Mike's Grad party: Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
LAST WEEKEND (August 4-6) I flew to Michigan to go to my brother's graduation party. He graduated this year from Shrine high school in Royal Oak, Michigan. He decided to have his grad party a little later in the summer so that it wouldn't be at the same time as everyone else's with the hope that more people would be able to attend if it wasn't competing with other parties. I decided to take the weekend off and fly up there to see everyone. It was a great opportunity because family from all over the United States was in town and since I opted to take summer courses this summer, I haven't had a chance to see any of my family and be with them like I usually can every summer. This weekend was like family summer vacation packed into 2 days.
Left Friday morning from Jaxonville so that means I had to get up mad early and drive myself to Jacksonville. Usually I have someone drive me and then drop me off but since I would only be leaving my car there for about 2 days I wasn't really worried about a huge parking bill. The Jax airport is about 2 hours South of Savannah and often has much lesser tickets available for flying upnorth. So much so that the 2 hour drive there and 2 hour drive back coupled with parking fees still is really nothing to how much it often costs to fly out of Savannah.
Got into Michigan around 2ish and, because my family was preparing for the grad party the next day, none of them couldn't pick me up so an old friend, Kevin (who also happens to be an ex boyfriend.. I dated him for THREE years in high school) was awesome enough to pick me up from the airport and take me home. We got a chance to eat come Coney though at the Leo's Coney Island down the street from my parent's house though and that was seriously awesome. It was good to see Kevin. He always has these crazy stories about his life, struggles, passions, etc. He has been doing better on and off and has this very nice girlfriend now who seems to be just right for him. At Coney we sat in the booth across from the one I broke up with him in so many years ago. weird. I'm glad we can still keep in touch. Kev's a good guy.... AnD YESS I paid him for gas and bought his Coney for him for being so awesome and driving me around.
All of Friday I basically spent with my sibs and my family. My sister Geeta and I went to the mall so I could buy a nicer button down shirt so I could look somewhat descent at the party. We scored a perfect black button down at express right as they were closing. It's beyond good to see her and Mike. I'd be so lost without my brother and sister. If living away from my family has done anything for me it has really opened my eyes to how important Mike and Geet are in my life. I love those kids. Geeta and I even got to sneak out of the house late at night and get some McDonalds flurries. Awesome.
Geeta and Mike who by the way decided to go by his middle name, Bohdan, in college. If all three of us did that we could be Florence (me), Sophia (Geeta) and Bohdan (Mike) or... Flo, So, and Boh. haha.
The next day was destined to be busy so I got up early and headed out to Lansing to get my friend Chad. I met Chad at school here in Savannah while we were both working as RAs in the dorms. He's top notch and ended up proving himself to be one of my most trusted friends at SCAD. I didn't get to see him much outside of working with him but when I heard he was in Michigan with his family for the summer I thought hey why not? He thought coming to the grad party was a fun idea so we made the plans. The only problem was that he didn't have a means of getting out to where my parents live in BFH so I had to drive the hour to Lansing to get him. He doesn't really live in Lansing, he lives outside of it in the country. MAN I love Michigan open land. Anyway I went to get Chad. The drive was filled with good memories and the scenery of back roads he lives off of basically filled my spirit with a sense of home. Even the SMELL of Michigan is amazing. haha. Why do I love Michigan so much. There were sand hill cranes in the fields and beautiful Michigan wild flowers everywhere. It was about 75 degrees and windy. Couldn't get much better.
Chad and I drove back and cought up. It was so good to see him! He just recently had surgery on his shoulder again so his arm was in a sling. He had shaved his goatee into a single stripe down the center of his chin. It made him look like a wrestler. haha. I love that kid.
Chad and me
The grad party was really fun. Typical grad party spiced up with a little bit of Babbish flavor. Chad was the perfect person to bring because if I was catching up with family he had no issues with hanging out with other people or playing badminton with my little sister and her friends (with one arm haha). So funny because my mom had posted some of the news clippings that she has collected of the documentary I'm doing and my company in various newspapers on one of the walls in our house and so everyone who walked by saw it and it seemed like everyone wanted to know what was going on with the film or the company or school. I really wish I had business cards to hand out to people haha. How much of a tool would I have been then? Overall it was awesome to see family and friends. Mike had an espresso bar that his friends JJ and Auchter ran. That was cool because anyone and everyone could get just about any coffee and espresso drink. They even had flavored syrups! For some reason I didn't get them to make me anything... go figure.
