Morning Glories

I both love, and hate, getting up early on a day off from work.

I hate it, of course, because I need all the beauty sleep I can possibly get, and so to be up at 7 on MLK Day isn't going to help clear up the "sleep deficit."

But there are advantages. David drove us down to Woodbridge today so he can do his Communications Merit Badge at Occoquan's Merit Badge Day. If he succeeds today, he'll have completed the last one for his Eagle, and can turn to doing his project, which he decided on the way down would be at Pohick Bay Park if he can make the connection.

And so before Grandma's final eye surgeon appointment, I have a few minutes at Stonebridge to sip coffee and watch the sun come up. It's cold today, not even 20 and with a brisk damp wind that truly brings winter into the body. There's hardly anyone out at this time, which means traffic is reasonable and there's plenty of parking near the Starbucks. Coffee's hot, plenty of seats, and the warm sun creeping over the stores across the street reminds me how phototropic I am.

To be sure, the day will evaporate in a haze of activity. Merit Badge Day, Mom's doctor's appointment, picking up the boy, reviewing more of my homework for the FY 2017 and FY 2016 budgets, picking up Sarah from her sleepover last night, working on my writing, working on David's financial aid applications, serving on an Eagle Board of Review and at the Troop meeting with David tonight...much will be packed into just these next 15 hours.

But for right now, I can savor the sun, I can enjoy the calm of the early morning, and I can give thanks and praise for it. And despite getting up early, that's not a bad way to spend a morning.

Freshman Football Awards Dinner

In early January, the South County football program had its annual end-of-season banquet to celebrate the accomplishments of the year, including the varsity going 10-0 in the regular season and making it to the state semifinal before bowing out.

After the dinner, the various squads went to different places to receive their team awards. The freshmen went to the auditorium, where the coaches took turns giving certificates and remarks to each of the players in their squads.

When it came time for the defensive backs coach to present, he had some very warm and kind words about the first girl he'd ever had the chance to coach on a football squad. Here's what he had to say, and Sarah receiving her certificate from the head coach and the three assistants. She later went on to receive a Scholar Athlete certificate, for being on the team and maintaining a 3.5 GPA in the first quarter.

I can't say how everybody else felt, but it was amazing to me to see, after the parade of boys in their ties and sweaters and khakis, this beautiful young lady rise in her flowing blue dress and walk confidently to the front to accept a certificate for being a football player, the first time that's ever happened at SCHS.

Well done, Sarah, as usual--and now she's eagerly looking forward to next year's season and seeing what she can do in JV, if she can stay off the medical list. But first...lacrosse!

Merry Christmas 2015!

I have to say, it's incredibly difficult to get into the Christmas spirit when it was in the low 70s this past weekend. Coupled with the fact that this year only just began, didn't it?!? and it's hard to imagine it's time to fill everyone in on our year.

In 2015 we did something we'd never thought of before: Mary and Eric joined a local bowling league (!), where we're bowling with our friends Ken and Trish Fritzsche once a month. We tried naming our team "We're Only Here For The Beer," but that was actually already taken, which tells you about how seriously this league takes itself. So instead, "Livin' On A Spare" is in its second season now. Our social season included, as always, Chili Bowl XXI--it's old enough to drink now!--with the annual appearance from Mark "Admiral" Kolodny. This year, two new twists to the calendar: the inaugural Overlake Wine Festival in May, and then at Labor Day it was our turn to host the Overlake Court Labor Day cookout, where we savored the gorgeous weather by cooking and hanging out front. 

On the home front, 2015 saw us redo the living and dining rooms, a process which also involved relocating the wine cabinet into the kitchen, which presages the kinds of changes we hope to do in the kitchen in 2016 (and the kids' bathroom, Mary points out). As ever, we enjoyed having people come and visit and see our newly done rooms: we welcomed Uncle Rod, Jen, Monica, Courtney, and had the chance to get caught up with Chuck and Lisa Mustapich on their way through town. No major family vacations this year, but we did visit Vermont twice, once in late June and then again in August for Mary's cousin Angela's wedding, where we got to see parts of her family we've not seen in far too long.

Sarah has had a most amazing and unprecedented year. This spring, she and the girls from Troop 2349 received their Girl Scout Silver Award, which positions her for earning the highest honor, Gold Award, in the coming years. One measure of how unique she is: she completed her middle school having had a wonderful time, finishing her sixth year in AAP and surrounded by a great group of friends. The eighth grade dance--the Eight Ball--soon gave way to her first high school dance, the South County Homecoming (or SoCo HoCo) with her circle of friends, and the whole range of new experiences that come with being a freshman in high school. One that's definitely different: Sarah became the first girl ever to suit up in a South County football uniform. She announced in the spring that she wanted to go out for freshman football, and so she went to all the practices and weight sessions; Coach B recognized she was something other than the stereotypical girl kicker, and Sarah was repping at third or second string cornerback of all things. (She prefers to "put a thud on the boys" rather than be tackled herself.) However, a weight room injury in late summer led to a stress fracture of her lower back, which kept her medically ineligible all season. She stayed with it, attending every practice and game, and was cleared fully before Thanksgiving, so she's already announced her return to try for JV next year! She was also selected for Lead Four:Twelve, which will position her to be a counselor and missionary with Jeremiah Project in 2017!

