Debate Day

Josiah spent many hours this week preparing for his Team Policy Debate at CC.  They were debating the electoral college and Josiah was assigned to the affirmative team.  It was his team's job to fight against maintaining the status quo.  Their resolution was to abolish the electoral college in favor of the popular vote as the sole decision maker for presidential elections.  This was a tough debate because they had to understand the electoral college first.  When debate time came, Josiah was third to speak and when he finished I put my hands together to start clapping, realized quickly that was NOT what I was supposed to do, and quietly put them by my side again.  But that's how well he spoke - I wanted to clap when he finished.  He and his partner did very, very well and they won their debate by 11 points.  

The day before debate Josiah asked for a haircut.  I asked him what he wanted and he said he wasn't sure.  Perfect answer.  I happily cut the mullet portion off for a sleeker look.  

Josiah had some other good news this week as well.  We went to the orthodontist and he said Josiah only needed to wear his retainer at night from now on.  I asked for how long, only to be told, "Forever!"  Josiah was excited by the news, but has continued to wear the retainer at different points during the day because it feels weird to not wear it.  

Henry earned another stripe on his jiu-jitsu belt this week.  We weren't sure they were given in the adult class because adults do not earn stripes.  They just go from belt to belt after years of training.  That was a happy surprise.  All the more so because Henry likes his Smoothie King.

At CC, Henry and his partner did a skit about the fallacy, Whole to Part.  He's wearing a brain hat because they're doing the body systems in class.  This coming week, they start dissections.  

 

Caroline had a good day at CC herself.  Her class had an almost end of year cookie party.  Her tutor is trying to spread out the end of year celebrations.   

Henry's been working on some year end projects of his own.  His LifeGroup project is about his identity in Christ.  He has to pick out key words (loved, saved, forgiven, called, etc.) and find a verse of Scripture to go with each.  Then he has to display/present it in a creative way.  He's been working on the words with the goal of having the most in his group.  Apparently they can reach certain 'levels' depending on the number of words used.  Henry was going for 75.  That was the ultimate highest level and that's always his aim.  He has one week left to complete it.  He is on word #6.  

Josiah had a LifeGroup project as well, but his group was tasked with creating a video to explain a doctrine.  This was right in Josiah's wheelhouse. They had full creativity on the video part.  Josiah chose repentance and created a CapCut video in the style of MatPat (a YouTuber).  It included animations and Josiah overlayed himself reacting to what he was talking about.  I never have to ask him to keep up with these projects.  If anything, I have to ask him to stop working on them so much that his other school work doesn't get neglected.  He was able to present it this evening.  

Henry got together with his MARCH friends Friday evening.  They completely gave up on the whole movie night and went to a big open park adjacent to the neighborhood.  They ran, they did all the exercise equipment along the path, they had push-up, squat, and pull-up competitions.  They went back to the house and played a ton of basketball.  He had a blast.  The mom who hosts these monthly get-togethers works at a hospital.  She brought us many, many very sturdy hospital boxes.  Yay.  Our box accumulation has gone up exponentially recently.  However, we still only have one lone box packed.  One day.  In the car, we had one very large box that created a little enclosed area at Caroline's seat.  She was a fan and did not like it when I brought the big box inside.  She tried to recreate her little area with a smaller box.  Just like the cereal box barriers of the 80s.  

Benson invited himself into the game of chess Henry and I were playing.  Benson came up and, at first, nosed the pieces, knocking a few down.  Then he came back later and licked a few pieces, completely knocking them around the game board.  Caroline was at the ready to capture it.  I'm sure his next step was to ingest them.  He did make us laugh.  

I had some good news of my own.  Mid-week these beauties were delivered.  

Soft, clean clothes from here on out.  Happy tears to feel soft towels again.  

We have a very busy week ahead.  Josiah is hoping to catch the solar eclipse at a friend's house tomorrow.  There is rain in the forecast, so we'll have to see how it works out.