Days With the Duerksens

It's time to train the third one!

As a 7th grader, Cambry had the opportunity to attend Camp WaShunGa - our community's church camp for JH students.  While she was not overly excited about going, she did have a good time.  While she was there, she turned 13!  She left as a twelve-year-old and returned a teenager!  She was excited to celebrate with us when she returned - on  Memorial Day. She does things her own way, goes with the flow, has quite a free and playful spirit, and seems to be a friend to those who need it. In fact, her classmates awarded her the "Marie Curie Award" in my class for:  "looking beyond a person's appearance or social status to the real person inside."  We certainly hope this trait continues!  (BTW, Curie is credited with developing the X-ray machine; hence, "looking beyond.")  :) Welcome to your teens, Cambry! Camp WaShunGa pictures: Apparently, this was at the talent show - Happy Birthday?  :) Cambry's Camp Champ Challen...

In other May news . . . I was able to go with Delaney on her field trip to the Cosmosphere - what fun!  I always enjoy watching her interactions with her friends! Quinli, Delaney, Lydia, Elaina - of course Delaney seems to be a goofball in this picture! Also in May, Cale and Addi were busy with state tennis and state swimming.  We didn't get a chance to see tennis, but Cale's team finished as state runners-up!  Addi represented Hesston at state swimming, and the girls and I went to Topeka to watch.  She swam well, but maybe not as fast as she wanted to.  No matter how she finished, I know she was overjoyed to be swimming at state! 5th place in the 50 M freestyle 3rd place in the 100 M Free Still more:  Delaney again participated in our school's volleyball and basketball camps at the end of May.  She loved every minute of them, particularly volleyball.  She continues to develop her skills in both sports, and we...

As usual, May was bursting with activity!  Concerts, sports, field trips, awards, graduations, the end of school - it all comes tumbling together during May, and every year I think I'm ready for the craziness that is May.  Ready or not, May is a whirlwind of activity.  This year, while we didn't have any graduates in our house, the 2 oldest cousins on each side of the family graduated on the same weekend.  We were happy to celebrate with both of them, and we can hardly believe that they will both be off to college next fall:  Cale to K-State and Addi to Southwest Minnesota State University (SMSU).  Cale will be a wildcat and Addi will be a mustang!  They are both so ready, so independent, so full of potential, and we know they will do some great things!  

Every year, the third grade class at GES prepares for Famous People Day.  This year, Delaney chose to research Susan B. Anthony.  She said this was the first time a 3rd grader has chosen her, and she was kind of proud of that.  It was also good timing, as she found out that women got the right to vote in 1919 - 100 years ago!  Unfortunately, she also learned that Susan Anthony was not alive to see this milestone reached.  All that work, and she didn't get to see the outcome - that is what stuck with Delaney.  This girl dove right in - researching at home, even, and gathering supplies/props WAY in advance.  To say she was prepared is an understatement!  When Delaney has a project to work on, it gets done - FAST!