JJ and Auchtor
JJ serving a late to a hotte!
Mike also had an awesome sound set up that anyone could plug an ipod or other mp3 player into. The system sounded amazing and he kept playing awesome music... such a variety, from noise rock to folk, to hardcore.
I got to see a ton of old faces that I haven't seen in years. Among them my friend Lauren who, when I was a senior in high school she was a freshman. When I left Mercy High School she took over all of the things that I started like the prayer group and the Pro-Life club and made them awesome. It just proves what I always tell people. I'm NOT a great leader but I can get things started for other people to lead and make strong. Lauren did just that. She took my pathetic little pro life club that I fought, along side a few other girls, for two full years to develop and make a part of our Catholic high school and when she ran the club it really blossomed. I was president of the club for the two years that I was in high school after I officially started it and then as I moved on, Lauren took over. We used to have about 20 members and now there are over 80 and it is the second largest student club at Mercy. Way to go Lauren. It's so good to hear that the things I worked hardest at in high school and the things that I put my passion into are still continuing to touch lives even after I left and even more so than when I was there. How encouraging. It just reminds me that those hours spent working toward the kingdom of God under what you feel is what God want's you to do are the only things that really make it through the turmoil if you really believe in them. It brings a different meaning to "be bold and powerful forces will come to your aid". Lauren was one of those powerful forces that God provided as I was stepping out of my leadership position at Mercy. Something else about her?.... she listens to metal. haha. seals the deal.
Some pix from the grad party:
Typical backyard setup
Holly and the newest member of the extended family
Dad grillin' ayout
Holly waiting for her cut
Ladies First
Brigid entertaining everyone as usual
it's for the neighborhood...
Lauren with the golden touch.
What's a grad party without a little marsh mellow?
My strange sister.
My even stranger brother.
What's a grad party without a giant nerf gun?
See stars!
We three and the grandparents!
Geeta
The poster!
It's for the neighborhood 02
Oh those ridiculous cars.
again...
and I couldn't resist.
After the party kinda died down Chad and I went to my friend Laurel's house for a "Welcome home Laurel" party. Laurel had been over seas for the past year and had just returned home. A lot of the old neighborhood kids were there and it was excellent to see them. Anytime I can chill out with Mitch Barratt I'm happy.
Mitch and Tom
He's like my brother of another mother. Actually, as I am typing this entry I am also talking to his twin brother Jon online. Jon is currently in Iraq. I can't believe I am catching him online. I never see him online but he just aimd me! Those guys are my definition of home boys. Anyway, at Laurels we did the same thing we do every night in Bloomfield Hills Pinky, PLAYED MAFIA!. How could you NOT play mafia when Ryan Scott is there? I think Chad had fun with it too. You never know when you bring a new kid into the game... it's either they LOVE it or they HAtE it... I'm pretty sure he liked it. Anyway the game was AWESOME and the next thing Chad and I knew it was getting mad late. We said out goodbyes after a last epic round and I drove him back to Lansing.
Mafia
When we got to his house I was so exhausted that I decided it'd probably be better to crash on his couch and leave in the morning than drive the hour home. I could barley keep my eyes open. His parents were super cool and nice enough to invite me to do so and so I slept there on an extremely comfortable couch and then took off in the morning. The entire next day consisted of going to Coney Island AGAIN with the sibs to meet up with the Greenwell girls (ollld friends from grade school that we hadn't see in 4 years) and then helping mike pack up the graduation stuff- tables and chairs and the like- then a 3 hour nap. How awesome is that? I got to relax and nap for 3 whole hours. My dad grilled up some left over hot dogs and I ate a quick dinner with my mom before heading out with the sibs to go to late church before catching my flight back to Savannah.
