The Plunge: A Pictoral Review

Polar Bear Plunge: Dash & Splash

Tomorrow is the big day that Edwin, along with a team of coworkers, is taking the plunge into a hole in the ice of Lake Calhoun.  It's the Polar Bear Plunge: Dash & Splash, a fund-raising event for The Special Olympics.  There is a 5K run (which I am joining in for) - the Dash - followed by lots and lots of possibly crazy folks (not including me!) taking the plunge - the Splash - into a hole in the ice on the lake.  And if you are thinking that water will be freezing (literally!), you are exactly right!  The outdoor temperature will be somewhere between 20 and 30, the water temperature will be hovering around 32, and the trip to the warming tent afterwards will be slippery, icy, and don't-touch-your-frozen-hair-or-you-might-break-it-off-just-plain-freezing-cold!

I will post some pictures next week.  It's sure to be a spectacle, with famous, or at least locally famous, folks like Christian Ponder and Tim Mahoney, and who knows who else.  All freezin' for a reason.  Should be fun!

Oh What a Beautiful Morning...

One thing is for sure: the weather predictors around here have only a tiny advantage over the rest of us.  They are really only sure whether it will snow or rain or be sunny about five minutes before it happens.  This winter, looking out the window is about as helpful as checking the weather forecast.

That said, there are quite a few members of my family who were overjoyed to wake to the weatherman's miscalculation of the rain/snow line.  And although that meant some shovelling, we've had so little snow this winter that even on the eve of March they were happy to welcome it.

I have to say that this mild Minnesota winter has been a real blessing to me.  Last winter and its 144 days of snow cover wore me down to say the least.  This winter it hasn't been really cold (I have lived here nearly 13 years, mind you) for very many days in a row.  We've had a few below zero mornings, but we have had so many days in the 30's it's hard to believe.  And there has been hardly. any. snow.  Amazing!  It's a drought that started in the summer and has continued through the winter, which is certainly unusual in our, albeit limited, Minnesota experience. 

And I couldn't be more thankful.  Just a little rest from the pain that winter is, and I can wake up and be happy to see a big pile of snow.

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
(Matthew 11:28-30 ESV)

My Life in Status Updates

Status updates are about all the writing I have had time for lately!  One day I will take some time to write a real blog post, but for now, here's what has been going on in our lives from the Facebook point of view!

1/28: Made it to the State Lego Tournament with everything but the camera! Go Cavemen!

1/28: Cavemen win!

 1/28: Hooray for the Cavemen! First Lego League Minnesota state champions!

1/30: I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being. May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the LORD. (Psalm 104:33-34 ESV)

1/30: Have you heard that Edwin will be taking the PolarBear Plunge on March 3? If you would like to sponsor him, message me! Support the Special Olympics! Or come to Lake Calhoun and watch!

 
1/31: So thankful for the gift of a mild January in Minnesota! I really needed that after last winter!

1/31: I'm looking for some upbeat praise & worship music with theologically-sound lyrics, especially with lyrics straight from the Bible...Any suggestions?

Sports Photography

It's been a while and my blog is once again neglected.  I have not even gotten the Christmas pictures off of the camera yet, so it's that bad.  But I think I need to post something here, and my talented children, David and John, are coming to the rescue.  They took photos and videos of our ski trip last week and they are pretty good - at skiing, snowboarding, and catching it on "film."

We need a snowmaker for the backyard this year!