2017 Week 2: Firsts

Last weekend, in addition to the exciting FIRST Kickoff, I was thrilled to hear later that our son Sam and many friends were able to give the skateboarding bowl new life. (These are NOT my photos. Thank you Facebook, Seth and Sam for sharing.)

I am intrigued by the Spanish writing, still trying to figure out what the person meant.

Hard at work resurfacing the bowl

Before and After

 The LIFE Bowl montage proves that they were able to have great fun after the hard work! (Again, I don't know who to credit for the video.)

Sam has been passionate about skateboarding ever since I can remember. He posted this old photo yesterday.

Cleaning out the shop found this photo @mycoman took of me doing a heel flip in 94 

 All of the above takes on extra special meaning as we've been reminded almost every day this week of what was happening three years ago and how he came through a very serious health crises. We thank God for restoring Sam to our family.

A second article about the PhyXTGears robotics team came out in Sunday's Muncie Star Press.

One of the photos featured the lead mentor doing what he loves.

The first week of the 2017 FIRST build season had its serious relational challenges--how to agree on strategies to prioritize and how to achieve them. I believe the worst is over and now the minds are working non-stop on coming up with the best design. They have three team work days--Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Now for some photos of my own!

Tuesday was a good day to travel to Winona Lake. After my last visit a couple weeks ago, Mother fell and has been fighting an infection in her leg. Kim or Ivan had been checking on her daily and changing the dressing on her wound. So I got to visit with them and have some of their wonderful sopa toscana.

Mother wanted me to help her work on a new door decoration to replace the Christmas wreath.
This is what we put together.

The next day I had to leave after breakfast and be back in time to practice with the Tapping Divas and then perform our two numbers for the weekly lunch crowd at the senior center.
Mike took a few pictures. Not our best performance, but we had fun.

New York, New York 

This is my favorite photo of the week: grandson Skye and I worked on a sudoku puzzle while enjoying a Payne's custard dessert, after our post-Christmas shopping trip.

I was excited to see my article in the town newspaper!

I wrote it last Saturday, after the Kickoff, to make our town aware of the program and introduce the five team members from Upland.

This Saturday, while Mike was gone all day having fun with kids and robot parts, I had the gift of time, so I focused on cleaning house, not my favorite, but I got'r done!

P.S.: About Mother--shortly ofter my visit this week, she ended up in the hospital for observation of the infected leg wound and to regulate potassium and Coumadin levels. She is supposed to be released tomorrow, Monday.