Another Full Week

The week began having fun with the grandsons and now I'm sitting with my daughter in the hospital.
Meanwhile Mike has been gone most of the week, first finishing up the robot and now on a golf trip.
So, here are the daily photos and stories.

Sunday 
The last Sunday of build-season Team 1720 hosts other area robotic teams for a scrimmage to work out the kinks in the robots. Thirteen teams practiced playing the new game. IPR did a great interview [http://bsu.edu/ipr/news/local-students-create-basketball-playing-robots-for-state-competition] worth listening to, only 1'42". My favorite phrase: "It looks like we're building robots, but really we're building people."

Rebound Rumble 2012 Scrimmage (Ball State Gymnasium)

Meanwhile back at the homestead, the grandsons came in the afternoon and stayed overnight--first time in the new house.
The older ones and I went for a walk in the woods. Fun!

Malachi climbing to the hunter's seat

Monday
Sweet sibling moment. They're not all like that.

Tuesday
Mike did not get back from robotics till 2 a.m., and was gone again in the afternoon. This was the big day, the famous deadline. It used to be called Ship Day. FedEx would store the crated robots and ship them to whatever regional competition at the appointed time. They no longer offer those services, so teams are required to bag and seal their machines by midnight. That is why it is now called Bag and Tag night.

Marvin bagged

I was told but cannot remember the story behind the name Marvin.
This year, for the first time, the team built two robots so they have one to practice with until the regional competition in March, which could make a huge difference in their performance.

Wednesday
In the afternoon Mike left for Myrtle Beach on the LightRider bus with a group of eighteen men. Before he began mentoring the robotics team, he had gone on the annual golf trip several times. But the last six or seven years he has not been able to go. This year, however, they moved the trip dates around to make it possible. Also, his golf clubs were saved from the fire because, for some odd reason, they were in the trunk of the car that was out of the garage at the time.

Months later we are still finding tags on restored items and clothing.

Thursday
I went to Grace Village in Winona Lake to visit my parents, arriving around dinner time so I got to help feed Dad and attend the weekly Bible study on the Health Care side. The lesson was from Matthew 6:25-34--Don't worry about your basic needs. Seek God first and all these things will be taken care of.
Dad's head is always down now and his eyes closed most of the time. It is a rare treat when he opens his eyes, turns his head, and smiles.

Mother and I went to her cute little apartment and ate a late supper and I stayed overnight.

Friday
We hung out together all morning and ate a nice dinner in the dining room then went our separate ways. Mother scooted off in her autito, as I call it, and I headed back home.

I stopped to see Leah on the way. She had been sick all week and we were concerned. They did go to the ER that night and she was admitted to the hospital with a serious kidney infection.

Saturday
I spend much of the day at the hospital enjoying being of some help to my daughter. She remains cheerful and funny even through pain and exhaustion. The doctors and nurses were amazed. I joked about getting a more believable photo where she wasn't smiling.

More family members arrived and we enjoyed being together. We are all so very grateful that Leah is finally getting some medical attention and care. She is one who does NOT go to doctors. I think this was a wake-up call.

Tomorrow it is my turn to teach Junior Church 2nd and 3rd graders. The lesson is that we will go through hard times, but God has promised to be with us.