David now has his sister in the same building with him for the first time since 6th grade, which has been working out really well. For him, he's now a senior and in the throes of college applications. As of now, he's applying to four, and has been accepted already at Radford University, a state school (yay!) here in VA, so stay tuned for how the other three come in. He continues to be active in South County's theatre program as the head of set design and construction, where they put on Jabberwock this fall, and the spring musical, Les Miserables, was up for a Cappie award for best set. But his big adventure was two weeks in July hiking at Philmont Scout Ranch in northern New Mexico. David and Eric were part of an 11-person crew of his fellow Scouts from Troop 688 that hiked over 100 miles and had a truly amazing, once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Mary's year was filled with work at ABI, including trips to Detroit and Delaware in addition to the annual spring meeting here in town. She also had visits to Vermont helping her folks with their major renovation of their farmhouse, where they completely redid the first floor of the old part of the house and added a new wing. She also had the chance to be present for Naomi's high school graduation in June, and earlier in the spring, to help Naomi and Monica get ready for prom. 

Eric had a full year of transitions. In the winter, he completed the exams for the Certified Government Financial Manager (CGFM) certification, which he put to use in applying for a new job. In October, after 23 years at FBI, Eric moved across the street and was promoted to be the Deputy Director of Budget for the entire Department of Justice. It was difficult to leave the FBI after so long and with so many great people, yet the DOJ family has been incredibly welcoming and Eric's already settling in just fine. In the spring, the two praise bands he worked with (Refresh and LifeSign) both folded, around the time he was serving as the assistant coach for Sarah's lacrosse team and preparing to hike Philmont with David. That wasn't his only trip this year, as he visited San Antonio (and Shiner!) with Glenn in the spring, and had a chance to connect with Joe and Jen Siragusa in Buffalo after...well, far too long!

In 2016, our adventures will continue. David will graduate South County HS and head off to whichever college he chooses, beginning to empty our nest a little. In the summer we'll visit Ireland and tour where Mary's family comes from, to follow our Germany visit of 2010. Sarah plans to try out for lacrosse and football once again, and both will be on mission trips to Pittsburgh in the summer. But in all this, stay current with us here on the blog, and come visit or stop by! Our very best wishes for all the grace and peace of the holidays to everyone--Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2016!

Gift Ideas List 2015

(OK, it's been too long since I posted anything, I get it...)

I'm being asked for the kids' Christmas gift ideas lists, so here they are for 2015. Their lists are pretty sound, they just finished editing them recently. Mom's list is pretty good too. But for Mary and me...oy, we're getting old, we just don't need a lot anymore...

Philmont: Going Home, 7/25/15

Up around 6 one last time, and one more shower in order to be presentable (or something like it) tonight when I get home. A last Philmont breakfast--egg burritos, I skipped that--and packed out for the buses under another absolutely perfect sunny sky.

Northward to CO Springs. It's said that if you can see the arrowhead shape within the rocks of Tooth Ridge as you drive away, you'll return to Philmont. Looking over my shoulder...yep, there it is. Another 100+ miles in my future? I tend to doubt it. On the bus, they showed us Night At The Museum 3, which I'd not seen, so that ate up much of the drive to CO Springs, where we ate a Pizza Hut out of their buffet...it tasted really good after two weeks of trail meals.

North to Denver Int'l, napping much of the way. Checked in by 3, and so 2 1/2 hours to kill before departure. Some key takeaways from my Philmont experience?

• Experience of God. The way He kept urging me along in the difficult parts of the walk, reminding me He had my back and teaching me to trust more fully in Him. The breathtaking, beautiful time atop Mt Phillips. His playful side, sending a trio of birds to fly right in front of me on Reyado Canyon Ridge. His drawing my attention to the gold flakes in the upper Reyado Creek, as if to say, look at all the riches I want to share with you. The voices of the other Scouts in devo each night, as they shared their own experiences. It all made for a richness and a closeness I truly enjoyed.
• Watching David. A tremendous gift was being able to share this with my son. I truly am glad to see the young man he's becoming: conscientious, considerate, taking in the views and the surroundings, allowing the Spirit to move in him. I'm glad to see how he's maturing and readying himself for whatever other challenges he'll confront. If I'd come as a Scout myself, 30+ years ago, I don't think I'd have enjoyed it as much--nearlyas much--as I did by being able to share it with my David. Thanks again for the invitation, D. It meant the world to me.
• Accomplishment. 61 trail miles by the map, 106 total miles since trailhead, a quarter million steps in two weeks, alimbing an 11,711-foot mountain, and completing the trek safely--it's all a great personal accomplishment too, and while I give God the glory, I can take away from Philmont the confidence that I can do all things through God who gives me strength!
• Natural Beauty. I'd mentioned at our last thorns-n-roses at Zastrow that, no matter how I write, or no matter what pictures I bring back, I cannot even begin to describe the incredible, raw, gorgeous landscape of places such as Deer Lake, Mt Phillips, and Reyado Canyon Gorge. Or the sandstone walls atop Cimarroncito that looked like something at a Disney park, but were all real. Again, I'm just blown away at having been able to experience it all so closely. I'll always remember certain of those views, the wildlife, and the sheer untouched-ness of the Philmont backcountry.
• No More Everests, Despite the above, I think 11,711' is high enough for me to climb. I think trying to do more, certainly anything technical, is beyond what this 47-year-old corpse is able to do. So, I can set aside (to Mary's great relief I'm sure) my ages-old dream of climbing on Everest someday. And you know what? I'm really OK with that. I pushed this suburban middle-aged body two miles above sea level. I don't think that more, or higher, mountains are part of my calling.

Home to IAD where the air was positively thick and muggy, at least by comparison. Home quickly, and so, so glad to see everyone again. And so, to bed.