I used to go to St. Thomas More for church. STM was the church I grew up in and went to for almost my whole life. When I was in high school I really had a tight knit community there. Although they were a little crazy people like Bill Miles and Mike McM really positively impacted my life ( Proof ). Although that church was awesome and great for me back then I have since moved onto joining the community over at Shrine of the Little Flower. (the church that my brother's old high school was named for). The services over there really speak to me and the community makes me smile. I only wish I could be a larger part of it instead of just visiting here and there. I wish there was a Catholic church like Shrine in every city I go to. They play a mixture of traditional and contemporary music and the lessons every service always are powerful and challenging. I love that church so much. Anyway both Michael and Geeta came with me which was just awesome and after mass they drove me all of the way to the airport. We listened to Showbread's new cd: The Age of Reptiles the whole way there.
The Detroit airport is awesome... the Northwest terminal anyway.... First of all they have a Coffee Beanery so I can buy my favorite gourmet coffee while I wait for my flight... mmm cafe caramel... and they have some amazing artwork and best of all... cops on segways. I always love going through that terminal. It's huge and there are moving walkways and an air train but I had some time so I just walked the normal pathways and relaxed. Something about airports... I love them. Aside from the "oh my gosh are you ashlee simpson" comments they can be relaxing. It's best when you aren't in any particular hurry... something about everyone else hurrying around you and freaking out when you are just taking your time makes everything seem even MORE relaxing. Anyway I love it. I sat with my coffee listening to Patty Griffith on my ipod (thanks Josh C and the Maylene guys for opening my ears to some awesome music while they were here in Savannah a few months ago) and watched the sun set deep and orange into the Michigan horizon.
Everyone loves this fountain...
On the airplane I met two women. One was almost 30 and a manager of a credit union, the other 20 and a missionary to the Philippines. The one was about to get married and the missionary was the second oldest of 10 brothers and sisters (all home schooled!). Talking to them both was amazing and made the flight short. We were all so different yet believe it or not we had a ton in common. At touchdown I got my bags, found my car, and drove the 2 hours home to Savannah.... All I have to say about that stretch of 95 from JAX to SAV is that it's a little strange. Something always feels a littttle bit weird on that drive.
anyway.
The trip was overall amazing and well worth it. I miss Michigan every single day. I just wish I could have stayed longer and met up with some of my girlfriends. I miss so many people...
We could be closer than you know,
-Chelsea
Left Friday morning from Jaxonville so that means I had to get up mad early and drive myself to Jacksonville. Usually I have someone drive me and then drop me off but since I would only be leaving my car there for about 2 days I wasn't really worried about a huge parking bill. The Jax airport is about 2 hours South of Savannah and often has much lesser tickets available for flying upnorth. So much so that the 2 hour drive there and 2 hour drive back coupled with parking fees still is really nothing to how much it often costs to fly out of Savannah.
Got into Michigan around 2ish and, because my family was preparing for the grad party the next day, none of them couldn't pick me up so an old friend, Kevin (who also happens to be an ex boyfriend.. I dated him for THREE years in high school) was awesome enough to pick me up from the airport and take me home. We got a chance to eat come Coney though at the Leo's Coney Island down the street from my parent's house though and that was seriously awesome. It was good to see Kevin. He always has these crazy stories about his life, struggles, passions, etc. He has been doing better on and off and has this very nice girlfriend now who seems to be just right for him. At Coney we sat in the booth across from the one I broke up with him in so many years ago. weird. I'm glad we can still keep in touch. Kev's a good guy.... AnD YESS I paid him for gas and bought his Coney for him for being so awesome and driving me around.
All of Friday I basically spent with my sibs and my family. My sister Geeta and I went to the mall so I could buy a nicer button down shirt so I could look somewhat descent at the party. We scored a perfect black button down at express right as they were closing. It's beyond good to see her and Mike. I'd be so lost without my brother and sister. If living away from my family has done anything for me it has really opened my eyes to how important Mike and Geet are in my life. I love those kids. Geeta and I even got to sneak out of the house late at night and get some McDonalds flurries. Awesome.
