Today was Gianna's first official college tour. We went to look at Sacred Heart University. She liked it! She saw UNH when Julia toured there but didn't like it very much. And of course she's seen Endicott which she thinks might be a bit too small for her.
I was asked not to post pictures of her so this will have to do...
Next up URI!
Excellent School of Nursing...fantastic internship opportunities...gorgeous seaside campus...national winning dance team...what more could you ask for? One of the best decisions Julia has ever made...
Nicholas received his second college acceptance letter! This time from Westfield State College! Nice work Nicholas! I honestly don't even know if attending a 4-year college is the right path for him but I'm just glad he's thinking about it. The future is wide open for The Boy : )
I love these definitions of an Epiphany:
Julia made the Dean's List for her very first semester of college!
Nicholas has been doing some on-line college classes at our local community college while he's playing junior hockey. But now that he's aging out of junior hockey, he's applying to four year colleges for the fall semester. He just received his first acceptance letter! Hopefully more will be on the way so he'll have a nice selection to choose from...
And last but not least, Gianna just received her very first college brochure in the mail. I'm very excited to start the college visits with her now. First up will be my personal favorite (and hopefully hers too) Sacred Heart University...
Such an exciting time for the kids!! And such an expensive time for Mom and Dad : /
You can feel like you are losing them during the teenage years, even though they're right there in front of you.
One day, you are laughing and getting along, the next you feel like you are sitting with a stranger you don't know in the least.
They might be unrecognizable, growing six inches in a span of six months.
They might have changed personalities, from sweet and loving to salty and stoic.
They might have changed their interests, their focus, their dreams.
You lose them to their phones. You lose them to their rooms. You lose them to their friends, their activities, their jobs.
You may feel desperate to cling to the child you once knew, the one who adored you, the one you got along with, the one whose hand you thought you'd hold forever.
You may feel like crying from their constant rejection. You may feel lost when you can't get them back on track. You may feel insignificant when they ignore you or lash out.
You will grow impatient with the status of your relationship. You will feel frustrated with the push and pull. You will grieve what is no longer there.
You will pull back. You will say less. You will watch from afar.
You will take whatever interaction you can get even if it is always on their terms.
You will pick and choose your battles because you are tired of so many battles.
You will try to stay available even though they are mostly unavailable.
And then one day when you least expect it, you will feel something shift.
You’ll see glimpses of the person they are becoming, and you begin to look forward to seeing what they will do with their life.
You start to learn about their new interests, their new passions, their new sense of self.
You will begin building a new relationship, one where you are no longer their sun. Your job is to be their moon, connected by a force so strong that it will never break. You will follow them along, providing light in their darkest moments, direction when needed. Sometimes your presence is large and looming, and sometimes it is small, barely seen by the naked eye. But you will always be there.
It won't be perfect. It won't be what it was.
But if you can survive losing your teen for a little
bit, what happens when they come back to you can be even more beautiful.
Written by Whitney Fleming Writes
GETTING IN FORMATION AGAIN
While most students were still enjoying winter break, the Endicott dance team was busy bringing high-octane excitement to the 2022 UCA & UDA College Cheerleading and Dance Team National Championship.
“Right before we take the mat to compete, we always have a team huddle,” said Maddison Murray ’22. “We remind each other that we are here because we love to dance and, most importantly, we love to dance with each other. We remind ourselves of the countless hours we put into this sport and encourage each other to leave it all on the floor.”
The three-time national champion Gulls received bronze medals in both the open game day and open jazz competitions (a program record for highest ranking) and placed fifth in the open pom category. The three-day competition was held at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando from January 14-16.
“Although we are a young team, each dancer has so much respect for one another and pride for the program. You cannot teach, rehearse, or drill team chemistry and this team truly has it!” said Head Coach Nicole Sao Pedro-Welch M’12. “All three routines were performed to their best ability at the proper time and that is all a coach could ask for. It’s been a pleasure watching the team’s work ethic and focus develop over the past 8 months.”
The team will next compete in the UDA New England Regionals on February 27, after which Pedro-Welch plans to hold a celebratory luncheon to celebrate this year’s success as well as the senior class.
“We’ll also start preparing for next year,” she said, “because it’s never too early to plan for the future.”
“Over the last four years I’ve truly had the most incredible time with the Endicott College Dance Team,” added Murray. “I wouldn’t trade a single moment I’ve had with this team for the world, and I couldn’t be prouder of all we’ve accomplished together. It’s crazy how fast my time on this team has flown by—I’d give anything to do it all over again.”
Photojournalist David Le captured the team in a virtual send-off performance for the Endicott community prior to the championship. These stark black and white photos highlight the team’s precision and contrast with the bright, dreamy portraits of senior team members.
Emma Cummings '25, a marketing major from Whitinsville, Mass.
“It is extremely tough to see my time as an Endicott dancer coming to an end,” said Steven O’Connor ’22, from Tewksbury, Mass. “It’s difficult for me to even think of leaving my team behind as I part from the Nest this upcoming May. Dance has been an enormous part of my life for as long as I can remember. Dancing at Endicott was one of the best decisions I could have ever made and I would not trade it for anything. I hope that this is not the end of my dancing career, and I hope the future has a few more performances for me in store.”
Brianna Conlon '24, a criminal justice major from Westminster, Mass., and Madison Dourdoufis '22, a biology and biotechnology major from Stratham, N.H.
“My teammates hype me up like nobody else,” said O’Connor. “Their words of encouragement never fail to get me pumped up to compete. We are each other’s biggest supporters!”
Kendall Belanger '24, an exercise science major from Haverhill, Mass.
Christen Luddy ’22, a graphic design major from Amston, Conn.
On the lessons the team is taking with them to the UDA New England Regionals: “To continue to dance for each other and control the controllables, which are executing skills, projecting emotion, and staying present,” said Pedro-Welch. “You never know what a judge will like or not like, so all you can do is dance your best, give it all you have, and just be proud of the performance.” Pictured here (in front) are Maddison Murray '22 and Madison Dourdoufis '22.
“Dance has had a huge impact on my experience here at Endicott,” said Murray. “If it wasn’t for the dance team I would have never even applied. Through dance at Endicott, and the team especially, I have not only been able to pursue my passions, but have made friendships to last a lifetime. My teammates have truly become my family.”
Love and miss N & J so much...especially today when there's a big snowstorm happening and they're not here...but on the positive side...it makes my heart so incredibly happy that they both text and/or call me every single day just to say hi and share their days with me...
