As a follow up to the first part of this blog from two weeks ago, this past Monday night Jonah and his "iSquad" team gave their presentation on "iSchool" and all of their inventions.  As a Dad and a Coach, I couldn't have been prouder of my boy and the rest of the team!  The kids' parents were all phenomenal throughout the project, as well, with everyone contributing and helping guide them to success.  I think the big smiles on their faces below say it all!!

It has been a very busy month, but we've had a few warmer days, and spring is in the air after a relatively mild winter.  Now I just need to make time to get out on my road bike and start preparing for the MS 150 in June.

While we've struggled a little to get Jonah into more sports outside of soccer, we have been thrilled that he has continued to enjoy Kung Fu.  He is at a green belt level, and after his next round of testing, he will move out of the first set of classes and into the more advanced ones, which will lead up to a black belt, if he wants to go that far.

He is one smart cookie, however, and of course he loves Legos (what kid doesn't?!), so when we found out about First Lego League that was offered through his school, Pinewood, we jumped all over it.  What I wasn't expecting was being asked to coach.  Coaching his first soccer team was one thing, but a Lego project about "Improving Education"?

But it has been a lot of fun, and the parents of the other kids on his team have been great and incredibly helpful along the way.  Even though we weren't given a lot of guidance, and we've had our stumbles along the way, it has been a blast seeing Jonah and the other kids figure out how to work together and create something from scratch.

Last night we nearly finished the tabletop posterboard presentation (pictured above), and you can see Jonah's two contributions to the project below, the "Robodesk" and the motorized portion of the project, the "iCool" fan.

Team "iSquad" is ready to present our project along with the other two teams for all of the parents coming up in a little over a week.  As Jonah practices speaking about his two contributions, I can't help but smile when I see him presenting, seeing a little "mini-me" of myself and all of the presentations that I've given over the years.  J

Last night was a very special night for the Storlie family, as Jonah celebrated his First Communion at our church.     As a member of Church Council at Augustana, one of my responsibilities is to assist the pastors with distribution of communion, and Pastor Mark made sure that I was able to give Jonah his first little glass of wine for his First Communion.  One of Jonah's Baptism sponsors, Uncle Scott, also joined us for Holy Thursday service.

They always say "enjoy every day with your kids because they grow up so fast!", and it really is true.  I'm watching Jonah grow into this little person that amazes me on so many levels, and with every "first" we have together, I see him growing up right before my eyes.  And his little sister is following right behind him in his footsteps, but of course taking her own steps in her own way (for those of you who know her will perhaps laugh out loud at that statement).

As we enter Easter weekend, I very much look forward to hearing Anne sing Bach tonight at our Good Friday Tenebrae Service of Darkness, a very moving and deeply introspective service, and then attending Festival Worship Service on Easter Sunday, singing the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's Messiah with my friends in Senior Choir.

My wish for you this Easter Holiday, regardless of your religious affiliation (or lack thereof), and no matter what your situation at present may be, is for you to feel a sense of hope, peace, and perhaps even happiness in your life.