Third game

The basketball season is eight games long. This year that works out to three games in January, three in February, and two games in March. Yesterday the boys had their third game, which means next week the season will be half over. As seems to be the norm this season, Nadia plays 4 out of 6 periods, Ian plays 3 of 6 periods, and Oliver plays 2 of 6 periods. It would be more accurate to say Oliver is on the court for two periods. It's a bit of a stretch to say he is playing basketball. He's more of a spectator. He does like to make a grand entrance when his name is announced before the game. He even did a 360 when he came in yesterday. He dribbled the ball once, and that was the extent of his participation. I was seriously contemplating pulling him off the team, but I guess we should just finish out the season. Ian played defense and certainly wasn't just a spectator although he was a bit goofy at times (looked like he and the boy he was guarding were playing tag rather than basketball). Nadia's team again dominated their opponent. They don't allow the lead to be greater than ten points so the scoreboard didn't accurately represent exactly how large their lead was over the other team. Nadia is by far the weakest link on her team. She turned the ball over

umpteen times when she was dribbling the ball. In the second half her teammates kept feeding her the ball far more than anyone else in the hopes she'd make her first basket. She made several attempts but never got a basket. The ball never went high enough, but the ball did go near the net a couple of times. It was extremely kind of her teammates to keep giving her the ball over and over and over again, but I admit I became rather self-conscious. Ian's team had lost their first two games, but according to the scoreboard their game ended in a tie yesterday. The other team had a large lead at one point so it's possible not all of the other team's points were recorded, but still they were happy the game ended in a tie.

Nadia always talks about how much she loves basketball, but she almost never touches a basketball at home. This is her fifth year playing on a basketball team. I personally am not athletic and do not have the time to work with them on basketball in addition to homeschooling them, giving them piano lessons, maintaining a full-time job, etc. Nadia was really, really disappointed that she couldn't take ice skating lessons this winter because they interfered with the boys' basketball practices. At the

moment I am thinking that next year I won't sign any of them up for basketball but will sign them all up for ice skating lessons, which is only a Thursday night commitment. At the moment basketball involves 2 hours of practice on Thursday night, 1 hour of practice on Friday night, and multiple hours of games each Saturday. I might change my mind at some point in the coming months, but at the moment I'm thinking of skipping basketball next winter.

Paul came home yesterday from Las Vegas while we were eating lunch. We didn't have time to come home in between Nadia and Oliver's games as they were at 9:00 and 11:00, but we had time to come home and eat lunch before Ian's 2:00 game. He's really sick. Nadia and Oliver were grateful to be able to stay home with Paul during Ian's game. I cheered for Ian during his game, and we stopped at the grocery store on the way home. Once Ian and I got home, Paul slept most of the rest of the day, and I haven't seen him leave our bedroom yet today (and it's 4:30pm). Unlike moms, dads do get sick days. It is very rare that he has a fever, but he had a 101 degree fever yesterday so he certainly is feeling very yucky. I slept on the couch last night, as I really don't want to catch what he has. Praying the kids and I escape it!

This morning we didn't have to leave for church as early as normal, which I really liked. The choir didn't sing this morning. It meant I had time to read and discuss Hebrews 1-2 with Nadia and Ian this morning before we went to church. The pastors and their wives were on a retreat this weekend so my Sunday School teacher was asked to preach. He called me yesterday to ask me to be his substitute in Sunday School, but I told him I was already signed up to help in the 3rd/4th grade girls' class during the 2nd service. I was disappointed as I do enjoy teaching the adult class. When I showed up to the girls' class today, I found out they didn't need me. I ended up attending the adult class after all, but thankfully someone else he had called had agreed to be his substitute. Bruce did a great job preaching today. He preached from Matthew 5, and at the end of the sermon he briefly talked about three Christians who he imagined heard "well done thou good and faithful servant" when they entered into Heaven. Oliver and Nadia were in their Sunday School classes, but Ian was with me in the worship service. The three people he told a little about were Jan Huss, Amy Carmichael, and Jim Elliot. I had already read the kids biographies of the latter two. Ian was most intrigued by

what Bruce shared about Jan Huss because we've been reading about the Reformation lately. He mentioned things like Wycliffe translating the Bible into English, indulgences, Martin Luther's 95 theses, etc. and Ian was very excited because we have been talking about all of those things recently. The biography I've been reading them lately has been about Ulrich Zwingli.

As I walked into the sanctuary the lady who was handing out bulletins at the door where we entered said, "I thought I recognized you, Dr. Kennedy"! One of my cooperating teachers attends our church. She said she told her student teacher on Thursday that she thought she recognized me but couldn't place where, and this morning she figured it out. When I was at church on Friday night for Nadia's basketball practice I ran into another cooperating teacher (one I haven't visited yet but plan to visit this Tuesday). She was there for a concert. It's a small world after all!


Nadia had been VERY anxiously awaiting this Sunday because she knew they were passing out parts in the kids'

choir for the musical they'll be doing in May. She and Ian were both given parts. Ian has a much bigger part than he's ever had before. The play has a pirate theme, and the choir director said Ian did a great job of really getting into his part (lots of "Arrrs"). She said she's hoping his enthusiasm will be contagious to the other children. That was music to my ears. I'll start having them learn their lines this week. I am far more capable of helping them with drama than I am with helping them with basketball.