Geeta and Mike who by the way decided to go by his middle name, Bohdan, in college. If all three of us did that we could be Florence (me), Sophia (Geeta) and Bohdan (Mike) or... Flo, So, and Boh. haha.
The next day was destined to be busy so I got up early and headed out to Lansing to get my friend Chad. I met Chad at school here in Savannah while we were both working as RAs in the dorms. He's top notch and ended up proving himself to be one of my most trusted friends at SCAD. I didn't get to see him much outside of working with him but when I heard he was in Michigan with his family for the summer I thought hey why not? He thought coming to the grad party was a fun idea so we made the plans. The only problem was that he didn't have a means of getting out to where my parents live in BFH so I had to drive the hour to Lansing to get him. He doesn't really live in Lansing, he lives outside of it in the country. MAN I love Michigan open land. Anyway I went to get Chad. The drive was filled with good memories and the scenery of back roads he lives off of basically filled my spirit with a sense of home. Even the SMELL of Michigan is amazing. haha. Why do I love Michigan so much. There were sand hill cranes in the fields and beautiful Michigan wild flowers everywhere. It was about 75 degrees and windy. Couldn't get much better.
Chad and I drove back and cought up. It was so good to see him! He just recently had surgery on his shoulder again so his arm was in a sling. He had shaved his goatee into a single stripe down the center of his chin. It made him look like a wrestler. haha. I love that kid.
Chad and me
The grad party was really fun. Typical grad party spiced up with a little bit of Babbish flavor. Chad was the perfect person to bring because if I was catching up with family he had no issues with hanging out with other people or playing badminton with my little sister and her friends (with one arm haha). So funny because my mom had posted some of the news clippings that she has collected of the documentary I'm doing and my company in various newspapers on one of the walls in our house and so everyone who walked by saw it and it seemed like everyone wanted to know what was going on with the film or the company or school. I really wish I had business cards to hand out to people haha. How much of a tool would I have been then? Overall it was awesome to see family and friends. Mike had an espresso bar that his friends JJ and Auchter ran. That was cool because anyone and everyone could get just about any coffee and espresso drink. They even had flavored syrups! For some reason I didn't get them to make me anything... go figure.
JJ and Auchtor
JJ serving a late to a hotte!
Mike also had an awesome sound set up that anyone could plug an ipod or other mp3 player into. The system sounded amazing and he kept playing awesome music... such a variety, from noise rock to folk, to hardcore.
I got to see a ton of old faces that I haven't seen in years. Among them my friend Lauren who, when I was a senior in high school she was a freshman. When I left Mercy High School she took over all of the things that I started like the prayer group and the Pro-Life club and made them awesome. It just proves what I always tell people. I'm NOT a great leader but I can get things started for other people to lead and make strong. Lauren did just that. She took my pathetic little pro life club that I fought, along side a few other girls, for two full years to develop and make a part of our Catholic high school and when she ran the club it really blossomed. I was president of the club for the two years that I was in high school after I officially started it and then as I moved on, Lauren took over. We used to have about 20 members and now there are over 80 and it is the second largest student club at Mercy. Way to go Lauren. It's so good to hear that the things I worked hardest at in high school and the things that I put my passion into are still continuing to touch lives even after I left and even more so than when I was there. How encouraging. It just reminds me that those hours spent working toward the kingdom of God under what you feel is what God want's you to do are the only things that really make it through the turmoil if you really believe in them. It brings a different meaning to "be bold and powerful forces will come to your aid". Lauren was one of those powerful forces that God provided as I was stepping out of my leadership position at Mercy. Something else about her?.... she listens to metal. haha. seals the deal.
Some pix from the grad party:
Typical backyard setup
Holly and the newest member of the extended family
Dad grillin' ayout
Holly waiting for her cut
Ladies First
Brigid entertaining everyone as usual
it's for the neighborhood...
Lauren with the golden touch.
What's a grad party without a little marsh mellow?
My strange sister.
My even stranger brother.
What's a grad party without a giant nerf gun?
See stars!
We three and the grandparents!
Geeta
The poster!
