Super Bowl Cheer

"A cheerful heart is good medicine."  Prov. 17:22  We saw the truth of this proverb yesterday as Joel rolled into the basement conference room at HCMC and 31 visitors screamed and hollered and cheered - silently!  We didn't want to overwhelm him with noise and commotion, so we pantomimed the welcome we would normally have given.  Soon the party settled into controlled chaos, however, as small groups visited throughout the room and the projector TV system blared the Super Bowl game and ads continuously.  Parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends brought snacks to share and everyone ate their fill (except Joel).  Cole drove 250 miles to get there, but he said it was "worth it all."   Joel sat in his wheelchair for almost 2 1/2 hours; his smiles blessed the whole crowd.  Though his pain increased throughout the evening, he wanted to remain as long as possible.  When he returned to his bed, Daniel and a couple of friends went back with him to finish watching the Denver debacle.   I can only imagine the misery we would have endured had we been watching that game with only our immediate family!

We traveled home last night, figuring that Joel wouldn't need visitors today but would benefit from recuperation time.  When Pete talked to him this afternoon, though, he said he felt fine.  The love shown by everyone, and the enjoyable conversation with people who understand him, more than compensated for the tiring effects of the trip downstairs.  Happiness heals!

A Pleasant Party

I'm still finding it hard to believe that over 100 people kicked off the new WASH (Willmar Area Scholars at Home) year on Saturday.  We, as board members, thought we picked a winner when Bryce and Kim Holmgren agreed to host a potluck supper, games and a barn dance in their barn/reception hall, but we didn't realize it was SUCH a winner!  Half of the parents' faces were unfamiliar to me, though I'd heard or read most of the names, and of course I knew only a fraction of the kids.  I brought containers of Hershey's kisses and gently used homeschool resources for door prizes, and people seemed energized by filling out their drawing slips and putting on their name tags.  We didn't start eating until 5:45 because people kept dribbling in until 6:00 or even later, but the food tasted delicious and there was enough.  I visited with Stan and Chari Simon during supper.

After Daniel helped a bunch of young kids with bean bag tossing, myriads of boys played soccer (younger) and football (older), and girls found things to do all over the farm in little groups.  What a great location and environment!  Myron, the caller, started the dance a little after 7.  We enjoyed almost two hours of line dances, circle dances and square dances.  All ages could keep up.  I hope the connections made during the pleasant party will help people feel more comfortable attending the exciting events planned for this year by WASH.

Lots to Do

I don't have time for any philosophical thoughts this week, because our graduation and confirmation party is Sunday! We try to do double duty when we can, so the family doesn't have to make two trips in one month for celebrations. Since Sarah's Confirmation is on Sunday, we are having Joel and Daniel's Graduation ceremony and open house on Sunday as well. It also has the benefit of saving money. :)

I'm so thankful that Michelle is home; she is so fast at what she does that I couldn't have a better helper. Yesterday we all accomplished the following:

finished the power point "slide show"
finished the picture poster
finished the guessing game
selected pictures for the photo album from 2011
ordered the pictures online
scoped out the church and found the stuff we will need
practiced a flute lesson and a piano lesson
cleaned out the car, inside & out
tidied up the main floor
threw away 27 things
weeded the perennial bed
dug up the daylilies by the house
made dinner & cleaned up the kitchen
coordinated rides to town
did a task in the barn
tilled the garden
practiced graduation speeches
several more things that I can't remember now

And this was all before and after a trip to town for Sarah's practice and watching Joel's softball game - his team won, and he had some nice hits, good base-running and excellent play at shortstop after he settled down.

We also got to see Saul Cuevas, a Riverside friend, who was in town with Youth Encounter, performing at Central Christian School in Willmar. I wonder if our nephew Joey recognized him?

Thank You, Lord, for the energy necessary to do what we have to do!

P.S. Today I didn't delete the completed list, so here's what we accomplished today:

x K - blog

x K - crop pictures for albums

x 9:30pm - critique grad talks

x check bathroom supplies

x ALL - **Haul stuff up to church:

x ALL - fold clothes & put away

x 9:25pm ALL - sign confirmation cards & grad cards

x A P - **4 chores

x A P - *praise music into folders

x A P - *water seedlings

x S A P - *wrap grad gifts if they arrive

x S A P - TUE:**print confirmation cards

x K - **Find VASES?

x K - **Katie gift card mailed to her

x K&A - *get maple syrup from Susan

x M - **"proofs" from photographer matted & on posters

x P - Philip practice recital piece

x S - **make bread

x S - *wrap any confirmation gifts that we already have

x S - Sarah practice flute

x **check lib due list

x check obits

This was all before 2:20, when we left for an orthodontist appointment, running a bunch of errands, a softball game, a baseball game, and a track & field competition. Daniel pinch ran in the bottom of the last inning and scored the winning run! What a thrill!

I'm beat! Good night!