February 2024

  

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  "While it is February, one can taste the full joys of anticipation. Spring stands at the gate with her fingers on the latch." -- Patience Strong

Man!  While January felt like 839 days, February went by in a cold, dark, then bright, sunny, BLUR!  And we even got an extra day this year since 2024 is a Leap Year.  I went to the doctor for my annual check up that day - s I don't have to go for 4 years, right?  Ha!  I wish.  But as is usual Weaver style, we crammed in a lot of life in a very short and sweet month.  We actually even had a couple of weekends with nothing really scheduled on the calendar.  Those were nice days.  As we hurdle towards March, March Madness, Spring Break, and Spring fever, I want to dwell in the sleepy peace that was (most of) February.  The month started off with crazy winter weather, and ended with record high temperatures.  Mother Nature might be just as crazy as the Weavers...

We started off the month with Concurrent Night at Edmond North High School where we learned all about how to make sure Jake gets a transcript from Oklahoma State University!  I mean, so Jake can earn concurrent hours from an accredited college or university while still in high school.  But of course, we chose OSU!  because, DUH!  (And mom is extra and really wants all of the kids to have an OSU transcript if not a degree.  3 down...)

And then there was basketball - and lots of it! Had to have several make up games due to the bad weather at the end of January  and we have to get them all in before the end of the "season."

Finn got to meet Lindy Waters III (Norman North, OSU, OKC Thunder) for the second year in a row.  These Oklahoma Boys are tight!  Jake's AAU coach from last summer and the Associate Head Coach for his HS team are all good friends with Lindy - this makes Finn a Super Fan!)

Then we made the worlds fasted trip to Arkansas (Finn stayed with Lara) where we arrived Saturday night around 11pm, and were back on the road to home by 10:30am Sunday.  But, I got to meet Tony the Tiger, and a HUGE thing happened...

Jake was invited to a work out and try out for AAU Flight Basketball - a NXTPRO 16 Team (Puma Shoe team, fully sponsored) out of the Northwest Arkansas area.  The work out went VERY very well, and he was offered a spot on the 17U roster, and he accepted later that night.  

This is a HUGE step in his basketball journey!  And he will be playing in the BEST tournaments in front of numerous college coaches and scouts all over the country this summer.  We are beyond excited, and so proud of his hard work, determination, and GRIT to keep going and keep improving.  This is going to be an AMAZING summer! #flywithus

Proud dad moment!

 

How Jake made the trip home....  ;)

There is a documentary on YouTube about this basketball circuit:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyh7waZd47k  You can see Jake's coach, DaShaun Stark, in a lot of footage in episode 1.  Episode 2 is about one of Jake's teammates for this coming summer.

There was more basketball, and more gym time, and the regular season wrapped up.  We had a bake sale in the concession stand on Valentine's Day where I made paw print cookies and sealed each bag with a Husky sticker. (SO CUTE! And fun.).  There at then end we lost our FIRST regular season game, but we bounced back with vengeance!  

In the middle of all this, we hired a new employee at work, I got a new work laptop (which required a

LOT of configuring and figuring out - it has been weeks and I still have things not QUITE like I like them in some laces!), and the Wi-Fi router went out at our house - in the middle of my workday - and I had to run to the Cox store (33 minutes away) to get a new one.  Which changed our WiFi password - CHAOS insured!  No one was connected! Smart house was not smart.  Lights, Air Conditioner, doorbell -  all the things off line! LOL!  We survived.

And then it was Senior Night... Jake played a helluva game, keep the Bench Mob hyped, and had a great night - even with a little medical attention at half time...

 

The unmistakable best part of the night, was this play.  He got out in transition and had a MONSTER dunk - the crowd (and mom) went a little wild.  It was a night to remember!

And to keep the theme alive, we took Jake to an OSU basketball game where they were having a reunion of the 2004 Final Four Team.  He reunited with our old friend Ivan McFarlin, and got to meet the esteemed Daniel Bobik.  GREAT experience all the way around!

And then, that Sunday, it was BACK to Stillwater! Lara and I took Finn to his first ever college Wrestling match!  He had a blast, and as always - Bedlam never disappoints!  GO Freaking POKES!

 

It was fun to see Lara and Evie - and no basketball for a moment!  ;)

WHAT A WEEKEND!

Next up - end of the month shenanigans and the start of Regional Playoff as the ENHS Huskies vie for another State Championship.

Jake had a bout of strep through (we think at least 1/2 the team did!) and Chick-fil-A forgot my top bun

And I was invited to present - TWICE! - at the Slate Summit this summer!

REGIONALS!

                            Jake's locker locked and loaded, and Mom and Dad fueled by Surf Bar.

Regional Champs!

 Celebrated Leap Day with a fit check for Finn, an amazing Guthrie sunrise for my commute, and a trip to my favorite doctor.  Not too shabby for an extra day!

And in the midst of all that, I read some books!

February Reads:

"Wildfire" by Hannah Grace

"Confess" by Colleen Hoover

"Black Cake" by Charmaine Wilkerson (Hidden Oaks

Book Club Choice; A Novel Idea Bookshop Guthrie

BIPOC Authors Book Club choice)

"Holly" by Stephen King (Women of Guthrie Book Club Choice)

"I'm Glad My Mom Died" by Jennette McCurdy

"Olivia Strauss is Running Out of Time" by Angela Brown 

"The Gift" by Freida McFadden

I am already at 31% (13/42) of the GoodReads 2024 Reading challenge!  February is a short month and I still managed to finish 6 books!  January me did not think this was possible...

Find me on GoodReads:

 goodreads.com/bdub_ok