I try to imagine what our lives might be like without them in it and it’s incomplete. I’m forever grateful that we were chosen to be Bear and Esme’s forever family. 

They fill our lives with so much love! 

Happy Birthday to my favorite twins! I love you both! 

 

Tchau Elders Johnston and Johnson

We heard 5 missionary farewell talks on Sunday. Good luck to Elders Allred (Mexico), Miller (South Africa, White (Maryland, Johnson (Brazil) and Johnston (Brazil) 

(L-R: Cali H, Brooklyn H, Luke H, Eden P, ?, Logan B, Landon W, Lainne P, Elder Johnson, Neal R, Avery P, Marcus, Caleb M, ?, Elder Johnston, Dashell H, Annalise F,  Roman M, Eden M, Kellan W, Brody S, Jack P, Elder Allred, Dan H, Richard A, Sydney G, Noah H, Ariana D, Elder White, Bruce, Corbin, Aaron) 

I got a couple photos of Corbin and Ammon’s goodbye. She said no tears have been shed in their house until that moment. It got everyone. Corbin is experiencing a new-ish-to-him form of grief and carrying the burden well. This good work takes courage. And I am so thankful Corbin knows this depth of love and friendship and companionship to be able to feel such a loss in their absence. I am so proud of all of them. 

My younger kids have been the lucky beneficiaries of having these two knuckleheads around so often. I have done a lot of conversation censoring to help things stay age and topic appropriate over the past few years, but the goodness of these boys far outshines in influence. Two more great examples for my kids to look up to is wonderful, and a handful of little siblings around has been a good balance and check for Ammon and Hyrum, too. 

Esme and Sloane made cards for the elders with the nicest little notes in them. Ammon and Sloane have a sibling-like love/hate relationship. It’s all in jest and entertaining for everyone. Ammon teased that he wasn’t going to keep her card, and Sloane said, “Hey! I put my whole heart into that card. Are you careless with people’s HEARTS, Ammon?!”  

They aren’t even my kids, but I felt emotional on Sunday.  

If anything, I hope I’ve taught them to love big.