Michelle

My 15 y/o year old daughter, Michelle, called Friday with some wonderful news. She received a letter from her Senator. The letter was to congratulate her on her FCAT (Florida Comprehensive Assesment Test) scores in math & english. The tests were taken the end of the school year. Michelle received a perfect score in both subjects. The letter praised her outstanding academics and work ethic.
Michelle was chosen (one of 20 in the state) to be a "schoolastic ambassador" to Australia for 2 1/2 weeks. The things she got to experience was incredible and an opportunity of a lifetime. Incredibly, while in Australia she ate crocodile and kangaroo...that's right, kangaroo. Believe it or not, Michelle said it tasted really good and went back for seconds and thirds. She got to hold & feed a koala, snorkel the Great Barrier Reef, and learned to surf.
She also received another letter shortly after returning from Australia asking her to go next summer to China for 3 weeks. Michelle had to raise $4,000 for her Australia trip and she will have to raise over $6,000 for her China trip.
I am a very proud of all my children and step-children and I am very fortunate when they do something out of the oridinary and makes me even more proud of them all.

Wordless Wednesday

Austin

My 13 y/o son, Austin is playing football once again thi year. I was a little worried at first because he had to move up to next age group because he is now 13, even though he roughly weighs 90 lbs "soaking wet". He is out weighed by an average of 35 lbs. That's quite a difference when you throw on the pads and start hitting. I still cringe at the thought of it.
Needless to say, I was quite ecstatic when Austin called me last Saturday when we were on our way to bowling. Austin told me he is the team's #1 receiver. I am a proud dad. I guess getting him that football for Christmas and him playing "sandlot" football with his friends all summer long really payed off for him. Austin does have great hands and eye coordination; he rarely misses a pass thrown his way.
Austin has his jamboree game this weekend and they play their first game the following Saturday. I hope things work out for Cindy & I to make the trip to Tampa to see his first game. I'm excited and I'm not even the one playing. Lol.