Ensign English

What a proud weekend. The video is of Matt getting his first salute from his Drill Instructors. It is tradition that after the official ceremony the DI's salute the newly commissioned Ensigns. You can see that the DI has just the slightest bit of a smile on his face.

You may be wondering what they are doing with their other hands. Another tradition is that the new officers give a coin to the DI - the coin tells him what kind of job he did. Silver means great job - any other metal means terrible job. Matt gave silver.

Maybe it will work again

I have been looking at old blog postings, and today I came across a posting from three years ago where I was reflecting on how much I loved tulips. Miraculously a beautiful bouquet ended up on my table shortly after the posting. Maybe the flower fairy is looking out for me and within the next day or two a beautiful bouquet of flowers will appear.

It's Wabbit Season

We have been battling with a skunk for the last 6 months. You would think that with the calendar saying winter we wouldn't be bothered by the black and white beast. Well when the temperature says spring what's a furry little creature to do but stalk my dogs.


Christmas night Butch got sprayed for the 4th time this year. Dan and the neighbor are determined to catch and destroy the little varmint that is calling our high grass home. Elmer Fudd would be proud.

My how they've grown

Since Timmy and Katie are both from Hillsdale the wedding was definitely a local affair. This included A LOT of kids that I taught. As I looked out over the dance floor I realized that I taught probably half of the 25 and under group. So I decided to capture some of my former students.






No one really knows, in 8th grade, where they'll be at 25. Here's where some of them are in life today:

Operating Room Nurse
Chiropractic School
Admissions officer at Adrian College
Financial Advisor
Teachers
Arena Football Player for the Cleveland Gladiators
College Students-undergrad and graduate school
and current high school students-with me as their teacher

It has been a while since I have seen some of these former students, and I do look very different from when I taught them years ago. I look so different many of them didn't recognize me. (I'm taking that as a compliment)

Both Dan and I are proud to say that we have touched the lives of all of these successful young men and women in some way-when you think about it that's pretty powerful.

Another wedding

A few years ago one of the boys' friends got married,and the night before the wedding all the guys spent the night with us. Well yesterday another one of the "group" tied the knot, and yes the boys did stay with us.

They all came barreling in after the rehearsal dinner. The last time it was just the guys, well things have evolved in those three years, and our house was the place to be. Dan and I thoroughly loved having everyone here.

The only sad thing was that Matt had to go back to Rhode Island and was not able to be at/or in the wedding.



Every parent worries about the friends their children pick. My boys picked GREAT friends.

Candidate Officer

Today is the day that Matt goes from being an officer candidate to being a candidate officer. It is also the day he gets to eat like a normal person again.

We talked with him on Saturday. He passed all his tests - there are no more rollable offensives. So it's official he will be graduation January 20.

He is working out details with another SWO to be roommates in San Diego. The nice thing about this is that this other guy is a class ahead of Matt and will be able to get things in order before Matt arrives.

Matt sent this picture as a bit of a tease. I know it's only a head shot and his gig line is off, but I think he looks GREAT!

57 is Nate's lucky number

Track season is here. I know what you're thinking, it's way to cold outside for track. When I say track I mean indoor track. Since the end of last football season this is what Nate has been training for - to be back on top as one of the Big Dogs in the shot put.

Well yesterday the proof was in the pudding, or in Nate's case in the throw. Nate had a personal best indoor throw of 57'3". (That's with a 16lb shot mind you.) That throw was far enough for him to take second place and be preliminarily qualified for indoor nationals in March. Nate also broke the indoor shot put record for the college. He now holds every shot put record in Hillsdale: middle school, high school, all area and now college-both indoor and outdoor. Needless to day Dan and I are extremely proud. Nate has worked very hard for the last two years. I'm happy to see that all his hard work (and eating is paying off).

After the throws were done Nate's coach came up to me and told me he would like to see Nate put on 8 more pounds. YIKES - I know some of you are thinking no problem, I can do that in my sleep, but for an athlete it is not so easy. But in Nate's event mass moves mass, and Nate is a Big Dog now and that's what Big Dogs do. So I guess it's off to the store for Mom.