Concordia-Ann Arbor wins CIT

Yep, Nate's team got 1st place in the tournament this weekend! We traveled to Wisconsin, near Milwaukee, for the Concordia Invitational Tournament (CIT). The guys played really well, despite injuries to a couple key players. This is the 1st CIT win for us, and needless to say, they are all pretty pumped!

Just as exciting--for me, anyway--was seeing my family! My parents and Wayland and Sam and Chi met us there and stayed in the same hotel as we did. It was so great to spend time with them. Nate was gone a lot for practices and meetings, etc., so it worked out great. We had Christmas in January; we weren't able to make it to WI, so we just brought their gifts along. Malachi is so big and such a doll. I'll post pictures soon.

I've committed to reading the Bible through this year. So far I'm doing well. It's amazing how many "new" things the Lord shows me, every day, even though I've been immersed in Scripture my entire life. Like today, I was reading about how Herod commanded the Egyptian midwives to kill every newborn Hebrew boy while mama wasn't looking. But the women refused--they kept them alive and told Herod, "These Hebrew women are just too quick! They deliver before we get a chance to get in there and help!" And God blessed them for their integrity. I never noticed that before.

Anyway, so much going on, so little energy! Keep me accountable for my reading, would ya? Hope your weekend was great.

Goings-on

Between Concordia's packed schedule and my own, it's been hard to find time to sit and post updates! The most exciting is that I'm an aunt again! Nate's sister Shannon and her husband Tim have a new little bundle named Leah. Actually Shannon wasn't due til next week, but you know how THAT can go... Nate's parents and his brother's family went out for a surprise shower for Shannon, but she ended up missing it to give birth! How fantastic that some of the fam could be there for it! Of course, Nate's mom is ecstatic--she took the week off to stay out there. Leah LaRae (I think that's how it's spelled) was 7 lbs. 2 oz. and 19 inches long, with a full head of black hair!

Kelley (coach's wife at Concordia) asked me to consider watching the boys 2 full days, instead of half. I'll probably do it, though I'll miss those 2 half days to myself!

Concordia's season is over mid-February, unless they go on to the tournament. That's doubtful, though; their 2 big players are injured. Much as I do enjoy being a coach's wife, I'll be glad to have my husband back!

O! I got my story back from my instructor . . . blown to smithereens! I'm a little discouraged about it; it doesn't get much "closer to home" than that. But I got lots of kind words from you. Thanks. Marcia (instructor) did say I've got "a terrific flair for dialogue," but many of the events in the story need expansion, she says. Which I would've done, except for the silly word limit! (Yes, I know that's a fragment. It's a stylistic one, though. :) Anyway. She said that I've got a great handle on the major points of writing, so she was "nitpicking," to help me fine tune it. Not sure I buy all of it, but I guess that's why I'm taking the course in the first place--to improve.

Nate and I are teaching 4-and5-year-old Sunday School for a few months, until the regular teachers get back from FL. I'd love to be a snowbird today--FREEZING with that wind!

That's about it, I guess. Til next time!

My Digital Camera

Okay, question for all you digi-dorks. :) Why does my camera eat batteries so quickly? I have a Canon PowerShot A520. It came with 2 AA batteries. I played with it for 20 minutes, if that. The next time I turned it on, it flashed the message, "Need new batteries." So I replaced them, thinking the ones they included were cheapos. I took 4 or 5 pictures, and then it flashed the message again--"Need new batteries." Ugh!

So I went online and read several reviews about this particular camera. Half of them said the battery life is low; the other half said the battery life is good. Sheesh! Can anyone tell me about it, or at least someplace where I can find a reliable review?

Welcome, 2006!

I can't believe it's 2006. Remember all the hubbub surrounding the year 2000? Anyway. We spent New Years at a party thrown by our friends, Nate and Damaris. There were 5 couples there in all, and it was so fun! We played a couple games and ate and watched the ball drop. We both had the 2nd off, which was nice. I went to the Salvation Army, where everything in the store was 50% off. I love that! I got a really nice mountain bike for 12 bucks. Not bad! I also hit Target's and WalMart's Christmas clearance. YAY!

I worked yesterday and babysat Leighton and Malachi this morning. Then I came home and tidied up the house, did laundry, etc. Tonight Concordia has a game at Madonna University (that name always cracks me up). Kelly, the head coach's wife, and I are riding together. Last week when we did that, we had a really great discussion about spiritual things. (They're Lutheran, if ya forgot.) Anyway, it turns out they are very, very close to what we believe.

I lost almost 5 pounds in the last month. I'm certain it's because I was sick; otherwise, I surely would've gained! I'm pretty proud of that! :)