Annah's college decision process continues.  Because our government Expected Family Contribution is so ridiculously high and we cannot afford to pay what the government thinks we should be able to pay, we asked Annah to apply to Illinois State University last week.  

This morning, we received this email inviting her to Honors Day.  She hadn't even received confirmation of her acceptance yet!

But she got that a few hours later...

While we recognize that ISU may end up being the only place she can afford to go, 

she really does not see herself there.  

HOME wrestling meet

Tonight, the junior high wrestling team had a home meet!  (We've had all kinds of cancelations of meets with this crazy weather lately!)

Our 126-pounder, with his lucky socks!

That's a pin!

We have a lot of snow.

It is very dangerous to travel.

Tonight there was a Blood Moon and an eclipse.  We didn't go outside to see them, but I did snap this picture down the driveway when I went outside to take the trash to the end of the driveway. It was already really bright!

Caeden made french toast today!

Last night, Annah thought she saw chunks in this milk when she poured it. Somehow it got put back in the 'fridge, and Caeden put it on his cereal and drank a big cup of it this morning.  Annah was worried for his health, and someone decided to label the jug and leave it on the table.  It just made me laugh.  (And, by the way, when I poured it out this evening, there were no chunks at all, and it still smelled totally fine.  I think maybe Annah had seen chunks of ice? Oh goodness!

Pep band playing before the varsity boys basketball game tonight!

And Midnight Blues sang the National Anthem

Back at Gibson

 Back at Gibson City tonight vs. GCMS and Eureka

G'ma Sandi, there to support!

Tall skinny kid with his lucky Monopoly socks

Caeden's first match of the evening vs. Eureka...

...was only about 30 seconds long, so I didn't get many pics.

 He won by pin!

Coach had some intense moments tonight.

 In Caeden's next match, vs. GC, he got a pin in 7.7 seconds!!!

Teammates that cheer for each other during matches, console each other after losses, and celebrate together after wins...

 The team won against Eureka and lost to Gibson City.  Good job guys!

Valedictorian

Annah met with her guidance counselor today to receive and go over her final transcript before having it sent to all the colleges to which she's applied.  

Mrs. M circled what she said was the important part, and said, "That means you're the valedictorian!"

So, now it is official!  With a 4.250/4.0 gpa, 

Annah is the valedictorian of the Ridgeview Class of 2019!

“But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.” 2 Chronicles 15:7 

Yes, we are very proud of our girl--for this and so many other reasons!

When Annah received the outstanding scholar award at her 8th grade promotion, she set a goal to be valedictorian. She asked us to push her toward her goal, but she honestly hasn't needed much pushing.  No matter how many activities she's been part of and with all the other things she balances in her life, her homework and studies have always been a priority.  She is a hard worker. 

She walks with the Lord, and He helps her. We are excited for her, and so grateful.

“May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed.” Psalm 20:4 

Winter all at once

I started a sweet little piano student, Juana, recently.  She is adorable.  

On Friday at her lesson, we practiced our "I'm Great!" posture!

Throughout last week, the threats and predictions of a winter storm grew more and more serious...

It hit in the wee hours of Saturday morning.  Jeremy still got up and drove up to Kewannee to watch the high school wrestlers take second place in the tournament there, then drove back in it in the dark!

 Even though all my Saturday morning piano lessons canceled, 

Ryan still braved the trip over from Colfax in it!

He and Annah worked on college scholarship applications.  They also watched The Iron Giant, and later Rocky II.

Church was canceled Sunday, so we stayed in again and had another snow day.  (Except Jeremy, of course, who went into Bloomington to go to the gym and the store.)

 Sunday afternoon, Annah made cinnamon snow ice cream.  

Jacob came over Sunday afternoon and helped Sylvia finish her puzzle.  We all watched Guardians of the Galaxy, and 3 out of 6 of us may have taken cat naps while watching it.  Then we played a couple  games of SkipBo before Jacob's mom wanted him to head home before dark.

This was a very pretty view for a snowy Monday morning with a freezing fog advisory!

I'd say we got at least 10 inches of snow over the weekend!

I feel like we can't really complain, since we didn't have any snow at all in December.

 I decided to bake homemade bread today, since we were out of bread and I didn't want to go to the store just for that.  We had Italian beef with it for supper tonight.  Pretty yummy if I do say so myself!

All the way to Braidwood

The JH wrestlers had a meet at Reed Custer field house this afternoon, which is all the way in Braidwood.  It was a long way there!  

The field house is an amazing facility!!!  While we were there for the meet, baseball was practicing hitting into nets, kids were walking the track around the perimeter, cheerleaders were practicing in 2 corners, and basketball was practicing on the other side of the partition behind the wrestlers in these pictures.  And that was just one "room!"  NICE place!

Getting warmed up...

Big pep talks...these 2 teams tonight are very tough.

Caeden's first match was against a wrestler who won a tournament last weekend and is 3rd in the state in his weight class.

 It was not a win for Caeden, but he frustrated the kid by not letting him pin him!

 It was a tough meet for most all the Ridgeview kids.

 Regrouping for the meet against Reed Custer...

All of the RC wrestlers were very muscular and strong.

This match was not a win for Caeden either.

 Caeden has had a rough week with trying to keep his weight around his weight class.  As Jeremy says, he "gassed" during his second match and was just too exhausted to do what he needed to do. We're going to help him make better food choices for the rest of the season to help him have enough energy.  He is a teenage boy, so he has a high metabolism and doesn't need to worry so much about his body burning off what he eats!

Getting notes from Coach...

G'ma Sandi drove all the way up from Bloomington!  Caeden gave her a big hug and told her how much it means to him to have her there.

Although most of the wrestlers had very tough matches, and a lot of them were losses, it was a good evening, and they learned a lot by wrestling these schools!

For those kids who returned to school on the bus (because their parents didn't make the long trip up!), Jeremy had the bus driver stop at McDonald's, and he bought everyone supper.