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.

You've got mail

Next week Matt is able to receive packages. Up until this point any package has to be opened in front of the DI and the class. Of course, there are comments made by the DI. Matt, never wanting to be the center of attention, made it VERY clear to not send packages.

Getting package privileges coincides with making the shift from Officer Candidate to Candidate Officer. I know it seems crazy, but this is a very important milestone in the OCS process.



For Matt this comes a day before he comes home for Christmas. And, like many other OCS families, I thought I would just forget about sending a package (since we're going to see him the very next day). Then I found out about CADIO boxes. These are boxes sent by families to celebrate this shift in status.

They are quite elaborate. At first I was overwhelmed by the entire thing. Then once Dan and I got organized, I actually enjoyed putting it together.

Getting the contents of this box will be the first time since Matt's arrival in Newport he is allowed to have sweets and caffeine.

Contents of Matt's box:
Men's Health magazine
Rolling Stone Magazine
Skittles
Nutella
Graham Crackers (I forgot to put a butter knife for spreading)
A photo album
postcards from friends from Hillsdale
Better Made pretzels
Starbucks instant coffee

Gettin' out the Christmas Crap

So today we have a snow day - and the overwhelming consensus on facebook was to put up the tree instead of go into work and check papers. I took their wise advise.

Last year I decided that we had finally graduated from a kid tree to a more sophisticated - all the ornaments match - tree. So when Dan got the stuff down I was excited to see what I bought. (It has been a year, and I am getting older, so my mind isn't as sharp as it used to be). I did remember that I was going with gold and red tones. All the ornaments are up - I was able to incorporate some old ornaments that fit the new gold/red theme.


As I was sorting through the tubs and tubs of old ornaments there were a few family favorites I had to put up-even though they do not fit the new decor. The first must-hang ornament is Matt's ND Joe Montana ornament. When Matt was younger - this was the only ornament he insisted on hanging. It always hung front and center, and every time he would walk by the tree he would stop and pretend he was Joe Montana. Some of you may remember the days when Matt played/thought about ND football 24/7.


The other two must hang ornaments belong to Nate. The first is a Santa on a spring. Nate would hang this on the bottom of the tree so he could lay on the ground and bounce him. The spring has definitely seem better days - not much bounce left. The other ornament is a LEGO Santa. Yes, Nate still loves to play with LEGOs.


My favorite Christmas item is a letter that Nate wrote to Santa when he was in Kindergarten. This was the year that we attempted to have a Norman Rockwell Christmas and cut down our own tree. We went over the hill and through the woods looking for the perfect tree. Within days of putting up this "perfect" tree the needles started falling off. Nathan was so upset that his tree was dying he wrote to Santa asking him to fix our poor little tree with his magic. To this day whenever I read this letter I start to cry. This letter is something I will cherish forever.

Christmas is not about the stuff-it's those moments that happen between worrying about the stuff.

Thanksgiving in Rhode Island

What started out a bit rocky - or better yet rainy - turned out to be beautiful. For the long weekend Dan, Nate, and I went to Rhode Island to spend the holiday with Matt. We left on Wednesday night and drove straight through. When we left Hillsdale it was raining; when we got to Newport it was raining. If I didn't know better I would have thought the rain clouds were over our vehicle the entire way. The ride there was a white knuckle adventure-to say the least.

Once there the weather turned BEAUTIFUL. We had 3 days of perfect 65 degree, no wind days. Every morning I would go running along what is called The Cliff Walk. This 3+ mile stretch of coast was where the rich and famous has summer homes during the Gilded Age. The mansions are just beautiful.


None of us has ever really visited a vacation town along the Atlantic coast. We went to a small fish market - we could not believe the size of the lobsters that were in the tank. Then to top it all off-prices at 4.99 a pound!! I pay more for lunch meat at the deli. We were tempted to buy one, but the thought of having a live lobster in the cooler creeped me out. So instead we asked the guy working the counter where a good place was to get a lobster dinner. We were not disappointed. Lobster bisque, salad, and a whole lobster for $16.00.

Dan and I decided that when we hit the lottery we're moving there. We absolutely loved it. But for now another visit in January-when Matt graduates will have to do.