Fall 2017

I have such fun with Elizabeth each MWF as she and I eat lunch together before our 1:00 social psychology class.  She is ridiculously smart; I know I'm basking in her reflected glory, but I have to share: She has the highest grade across all 3 of the course's sections, a total of 62 students, almost all of which are college juniors or seniors.  The semester ends in less than 2 weeks; all that remains is one paper and one exam.  But don't be sad for me, because she is taking Relationships with me next semester! The fun continues .... for me, anyway; I won't speak for her.  I did catch her rolling her eyes a wee little bit when I recently mentioned that no study shows listening to music while studying significantly increases exam scores.  Here is a poster of her latest community service project; these signs and gallon bags are posted throughout our classroom building.

Elizabeth's college journey continues.  She and Steven have taken two weekend trips this fall, checking out some new schools and revisiting Knox, Elizabeth's top choice.  She has visited six of the seven schools to which she applied.  Such an exciting time for her and for all of us, anticipating which campus she will call home, in less than a year.  We are so curious as to know which school will be fortunate enough to get to call her one of their students.  She submitted all of her applications early, and now, the waiting  begins.  

Basketball season, on the other hand, has begun.  Scott County is ranked #1 in the state pre-season.  Michael starts for JV, is rarely taken out of games, and had two impressively solid scrimmages so far.  He just came home from practice and said he will travel with the varsity team for their final scrimmage tomorrow!  Scott County's first official game begins in about a week.  Michael has practice six days each week and often spends time outside of practice at the Pavillion or working out.  He and Steven constructed a "jump box," 24 inches high.  Sometimes Michael jumps onto it 250-300 times in one day.  I become weary simply hearing his sneakers squeaking.

Michael continues to do well academically, in spite of all the time basketball requires. He made some creative marshmallow pops for his Spanish class' Day of the Dead party.  He enjoys his Money Skills class and has learned how to use cragislist.  He  ventured out of his comfort zone a bit when he and his friends held a yard sale!



The four of us spent a day in Simpsonville celebrating Rosemary's birthday.

We went to Toyota Day at Kings Island in September.

We spent Thanksgiving in Shelbyville.

Today, our Christmas tree is up and glowing!

And the dogs still love their daily walks.
  

Last weekend Laura, Mary, and I co-presented our cross-cultural research, for which we described and analyzed our students' stress levels.  It was THE BEST CONFERENCE EVER.  We attended multiple sessions, ranging from implicit bias to how to write a thesis statement.  Did I mention we were swamped with interested colleagues during our poster session?!  I finally told Laura and Mary we needed to leave when we still had three fans hovering, 25 minutes after the session had ended!  We learned.  We laughed.  We talked.  We caught up.  And the three of us taking a trip together allowed me to cross off the one remaining item on my bucket list.

Life is so good!

Beautiful family

 What greater thing is there for human souls than to feel that they are joined for life – to be with each other creating memories.  -George Eliot

 

   

Why We Love the "I" States

Earlier this spring, Michael's AAU team, Prodigy, did so well in a Cincinnati tournament that they qualified to participate in the National Tournament for the Midwest region, held in Indianapolis.  Finally, the tournament arrived.  Michael's team played more synergistically than they had all year, and it paid off.  Team Prodigy advanced to the Final Four, in the gold bracket, before losing to the eventual champions.  Michael was spectacular, leading his team with scoring throughout the weekend.  Truly a once in a lifetime experience that will likely stay with him for years, if not for life!

Almost equally as exciting (not really), Steven and I kept the official scoreboard and clock for every game in which Prodigy played.  That helped us not yell as frenetically as usual, because we were seated next to a representative of the opposing team and were instructed to remain impartial.  As if. Angie accompanied us on the trip!  She and Elizabeth sat together and we could always, always hear them cheering.  Here are a couple of clips, I hope they aren't blurry: His usual NBA three and then a jumper which cracked me up because he gets past 3 defenders while being fouled and then someone yells "Thank you!" while Angie nervously covers her face. The 5 of us had many laughs together in between the games.  After the tournament, Angie and Michael drove back to Georgetown to relieve Stephen Jasper of the three stooges' duty.

