Topics: Birthday, Welding, and Prom Royalty

Today is Vince's birthday.  I write this quick update as I consider Vince's birthday and try to get focused on school. It is hard to believe how many birthdays we have shared together.  I showed Mitrofan and DT the cribbage board I made Vince, engraved with 4-2-1995, and Mitrofan said, "I was born in 1994".  I realized that I have been with this man for a very long time.

In other news:  Willie did not place at the Skills USA welding tournament.  The team from Colony High School blazed through the competition.  What did they do differently?  Their school takes a much different approach to their welding curriculum.  Only upperclassmen are able to enroll and they are expected to treat the class like a job.  This does not mean that Willie did not accell at the competition.  Willie learned a great deal about the interview process, leadership, career paths.  Overall it was an amazing experience for him.  Thank you to all the staff of HHS who put this together.

Marina and I had a great time in Anchorage!  One of our favorite parts was the cologn counter at Nordstroms.  While I was buying a tube of masquara, Marina was grabbing perfume sample bottles and secretly filling them.  I love her devious nature!  And now we have every delicious flavor of perfume imaginable!

She also bought her father some new cologn.  She tested every variety and was taught to clense her nose pallet after every sniff with coffee beans.  She finally settled on Dolch&Gabbana The One as it made her think most of her dad.  She hit a home run with that smell.  It does smell great and he loves it!  Look how it transforms him!

 Saturday was  THE PROM!

This year was much less intense than last.  In fact, it was so much less intense that I was finding myself saying things like, "I don't care...get in the shower!"  "No!  You need to go upstairs and iron that!"  Boys!  God do I love them.  They had dinner with a group of friends at Jody's (Mitrofan's girlfriends) house.  Then they went to Wasabi for the dance. 

I took Vince to dinner at the Homestead where we chatted and caught up on things.  He is a wonderful partner.  (Falcom and Marina spent the night with Mema.) 

At eleven oclock the phone rang.  I was dozing off to the television and enjoying our new bed when the phone rang and Vince said, "Willie, you ok?  Yea, What?  No Shit!  You are the Prom King?!  No Shit!  Kaylene is the prom Queen?  Hey congrats!  OK!  Love you!" 

The next morning when Willie came upstairs there was a gleem in his eye that I hadn't seen in a while.  He said it was mind boggling and wild and that every eye was on them while they danced.  He was so happy and excited and it was wonderful to see.  Kaylene too was in a happy state of bliss the next day when we saw her.  My kids are getting really big.  A prom king in the house!  Oh my! This was a night neither of them will forget...