Danny

End of May went to St. Louis, Missouri for one week to seem y youngest nephew Danny graduate from high school. He graduated on Thursday May 30, 2013 at John Burroughs High School.  It took place in their new gym. The next night after returning from dinner at local restaurant I experienced my first tornado warning. We spent about two hours in my brother’s family basement before returning to the living room.  I would not call it a bad experience but I would be fine never to go through the experience again. Actually my brother has moved to Virginia so unlikely won’t attend another tornado warning in St.Louis.

The next morning my brother, Jack, Danny, and I went to Springfield, Missouri for a soccer tournament Danny’s club soccer team was involved in. It is about a three hour drive depending on how fast you drive.  It was a three day tournament, and I had a really good time. I had never watched a soccer game before.  Danny’s team lost the first game Saturday afternoon but did rebound to win the remaining two games on Sunday and Monday. The team that they played on Saturday won the tournament.  Danny is very good soccer team, and has played for several years both in club soccer and his school’s soccer team.  In fact, he played a lot as a 9^th grader on the high school team.  The high school team played in the fall; so I was only able to see the club soccer team play.  Since I don’t have a large knowledge of soccer I believe he played midfielder.  Anyway, he was last defender before the goalie. It was nice to meet his teammates, and some of the parents. The tournament was the last time the whole team played together since most of them were graduating from high school.

During the time in Springfield Danny had to decide what he was going to do for college. There was a college he had decided on, however, a few days before my arrival he received a letter from Harvard University saying that he had been accepted by them, but he would have to wait till the next school year 2014. I think there was some pressure because his sister, Leslie, and two older brothers had gone to Harvard University. Actually Ian is a junior at Harvard right now, and went through the same process Danny did. I admire him to follow in his sibling’s feet.  I think it would be easier to go to another school. Part of waiting to go to Harvard is that he can’t go to any other university during this school year.  So he decided to go to France and learn French during this school year. The others have done some traveling before so I will write about them at a later date. So in the mean time he is learning the French language and culture.  He does have a break coming up as well, and he will spend Christmas with relatives in Southern France.  During the break he will also go to other parts of France as well. The whole experience will grow him up and he will be in a better place when starting at Harvard next fall. I return back home on the Tuesday after going to Springfield. What I found funny was on the way to Springfield I asked my brother if the Simpson’s would welcome us. I really laughed when seeing a sign of the Simpson’s when arriving.