Another quickie

This is mainly for my blog-reader friends in Scotland. Will is going to be there this weekend. I'm hoping to phone some. I know J and M are going to be out West, but the young people will be in Edinburgh? I'm not sure who he's traveling with. He's flying in to East Midlands late on Wednesday then taking the train to Edinburgh on Thursday. Megabus to Inverness sometime. He flies back to Slovakia on Monday, so it's very short. I don't know how he can get to Caithness for any length of time since it's so remote!!! Anyway, if you read this drop me an email. I'll call, but Sundays are hard to deal with the time difference! I'll get you Will's email address.

Home again

Not a very creative title, but just to say that I've returned! I went to Mom's on Saturday to help her after she broke her arm. We came back together today. She'll stay with us until next weekend sometime. Her next appt. is the 10th, so she'll have to be home by then.

I did have a great time seeing Jenny and old friends. More in other posts.

First Track Meet of the Season

No, this picture wasn't this week. It was taken at the State Track Meet last May, but I didn't take a photo on Saturday, just video. The new and last (sad) track season started with a meet at Nebraska Wesleyan in Lincoln. It's an inside track, so we don't have to worry about the weather, but it's LOUD! Everything is going on in one gym--long jump, high jump, pole jump, races, and the shot put. That's Andrew's event. He threw 48' 1 1/2" and got first place. He sets personal goals for each meet; this one was 48. He was pretty happy about it. He's only 5'8" and 175 so the big throwers tower over him. When he first started throwing people were so surprised. Now they've seen him for a couple of years, so they expect it. But it does look funny to see him standing in a crowd of six foot, 250 pounders!

Since our school is so small, the students do a lot of different events. Andrew also runs the 100 meters. At this meet, it was 55 (since the track is so small). However, that event took place while the shot put event was going on. Shot finished before he did, so they had to wait for Andrew to finish running before the girl's shot put could start warming up. He had the full attention of all for his final three throws, which happened to be his best. I wonder if it was because of the audience.....?

Ah, more of THE TREE

Yes, spring is coming! First the maple tree gets these lovely rose-colored buds/flowers, then the little helicopters. It's lovely against the pale blue sky. We had 80 degrees last Tuesday. It was lovely with the new daylight savings time. Felt like we went from winter to summer in a week. The "blizzard of 2007" one weekend, and summer time the next. Welcome to the Midwest, huh? We grilled chicken, cleaned out some recycling from the garage, began getting some of the willow twigs out of the backyard, AH! Enjoyed it immensely. Of course, I WOULD get called to sub that day. Poor kids, kept wanting me to cancel the class and run outside. One period did get done with things early, so we went out for 10 minutes. Anything helps. And it showed that I wasn't a complete ogre! *smile* However, it's back to chilly and windy. We have the day off--and Bellevue didn't call me--so I'm going to finish painting Linnea's room. Hey, don't laugh!

The robins are back

Last week at this time we had about a foot of snow. This week we have none, and the robins are back! Spring is here. It was in the mid-60's this afternoon. Denny and I walked for about an hour down by our creek. Made me think about childhood playing in the springtime woods in the dry matted weeds. It was so lovely!

Cono Choir Tour Begins in Omaha

I was priveleged to be the first to welcome the Cono choir to their first concert of the spring tour. They came to our school and sang for elementary chapel and our high school choir. The room was full and hot, but the concert was wonderful. It was great to see Maryanna, Andrew and Eric Duble again. Then I got to RIDE THE BUS to the next concert at a retirement center about a mile from our house. Made me want to hang out with the rest of the tour. After the retirement center, we went to Grace Reformed Church where Drucie and Randy (that's his name, right?) Carroll met us. Yea, for more alumni! (Her husband is crazy funny. Wish they lived nearby!) Of course I got to sing "None Other Lamb" THREE TIMES, and at the last concert, we all sang "O Sacred Head" as well. Andrew (director) has sooo much energy. Half the fun of the concert is watching him direct. He is passionate! Excellent music. Very worshipful. I've been waking up with the words of those songs going through my mind. Great way to wake up. They left for Salt Lake City right after the concert, driving through the night. Yeah, I'm old, but I don't think I'd be too old to go too. Maybe next year..... Thought you Cono friends would like to see our picture. Flickr has a couple more.

It was great to catch up with Maryanna. It's never long enough. Talked to Eric at the retirement center while the choir got ready. He has good stuff to say about his church and his work. It's such a blessing to see the evidence of God's grace in ALL of our lives. It makes working with young people a worthwhile business! I think of myself in high school, so immature, petty. And of course what we all thought and did. Then I see Andrew and Eric, not that they were like me, but they are great men doing great things now. When I talk to my Andrew about his high school friends, I encourage him that God does continue to work with us, even after, or especially after, high school. Hallelujah!

May Cono have a blessed tour!

First Grade art

I mentioned earlier that I wanted to post some of the pictures that the children make for me when I substitute in their class. This one is so sweet! This little girl had been sick the day before and didn't want to be in school that day. She lay down in a separate room in the morning. Her mom came in then to bring her snow stuff. After they talked, the girl came back into class. She was fine the rest of the day.

Now, which one is me? The car is there because we were walking around the parking lot next to the playground.