2017 Week 14: State Championship

Sunday Daddy would have been 96 years old. The abundant and varied daffodils always remind me of one time when we celebrated together here. They bloomed late that year but just in time for his birthday.

Throughout the week I continued to read Aunt Margaret's weekly letters to her family in 1950 when we lived next door to the Marshalls in a large 15-room house. "Sam [Dad's nickname] is running himself ragged," she wrote. At the time he was preaching in several towns, teaching in the Bible Institute, and involved in church construction, there were three little ones in the family, including a baby that kept them up at night.

I've heard it said that you tend to marry someone like your father. I proved the saying true, even if I didn't know it at the time. Michael lives a very full life, carries a heavy load, always grateful for sufficient health and strength. He had an intense week preparing for the State Championship.
However, he made time to go to the Monday meal at Stephan's where we had great food--crab cakes, rice and chutney and a pear tarte tatin--and fun conversation.

This week Rebecca got a new pet, Oreo the cat. They both look very happy to enjoy life together.

Photo credit: Kayla Kern

And she visited our ladies tap class, but with different pets.

Thursday afternoon Mike set off to pick up Spitfire and the drive team and head to the FRC Indiana State Championship in Huntington.

Friday, after my various errands, I caught up on Team 1720's matches online. They had a series of problems, but ended they day in seventh place.

The drive team came here that night to watch their nine qualifying matches of the day and discuss how to improve their performance.

Saturday I went along to get in on the excitement. You might recognize us in the PhyXTGears cheering section.

It was an exhilirating and exhausting day. There were many robot failures, and a few human errors as well. We made it to alliance selection, still 7th seed. No other team invited us to join their alliance. So we formed our own.

At lunch Mike said, "It'd be a miracle if we made it to Worlds."

I may write the story of how we made it to the finals, ended second, and rank first in the state in ranking points! Then won the Innovation in Control Award, and the "miracle"--we were invited to the World Championship in St. Louis!

"Lead Mentor Mike and Team Captain Moriah get the official invitation to the St Louis Championships along with the FedEX robot shipping forms"

Team 1720 is privileged to have a full playing field in their new shop at MadJax Maker Force. A nearby team asked to practice there and made a special thank you hat in return.

Team 1720 lead mentor and team president

Speaking of hats: how do you like the one Kayla is wearing? She was honored to be the Mayor of Munchkinland at her workplace for a special gala fundraiser Saturday. 

As life goes, this week brought some very sobering news as well: 

• April 19th, Kristie is scheduled to have major cardiovascular surgery for a rare condition--Median Arcuate Ligament Syndrome (MALS).
• Yesterday, while we were celebrating the team's success, I learned that Karen's sister's house was destroyed by fire. The family of nine are okay, but have suffered a huge loss.
  
  We rest in God's faithfulness and His promises: "I have made you and I will carry you;
      I will sustain you and I will rescue you." (Isaiah 46:4)