    

Elizabeth, Steven, and I traveled an additional 4.5 hours to Galesburg, Illinois, home of Knox College.  Go Blazing Prairie Fire!  Knox is one of Loren Pope's 40 most influential colleges and emphasizes social justice and diversity inclusion across their curriculum.  Elizabeth spotted their Human Rights Center immediately upon our arrival.  One of the windows displayed a sign that read "whoever you are, wherever you are from, you are welcome here."  WE have that sign in our house!!!  During our visit, we took a tour led by an alum from San Diego; Elizabeth loved the tour guide, who truly was inspiring (a psychology major who is pursuing a ph.d. in something upon which she hasn't decided).  Then Elizabeth had a one-on-one meeting with an admissions counselor named Joyce.  Joyce told Steven and me that Elizabeth is amazing! and that she cannot believe how aware Elizabeth is of social issues and how impressed she was by Elizabeth's involvement in related projects.  She told Elizabeth the Peace Corps seems like a good fit for her post-college, which is what Joyce did in Africa.

Galesburg is home to one of the 1858 Lincoln-Douglas debates.  Elizabeth sat in Lincoln's chair, which we were told is periodically reupholstered but otherwise is in its original form.  Elizabeth loved learning that President Obama has spoken at Knox twice since 2005.  So much to love about Knox!  We left that campus so excited about the possibility of Elizabeth attending there. 

We eventually made our way back to Kentucky, appreciative that our trips to Indiana and Illinois were so positive, successful, and memorable.  Maybe next year we'll visit Idaho and Iowa!

Four drivers

Not referring to golf clubs (pretty clever writing, considering I don't know how to play golf, right?), but rather, whose behind our vehicles' steering wheels.  Michael got his driver's permit!!!  He's a calm, coordinated driver who drove home from Lexington two days later. He had a super fun birthday, celebrating with friends and an Oreo ice cream cake with blue frosting, but the best was passing the written test.

Good things have happened to all of us since he passed his test:

I won't go on and on with details - although I have plenty - but once again,
Michael's AAU team won a tournament championship.  Michael, once again, was the team's leading scorer across the two days of playing.  It was easy to find photos to use in a poster - all shots are from made baskets.  :)

Elizabeth completed her summer college course, Psychology of Women.  Every day Steven and I commented on her diligence and conscientiousness, as she logged on for 1-3 hours, reading sometimes-dense research articles, watching documentaries, listening to lectures, and writing, writing, writing.  Her original PowerPoint presentation on honour killings in Pakistan was beautifully-done.  Her professor commented on how impressively she connected lecture material and assigned readings to her research (including a Maya Angelou poem!).  She earned 1000/1000 points for the course.  Not that I doubt my daughter's academic abilities in any way, but I have never, ever seen a perfect score for an upper level course with so many different requirements.  Elizabeth enjoyed the course and appreciated learning so much about women's experiences around the world, but I saw her huge smile when she submitted that final exam.

Bennett visited!  Then Fred and Virginia brought Parker, Sam, and Elise for a visit!  We were sad we didn't get to meet up with Tiffany as well.  Although the visits were brief, we loved them.  It made all of us McKenzies even more super excited for our California visit.  Sports challenges were made.  There are some competitive souls amongst the cousins!  :) 

Steven and I celebrated our 24 year anniversary!  We went to Cane's for lunch so we could see Elizabeth.  We walked through some model homes and snickered at some gaudy decorations.  Oh, I mean, I snickered; Steven always find the good in everything.  I am so fortunate to have a husband with such a beautiful soul.

I continue having coffee and lunch with friends. Here I am at the annual lunch with the group I call my geriatric friends (maybe don't tell them that).  Combined age: 280 years (Macy is 81).  All three are retired faculty and remain so active, busy, and intellectual. 

Sending you all love.  Experiencing sheer excitement in anticipation of seeing siblings, in-laws, and cousins later this month!!!!!!!!