Sunday

I'm supposed to be at a baby shower right now, but I bagged it so I don't infect the mom. Then I realized I had to go to church and infect her and everyone else this morning because I'm not really sick enough not to go. But I've felt lousy since leaving: headache with stomachache. My throat seems better, but I'm still really tired.

The main reason I felt like I needed to be at church today was that we have [finally] started a church-wide reading of Rick Warren's Purpose-Driven Life. It's a 40-day commitment and I felt like we needed to be there for the beginning. The first day's reading starts with: "It's not about you." So get up off the sofa and get to church!

Yesterday we went to Sparky's robotics thing. This was the state championships for the FIRST Lego League. Two teams from our school district were finalists at the regional contest last month, so they advanced to the state competition, along with 55 other teams across the state. So Beast and I spent almost 9 hours sitting on bleachers. We've learned: we had Sudoku books, the newspaper, crosswords, magazines...and a bag full of bottled pop.

Just like at the regionals, Sparky's team had a miserable time at the robotics tables, but did very well with their presentations, especially the teamwork one. Their robot just did not perform as expected. There were about 20 awards given out, and rather than call out the 3rd place, 2nd place and 1st place teams and identify them, the MC just listed them. Unfortunately, Sparky's team was mentioned only once, for placing high in teamwork. They didn't win, but they did better than 30-plus other teams, including the other one from our district. In spite of that, at least 3 of the guys were really upset (including the one we brought home). There was much stomping and pouting (and a few tears), but we seem to have regained balance now.

Beast is banging stuff around in the basement again, Sparky is right next to me on the sofa with his GameBoy, the Carolina/Chicago game is on the TV.... I love Sunday afternoons. Maybe tonight we can put away a few Christmas ornaments. I don't think we've ever taken this long to get stuff packed away!

First, though, I'm going to try to take a short nap.