How Quick a Decade Flies By...

I've been busy preparing for the momentous occasion of Aaron's 10th birthday this week. I made the reservations at the water park last Friday and ever since have been thinking back on the past 10 years, thinking of the first time I wrapped him up like a burrito in his blanket at the hospital, the 1 to 3 a.m. feedings, midnight visits to Children's, thousands of diaper changes, gallons of apple juice, pushing his stroller at the zoo, bringing him to the neighborhood park, a snuggle on the couch after a long day at work, falling asleep on the floor next to his toddler bed with an arm draped over him so he'd go to sleep as he transitioned from the crib, and watching him grow like a weed (now 5 feet 1-1/2). It seems like yesterday I was videotaping him as he walked in to Chase Lake for his first day of kindergarten and now he's a mere year and a half from middle school and another five from his driving permit. Through all of his first decade of life, though, one thing stands out above all others, that being his broad smile and happy go lucky attitude. To know Aaron is certainly to love him, as he becomes fast friends with everyone he meets. It would be a vast understatement to just say I'm proud of him as a son. He brightens just about any room he walks into and that grin of his makes every day start and end on a pleasant note. It is virtually impossible to frown when he's within smiling distance. I'm really looking forward to what his second decade of life will bring.

Okay... Enough reminiscing for now... Time for an update on the rest of our activities in this new year of 2007. The boys are now in the thick of basketball season, Daniel having just played his second game already this afternoon. His team, the Wolverines, beat the Gophers and Daniel showed a lot of improvement in his basketball fundamentals and shooting skills. They both had their team pictures taken on Monday and today so they can focus on their games from now on. Aaron's first game is tomorrow, I believe. We have taken a break this year from Prowler hockey thanks to the busier schedule with basketball, youth groups, etc., but tomorrow night we're planning on catching a varsity hockey game at The Ralph, as they'll have the pep band, which is somewhat unusual for Lincoln. They have asked all alumni of the pep band to come play with them, so I'm hoping for a good turnout. The band really fires up the crowd and the Prowlers can use it this year. It's been a rebuilding year of sorts for the Prowlers after last year's trip to state.

We have enjoyed a much milder than usual winter over here lately with only one night of freezing rain, one night of snow, and warmer than normal temperatures for the past month, though we're expecting sub-zero lows over the next week. It seems to be a bumper crop of used snowmobiles this year, as there is really nowhere to ride them this year other than the ice. I've already had the adventure of doing a 540-degree spin on the ice in the station wagon, which I don't care to repeat anytime soon, so I'm looking forward already to the spring thaw.

We went to the Running and Reading program at Challenger last night where we played floor hockey the first half hour and read in the library/media center the second half hour. We had a good time, though that's the last time they'll have it this year. It was a nice change from last year and we're looking forward to the next season. It's fun to get back to basics and read some good books. I actually learned some history about the civil war and what life was like on the frontier way back when. The boys got a lot of books for Christmas, so they'll be well occupied for weeks to come. I was just noticing a little while ago how fast the boys have progressed in their reading as evidenced one evening as I was thumbing through the on-screen TV guide on the satellite TV. They had read through a half dozen of the show titles before I even got to them and had chosen which channel they wanted before I could think. Again, it seems like just yesterday it was three-word sentences, then realizing the day you're in the car talking to another adult and spelling out what you're saying, then realizing that they can now spell and now they're reading just about anything they look at. There I go with the reminiscing again...

We are about to enter a new chapter at Trinity with the installation of our new permanent pastor this coming Sunday. We're saying Be Strong In The Lord at both services with our new director, Vanessa, and we're looking forward to our next combined choir performance with Zion and Redeemer, apparently sometime around the end of February. Our first practice with Vanessa tonight went great and we had a lot of fun singing for her.

I think that just about covers all the latest and greatest from TRF. I probably would have written a lot more had I been able to sign in to this blog, but I upgraded the blog through Google and then forgot my new log in info until just this afternoon. Hopefully I can get back on the stick now, though, since I figured out how to get back in. Take care everyone...