I didn't work Friday because I was getting sick, and was just exhausted.  I woke around 4:00 and realized it was dark and gray outside.  Uh oh.  ANOTHER winter storm.  I'm really tired of this.

I've been inside convalescing all weekend, grateful for communicating via email, internet and text, because I just have NO voice. It's sleeted, snowed, iced, sleeted and snowed again.  It's STILL snowing. I can't believe I was just commenting on seeing grass the other day.

Emily had a debate tournament this weekend.  She was excited because she got to meet Miss Missouri and Miss America.  She got her picture taken with Miss Missouri.  She and Josi bought a Faith jewelry set to share.  I love the bond those two girls have.  Josi is a blessing and I love her to pieces.  Emily worked out at All Star Sports-Center again today.  She has a really good shot at making the Stars and Spikes 16U competitive softball team.  They're based out of All Star, and the coach, who owns the facility, said that he would work extensively with Emily whenever she came in.  We got her a membership so she can work out whenever she wants.  We're really lucky because in NORMAL weather, this is walking distance, halfway between school and home.  Coach Lee is letting her keep her equipment there so she can go whenever she wants. She's already improved, and we're looking in to getting her some private catcher coaching as well as some hitting coaching (although she was impressing them with her batting the other day).  I told her if she made the team, we'd get her a good composite bat.  She's wanted one for years.

Matt's doing a batting club at the same place on Wednesday evenings. He was slamming them the other night!  He has grown so much this winter that he needs another batting helmet. The same team is getting back together; his best friends Jarrod and Kaleb, his buddies Quenton, Spencer, Jared, Cam, Hayden, Taylor....we have another great year with a fantastic group of parents and kids. I love the coaches, too.  Two of them are Emily's youth leaders. They want Emily to consider going to Haiti with them to start an orphanage. She is ALL over that.  Mom and Dad...not quite so much.

Speaking of Haiti, in a month, I will be subbing for a teacher at the middle school who is going on a mission to Haiti with our church. I am so excited for her!  I look forward to hearing about her experiences. She is such a gentle woman; I can see her really blessing many people while she's down there.

I officially got my acceptance for college.  I just have to prove I'm a US citizen, and I can start signing up for classes.  I'm a little (did I say LITTLE?!?) excited.  I'm looking at taking English 101 because all of the exciting classes need it as a prerequisite.  I think I have the equal class though.  But, it wouldn't be a bad thing to take it again.  The classes I could take are overwhelmingly exciting.  Literature for the middle school student. Classroom psychology. Creative writing for the fiction author. I could really enjoy this! 

Darren took the kids sledding on "the Hill" where I went sledding many times as a child (oh, and as a refined college student, as well).  They came back cold and wet, but it really seems like they had fun.  Fire in the fireplace, hot chocolate, and gloves warming on the furnace.  Life's good.