Duhawks 3; Gorlocks 1

I decided to go and support Andy's college soccer team, as they played round one of the NCAA Div III soccer playoffs. After asking for volunteers, Katie decided that she would travel with dear old Dad to Dubuque and watch the Duhawks take on the Webster University Gorlocks.

It was a fun game to watch and Loras totally dominated the game, as you can see by the stats. Unless, of course you don't understand them. In which case you will just have to trust me. So they next will be playing Macalester College tomorrow evening to see who moves on to the next round.

After this adventure there are two things I want to know. Why did I decide to make the three-hour journey there to watch a game on a cold evening (don't let that 52 degree temp in the box score fool you, it felt a lot cooler), and then drive back in the same day? I actually know the answer to this, I love soccer and thought it would be cool to see a playoff game and help support Andy's school. Benjy wanted to come, but he had to sing at mass tonight, so he couldn't make it. Sure, we could have gone to tomorrow's game, but there was no guarantee that there would be a game tomorrow, and it also starts later and I would have to go to work on Monday, and since I just got home (around 11:15pm), with tomorrow's later start, I would only get back that much later.

My second question is; What the heck is a Gorlock?

That Fresh Clean Feeling

"Gain -- To smell it, is to love it."

So how is everyone doing today? I'm doing good, thanks for asking. Still haven't watched last week's LOST, but I've read all about it. Still would like to see it though. See how much calmer I am. :)

PITA has been rather painful. We have someone that wants to leave our service, but they have a contract through 2011, so they can't, unless they can find something wrong, service-wise. Now, it's coming down to a 'we said - they said' kind of battle, and they being the customer means that they are going to win, right? What sucks is all the extra work and hoops-jumping that we are going through. Oh well, we'll see what happens, at least I'm still getting paid, right?

A bit of a downer came yesterday, when Andy got his letter from Loras, telling him that he was not chosen to be a part of the Breitbach Thinkers and Leaders program at Loras. So, now we are looking into other opportunities. Not giving up, yet. Besides we have an overnight retreat there in two weeks, so we still have to give it our best shot. I wonder what there is to do in Dubuque? Any ideas?

Okay, I'm nodding off as I type, which means there will be a strange looking word, somewhere, if I don't just call it a night.

So, Night.


“No man should go through life without once experiencing healthy, even bored, solitude in the wilderness, finding himself depending solely on himself and thereby learning his true and hidden strength.” - Jack Kerouac

Today is the Day

Andy, his mother and grandparents are in Dubuque, Iowa today for Andy's interview for the Brietbach Catholic Thinkers and Leaders Program, which will greatly help out with paying for Andy's college education, AND make him a part of a great program.

He had to write an essay, and then wait to be chosen for an interview.

We waited.

And waited.

The deadline said Dec 23, 2008, and here it was January already. Andy contacted his admission counselor, and was told that they hadn't selected the thirty applicants for an interview yet. This is thirty out of a couple of hundred essays, I imagine especially since this is such a great program to get into. A very competitive, that if chosen will do tons towards helping Andy, not only in college, but also in life itself. Just going through the whole interview process itself will be a great help for him, when he's interviewing for those all-important jobs of the future.

Anyway, a few days ago - forgive me for I cannot remember the exact date, I'm no good at that. Andy received a text message from his counselor at Loras, as we were about to start our family Rosary (a good habit that we are getting back into - thanks Jenni!), telling him that sorry, Andy was not going to be invited for an interview.

Andy took it very well, and we discussed other options, like community college and FAFSA, for his future plans. Then we prayed and asked God to help us with dealing with the disappointment of not getting an interview, and for guidance regarding the future. It was a nice evening of prayer, aside from a giggling eleven year old, and we went back to our normal activities; the girls and Danny get settled in to bed, while the older boys do what older boys do, Facebook, Youtube, The Office, the Wii, whatever it was.

*** I think I remember that this was on Sunday now. Jenni will correct me if I'm wrong. :)

The next day, I was in various meetings and missed Jenni's phone calls, she left a message on my work phone and cell (I know, I should be carrying with me all the time, but...) with a message to call her back as soon as possible. Uh oh, my first thoughts were that something bad happened. So I call home and no one answers, yet it doesn't go to the machine, which means Jenni or one of the kids are on the phone. Hopefully that's a good sign, because at least they are still home.

I try again a couple of times before Jenni picks up and says that since I didn't answer, she had to tell somebody.

"Loras called and he has an interview, on Saturday."

"This Saturday? I thought that they were scheduled for next week?"

"They are, but he gets one on Saturday."

This was good news, because Andy has a Winter Retreat scheduled for next weekend and didn't want to miss that, but would have if it came down to it. Now he gets to do both.

Anyway, in exactly one hour from now, 2:15PM CST, Andy will be meeting with members of the Breitbach Catholic Leaders and Thinkers committee, and God willing, he will be accepted to join this program, which will be a life changing event, in my opinion, and will start to show the world (one step at a time) what a great person Andy is, and how he will be able to change the world with his knowledge and skills.

It's my blog and he's my son, so I am allowed to brag, thankyouverymuch!

Anyway, Andy I am very proud of you and know that you will do well and regardless of the outcome, this has been a great opportunity for you.

Now go get 'em!