Bake Sale

Our youngest is in Student Council this year, so she had to participate in raising funds for spirit week. Her friends decided to host a bake sale at the school.

The weekend of spirit week, two of her friends came over and baked for 7 hours! They made a mess for sure, but they also cleaned everything up.

They had a great time mixing, baking, and wrapping everything! The cookies, brownies, 7-layer bars, pumpkin bread, banana bread, and peppermint bark was sold out by Wednesday.

So that evening, she made a few more things to sell on Thursday/Friday. 

In total, they raised $350! Way to go!

Live Stations

After a two-year gap, our church youth group performed their Living Stations this year during Lent. As one of the teaching assistants, I had a backstage view to all the set up and action. Here, Jesus falls for the 3rd time.

It was a silhouette scene where the students portrayed each station of Jesus walking the road to calvary. In this station, Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem.

After each scene is set up, the students hold their positions while music plays. Then a voice shares what it must be like in Mary's heart as she watches her son die for us. 

I was amazed at how well the students performed! It was such a moving experience, even backstage.

The final scene was well choreographed. Kuddos to the teacher for making this all happen!

Intro to Alex

Previous blogs may have casually mentioned Ashlyn's boyfriend, but who is he?  This is Alex.

They met playing volleyball through the church young adult group. Sometimes they are partners on the same team, and other times they play against each other on opposing teams, but they both take the game very seriously. 

They compete in mud runs, too, and usually with a great group of friends who are just like them...high energy and athletic.

With their busy schedules, they try to schedule dinner together a few times a week. 

One thing that sets them apart is spicy foods. Alex didn't grow up eating jalapeños like our family, so what tastes like a bell pepper to us is super hot to him. But he's made huge strides in acclimating himself, like doing the deadly hot One Chip Challenge. 

Well done, Alex. You've earned your seat at the McConnell table.

Match Day

 On Monday, March 14th, Ashlyn got the notification...

In the medical school world, this is HUGE. Med students study four long, hard years in hopes of landing a residency at their favorite hospital in their dream field. While Ashlyn and her closest friends all matched, they didn't know where they were matched, and in some intances, which program they matched in.They decided to all be together when they found out. We made a sweet celebration out of it with the cutest cookies!

The match information was delivered via e-mail, and the students gave their phones to a parent who could keep a straight face (not me). She wrote each of their match information down on a poster and handed them out upside down.

At the count of three, they turned over the cards. One, two...

Three!!! It's surgery in Birmingham, AL for Ashlyn, with her friends getting Radiation Oncology in Virginia and Internal Medicine in Florida. Congratulations, ladies!

Next, she talked with Alex who was on face-time during the reveal. This was just as much a part of his future too, it seems. 

Way to go baby girl! We are so proud of you getting your 1st choice! You worked hard for this, and we can't wait to see you become an amazing surgeon!

NJROTC

Our youngest found out that taking ROTC in high school (Junior ROTC) counts as PE, so she signed up! The branch in her school is Naval JROTC, so she learns about the military ranks, tactical planning, and jobs associated with the Navy. Papa would be proud!

Her physical training (PT) day is Friday, and she was given a tshirt, shorts, sweat shirt, and sweat pants all for $20. Pretty cool.

On Wednesdays, she dresses in their uniform. When issued, it's very plain. But as she earns accolades, she receives ribbons and cords to make it look decorated.

She excelled on the physical fitness test, scoring top levels on each category and earning a gold emblem on her ribbon. She also participates in their orienteering and academic teams, both competetive programs with other schools.

Her shoes have been the biggest frustration. During inspections, she's docked for not getting them shiny enough. I think she's ready to get out Eric's power buffer!

Outside, she has to wear a hat and if cold, the Naval jacket. I think she looks so sharp! I also like the way she keeps her hair pulled up, so I had her look to the side for a picture.

Any blog post about ROTC and the military wouldn't be complete, though, without a picture of our son. Only two more months until he's commissioned!

51st

My 51st birthday was bitter sweet, but having the kids home was the absolute best. After church, they treated me to breakfast at Panera, my fav!

The birthday cake was really a pudding dessert, and the rules were I could make it however I wanted. The Little One was funny to watch as I put in each scoop of sugar, cocoa, or butter. 😄

We burned off our excess energy from the calories playing disc golf. Kisses and hugs were a plenty every time I parred (which was only once). The threat alone of me making par was slim, so they didn't mind the odds. 

Saying Goodbye

The past few weeks have been some of the most difficult in my life, but I wouldn't trade those precious moments with my mom for anything. Our conversations, the smiles, and just being together was priceless. As she took her last breaths, it was time for her to go home.

Mike wouldn't leave her side until her remains were placed in the ground. Only after that would he leave her side. It was so beautiful. He loved my mom so much, and that broght joy knowing how much happiness she brought him as well.

We had quite a few cousins and aunts from my dad's side come to the services, plus a few others who came the night before. It was so great to see everyone!

Mom was always so organized with the plot, tombstone, and her affairs in order just in case. Note to anyone reading this...please do this for your family. The process was much simpler and less stressful knowing what to do. 

Despite our sadness, we tried to enjoy being with extended family and sharing a few smiles. I also enjoyed the time with my own family since we don't have the kiddos home much anymore. Some chicken at Eichens, a game of dominoes, and a few beers brought back the laughter I needed. 

My mom loved to dance. She spent a lot of her time at Czech Hall over the years, and we drove right past it on the way back to where we were staying. When we saw the cars lined up and heard the polka music playing, we decided to stop by. It was a perfect way to end the weekend services in her memory.

Here's the link to mom's obituary:

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/name/linda-harris-obituary?id=32991738

This picture was taken quite a few years ago, but still one of my favorites of mom and us kids. Rest in peace, mom. Love you always! 💙