​I love being busy. It’s invigorating, and I get so much joy out of being involved in so many different things. As a “people person,” I truly thrive when I’m surrounded by others. This past week was a whirlwind—full of fun, though my pocketbook certainly took a hit! I was on the road every day, putting serious miles on the Equinox. That meant filling up the tank daily at $60–$70 a pop. Gas prices are simply ridiculous right now!

​Still, the memories were worth every gallon. Here is a look at my week:

​The marathon started last Saturday when we drove to Foley for our grandson Zane’s prom. He looked sharp as usual, and he and his girlfriend, Amelia, were perfectly color-coordinated. They both looked fantastic! After the grand march in the gym, the students loaded onto buses and headed to Stillwater for a dinner cruise on the river.

​On Sunday night, Roxie and I went to Dawson Covenant Church to hear Dave McIver, an author and speaker, talk about his new book, Looking for the One. It was a great night of worship and fellowship. Dave used to be the chaplain for the Minnesota Twins and shared some incredible stories from his time with the team.

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​Monday found Roxie and me driving to Sioux Falls for another eye appointment. She had surgery a couple of weeks ago, and unfortunately, recovery is going slower than expected. We were told on Monday that we’d need to be back again by Friday.

My Tuesday was spent in Willmar broadcasting the LQPV boys’ volleyball match against St. Cloud Tech. Since the LQPV boys didn’t have a home match this year, Tech met the Eagles halfway. It was a blast! The Willmar Civic Center was packed with fans. Hope Schmidt joined me for the broadcast, and the boys swept Tech in three sets.

​The post-match show was the highlight; we named a “Player of the Match” for each set and interviewed them. I even interviewed the statisticians—a first for me! I noticed most of the fans gathered around our table to listen and cheer while we were on the air.

​ Wednesday afternoon, we traveled to St. Cloud to watch Zane receive the Big Brother of the Year award. It was a formal event held in a large ballroom. Zane’s “little brother,” Erik, and Erik’s mom sat at our table. It was a much bigger event than I had anticipated, and I was so proud of Zane. He truly has a heart of gold and spends so much quality time with Erik.

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On Thursday morning, I was up early to drive to Minneota. They have a very active Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) Huddle, and they asked me to speak about my faith. Robin, the adult leader, met me at the door. She does a great job and I love her enthusiasm for the Lord.  They serve breakfast pizza and orange juice at there Huddle. It was the largest group I’ve spoken to this year. I shared scriptures from the book of Romans and we talked about the importance of having a relationship with Jesus. It was a blessing to visit with students about things that truly matter. They made me feel so welcomed. I was surprised at how many students stayed after and visited with me.

​Wrapping Up the Week

​Thursday afternoon, Bart Hill and I drove to Dawson for a big baseball game against Canby. Dawson-Boyd won in the bottom of the 8th inning on a walk-off home run by Colten Bothun. What an ending!

​By Friday, we were back in Sioux Falls for Roxie’s eye appointment. Finally, we got some good news: we don’t have to return until May 15th.

​We ended the week on Saturday with another prom—this time in Montevideo for our granddaughter, Adelyn. She looked stunning! The event featured dinner and a dance at The Vine outside of Dawson. It was the perfect way to cap off a great family day.

​From Saturday to Saturday, it was a lot of miles and a lot of $4.19/gallon gas. But looking back, it was a priceless week spent with family, friends, and coworkers.