It's for the neighborhood 02
Oh those ridiculous cars.
again...
and I couldn't resist.After the party kinda died down Chad and I went to my friend Laurel's house for a "Welcome home Laurel" party. Laurel had been over seas for the past year and had just returned home. A lot of the old neighborhood kids were there and it was excellent to see them. Anytime I can chill out with Mitch Barratt I'm happy.
Mitch and Tom
He's like my brother of another mother. Actually, as I am typing this entry I am also talking to his twin brother Jon online. Jon is currently in Iraq. I can't believe I am catching him online. I never see him online but he just aimd me! Those guys are my definition of home boys. Anyway, at Laurels we did the same thing we do every night in Bloomfield Hills Pinky, PLAYED MAFIA!. How could you NOT play mafia when Ryan Scott is there? I think Chad had fun with it too. You never know when you bring a new kid into the game... it's either they LOVE it or they HAtE it... I'm pretty sure he liked it. Anyway the game was AWESOME and the next thing Chad and I knew it was getting mad late. We said out goodbyes after a last epic round and I drove him back to Lansing.
Mafia
When we got to his house I was so exhausted that I decided it'd probably be better to crash on his couch and leave in the morning than drive the hour home. I could barley keep my eyes open. His parents were super cool and nice enough to invite me to do so and so I slept there on an extremely comfortable couch and then took off in the morning. The entire next day consisted of going to Coney Island AGAIN with the sibs to meet up with the Greenwell girls (ollld friends from grade school that we hadn't see in 4 years) and then helping mike pack up the graduation stuff- tables and chairs and the like- then a 3 hour nap. How awesome is that? I got to relax and nap for 3 whole hours. My dad grilled up some left over hot dogs and I ate a quick dinner with my mom before heading out with the sibs to go to late church before catching my flight back to Savannah.
I used to go to St. Thomas More for church. STM was the church I grew up in and went to for almost my whole life. When I was in high school I really had a tight knit community there. Although they were a little crazy people like Bill Miles and Mike McM really positively impacted my life ( Proof ). Although that church was awesome and great for me back then I have since moved onto joining the community over at Shrine of the Little Flower. (the church that my brother's old high school was named for). The services over there really speak to me and the community makes me smile. I only wish I could be a larger part of it instead of just visiting here and there. I wish there was a Catholic church like Shrine in every city I go to. They play a mixture of traditional and contemporary music and the lessons every service always are powerful and challenging. I love that church so much. Anyway both Michael and Geeta came with me which was just awesome and after mass they drove me all of the way to the airport. We listened to Showbread's new cd: The Age of Reptiles the whole way there.
The Detroit airport is awesome... the Northwest terminal anyway.... First of all they have a Coffee Beanery so I can buy my favorite gourmet coffee while I wait for my flight... mmm cafe caramel... and they have some amazing artwork and best of all... cops on segways. I always love going through that terminal. It's huge and there are moving walkways and an air train but I had some time so I just walked the normal pathways and relaxed. Something about airports... I love them. Aside from the "oh my gosh are you ashlee simpson" comments they can be relaxing. It's best when you aren't in any particular hurry... something about everyone else hurrying around you and freaking out when you are just taking your time makes everything seem even MORE relaxing. Anyway I love it. I sat with my coffee listening to Patty Griffith on my ipod (thanks Josh C and the Maylene guys for opening my ears to some awesome music while they were here in Savannah a few months ago) and watched the sun set deep and orange into the Michigan horizon.
Everyone loves this fountain...
On the airplane I met two women. One was almost 30 and a manager of a credit union, the other 20 and a missionary to the Philippines. The one was about to get married and the missionary was the second oldest of 10 brothers and sisters (all home schooled!). Talking to them both was amazing and made the flight short. We were all so different yet believe it or not we had a ton in common. At touchdown I got my bags, found my car, and drove the 2 hours home to Savannah.... All I have to say about that stretch of 95 from JAX to SAV is that it's a little strange. Something always feels a littttle bit weird on that drive.
anyway.
The trip was overall amazing and well worth it. I miss Michigan every single day. I just wish I could have stayed longer and met up with some of my girlfriends. I miss so many people...
We could be closer than you know,
-Chelsea
posted by Chelsea at 9:59 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home