Bahrman Bulletin

It was a June full of celebrations for Becca. Exactly one week after graduating, Becca celebrated her 18th birthday. Yet even before her big day arrived, our neighbors threw a surprise birthday party for Becca. Homemade peach ice cream with a delicious and attractive blueberry sauce, complements of Bob, our neighborhood chef (and winemaker and woodworker…), were served with the lightest, moistest cupcakes we’d ever tasted. Yum!

On the actual weekend of Becca’s birthday, Tom’s occupation provided us an excuse to go south to Ashland. To make the weekend more celebratory, Becca invited her friend Amanda to join us.

The girls enjoyed two days of wandering through Ashland, shopping in the little boutiques, enjoying meals out (including gelato at Mix, of course), and lounging by the hot tub. On her birthday, we went to our favorite Ashland restaurant, Amuse, for a delicious dinner. Then, the girls who were old enough to stay up past 8 enjoyed the musical comedy She Loves Me. We laughed as the familiar story of a romance built upon correspondence swirled on the stage below us. (It is the story that the movie You’ve Got Mail is based on.) We left the theatre smiling and feeling light-hearted.

It was a relaxing and fun start to what is sure to be a year filled with fun and adventures.

From the moment a child is born, we parents begin dreaming of her life. She’ll be generous and fun-loving, do well in school, play sports, be polite and respectful, graduate from high school and go on to a good college, etc. The funny thing is that as the child grows, you keep dreaming of her future without realizing that the future is happening. Graduating from high school and going off to college was something we always expected would happen for Becca, I just didn’t realize that it would happen NOW.

Yet, June 12, 2010 arrived with sunshine and warm weather. After days of practicing how to line up alphabetically and walk appropriately, Becca and her classmates were off to the Deschutes County Fairgrounds for Summit High School’s graduation ceremony. Wasn’t it just yesterday she was playing with Polly Pockets? And yet there she was, donning her cap and gown and honor cords.

To witness this young lady finishing high school, family and friends from near and far gathered. Becca spent most of the weekend with her mom, Shauna, Lexi, Grandma Janis, Aunt Judy (and baby Lilliana), and Grandpa Steve. Grandma and Grandpa Bahrman and Grandma and Papa Buck were also among the family members cheering Becca’s accomplishment. And our wonderful neighbors attended the ceremony and a celebratory dinner at our house after the event. Looking around the patio it was heart-warming to see how many people have supported Becca and wish nothing but the best for her.

Becca has much to be proud of in her high school career. She swam with the swim team each year, took several honors and AP courses, and learned enough to have impressive SAT scores. Each year she made great friends to make the entire experience more enjoyable. No doubt she will continue to do well at University of Portland. And if graduation were any indication, she has a huge fan club along the West Coast (and in Australia!) cheering her on to her next big success.

It was the anticipated trip of the year. Ever since Chiara took her music class where she sang about different types of transportation, she has been asking to go on an airplane. We got our tickets to LA and told her, back in February, that we would fly to see Grandma Walle.

Weekly since February, we have waited for this trip…after Grandma’s happy happy, after Dad’s happy happy, after Chiara’s happy happy, then we get to go on an airplane to see Grandma Walle. Finally, Memorial Day weekend was upon us and we were headed south.

Chiara was great on the plane. (Tom’s new iPad was a fun new toy for the last little bit of the journey, although I think it helped Tom on the plane more than Chiara!) We arrived to sunshine and 90 degrees. After a wet, cloudy spring, it felt like a little bit of heaven. Look at that blue sky!

Grandma Walle was a most gracious hostess. We spent the morning and afternoon chatting with her. Then, the entire family gathered at Grandma’s house for a pizza party. Chiara entertained us by placing the stool in the middle of the lawn and dancing on it. So much for my shy little girl! We soaked up the sun and enjoyed catching up with family, including introducing Chiara to her Uncle Lincoln. Plus, we got a “sneak peak” of Grandma and Grandpa Bahrman before they came up to Oregon. Now that they are here, hopefully we’ll be seeing them more regularly!

Chiara is anxious to get back on an airplane and see Grandma Walle. Or perhaps, just to go back and see Grandma Walle. The other day she started waving her arms. I asked what she was doing and she said “Flapping my wings.” “Oh, where are you going?” I inquired. “I’m flying to see Grandma Walle.” No planes needed! We certainly hope to get back soon!