BEF 5k

The family ran our annual 5k here in town again.

When we started this run, I had ideas of a fun family event where we interact with people in our town and run together. What's actually happening is that everyone runs at a different pace, and we all split up! Andrew zoomed on ahead with his track friends. Matt stuck with mom and kept her company for most of the run while Emery went for a medal. I was her trainer, coach and pace runner.

We're not exactly sure what place she got as the times got messed up somehow with some of the other runners. But she got a 26:30 and probably 3rd place in the 10-11 year-old girls' division. Super good time in my book. We trained for a few months with long runs, speed runs, and hill runs. She really wanted a medal. Let's just say she's pretty competitive. Great job Emz, you did it!

BMS Volleyball Champs!

Matt made the volleyball team this year. He tried out and was the only 7th grader who made the team. On top of that, he got some playing time and they won the title for the first time ever! Well, I guess they started the team last year so it was also the first title in 2 years.

They were 5-1 for the season. It was a short season, literally about 3 weeks. They went into the playoffs feeling pretty good until they lost to Joaquin Moraga. This put them into the loser's bracket. But they kept winning - again and again and again until they were in the championship game, facing Joaquin Moraga. They beat them, only to have play them again as that was JM's first loss. But theybeat them again and became 2018 champs!

 Matt was a back row specialist. He subbed in to play the back row.

He was also the back-up setter. There were 2 boys who were really, really good on the team and 1 was the setter.

Matt improved a lot in this month of a season. Great job Matt!

BHS Track

Andrew is doing track for a second year at the HS.

He's absolutely loving it. I'm not exactly sure why as I'm just not a track guy. But I'm glad he's getting some exercise and having fun with it. Here he is running the 100. He's on the inside lane #1.

This is his 4x100 relay. Sorry for the bad camera footage. Andrew is the 3rd leg. He's on the JV team. He's also running the 200 which is his main race. But he loves relays.

March Madness

The family has been having our own 5 person March Madness bracket challenge. It has been a lot of fun trying to guess who will win. It's funny that for the past 3 years, I have never won. The boys have both won, but not me, and not Emery or Sandy. But this year, I finally took the crown!

I guess it's hard to see, but thanks to Villanova beating Michigan. I just barely edged out Andrew and Matt. Here is the hall of champs:

• 2015 - Andrew
• 2016 - Andrew
• 2017 - Matt
• 2018 - Dad

Emery and mom have gotten better every year so maybe next year, we'll finally have a female champ!

Joshua 1:9

We've been doing verses all year, but here's my first one for the 2017-2018 year. We're starting the year off with one of the most encouraging and comforting verses out there. What have we to fear when the one true God of the universe is with us? We can always obey God's Word no matter what giants we face in life because He is with us!

Joshua 1 ⁹ Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

Drumline

Matt is doing drumline again this year. He got promoted to bass drum!

This is only their second competition so it's still the basic performance. The theme is "Wanderers." They continually add to it throughout the year. By the end of the year, it's quite a bit longer with more elements to it.

How about Matt having a solo! Well, not really a solo. More like a featured wave? Or a featured part? Whatever it is, it's pretty cool. Nice job for the kid who hates having attention directed to him!

Happy 20th!

Sandy and I have been hoping and planning to get to Hawaii for our many years. I think we started to think about it for our 10th but all the kiddos made it hard. Then we planned on it for our 15th, but a certain spell of unemployment derailed our plans. Thankfully, our persistence and God's grace allowed us to go to Kauai for our 20th anniversary.

We stayed in a little house on a farm. It was very farmy. I was surprised at how agrarian Kauai is.

We were warned. And they were correct. There are lots of chickens.

We splurged on one really nice dinner.

I couldn't get the view and us to be in the photo with proper lighting. So the first pic is us. The second is the view!

They treated us to some free celebratory champagne and dessert too. It was a real treat!

It was actually kind of chilly there for a couple of days. But we managed to get in a little beach time.

We loved our time together. Kauai was beautiful and wonderful. But even better was spending time together with my beautiful wife and celebrating God's faithfulness, grace and goodness to us for 20 years. It's been an amazing journey through so many joys and tears, times of bliss and tumultuous times, and the most difficult things along with the most gratifying times too. I never expected our 20 years to go like this, but I am so happy to have gone through it with you hon. Love you forever.