March Madness

Hi all!

I know it's been too long again since my last updates! For Team Hyndman, March has been CRAZY BUSY and I'm sure it's the start of a busy spring. Lots of great things going on here! The boys (Greg and Nick) may love March Madness for basketball but the words have a different meaning to me:) We hope everyone is doing well and as ready for spring as we are!

Let's see.......the first weekend of the month was spent in Columbus, OH. for the State High School Wrestling Championships sponsored by the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA). I think we may have mentioned this, but Nick was invited down to be interviewed for their magazine and as a guest with his family. We went down with my parents and Nick's service dog, Charger, and had a great weekend! We went to The Cheesecake Factory (one of our favorite restaurants) at Easton Town Center. Oh how we wish they had one near us! The kids got to swim each night in the hotel which they loved! Saturday, we found this great pizza joint on the OSU Campus (we saw lots of cars and knew it would be good and it was!). Then we went to the tournament. We all got to meet with the OHSAA Director of Communication Tim Stried, got to go down on the mats for the set-up, Nick was interviewed and they are going to use the article from last year in The Toledo Blade as well. Also, a reporter from the Wood County Sentinal Tribune who also did an article on Nick last year met us there and he is helping to coordinate things. There will be an article I guess coming out in the Tribune as well as the OHSAA Magazine. We got to eat in the press room and hang out until the tournament started. They took some great pics of Nick which I'll post and when any articles do come out, I'll post the links! We got to stay and watch the tournament and had great seats. The place was packed. I had no idea how many people attend this event! It was pretty cool to see. We ran into some of the Perrysburg Coaches and Wrestlers who were there and some other people we knew as well. Sunday we went to the movies at Easton Mall and Arnold Schwarzenegger was there! Greg got a picture of the side of his head surrounded by his "people". Turns out, the same weekend of the tournament was the busiest weekend of the year in Columbus for hotels because it was the annual Arnold Sports Festival as well! Anyhow, we had fun! My parents are so great to travel with because they just "go with the flow" and are so easy-going. Charger is the perfect travel companion for Nick too:)

We also has other events along with the usual dance and sports activities and school for the kids. Isabella participated in the Wood County Youth Olympics and had a really fun time. I was there with here that day as Greg worked. It was a lot of fun watching her! Nick had a party for the end of the season for wrestling, team pictures, and next week is their awards banquet. Nick also started football practices for the Toledo Crash Wheelchair Football Team at the Ability Center of Greater Toledo. He is the quarterback and he LOVES it. They have a scrimmage next week and they play the University of Toledo Football Team (in wheelchairs) on April 17th. We had a meeting at the Junior High School for parents/students to discuss the transition to Junior High for Isabella next year! Our baby girl will be starting junior high and our oldest "baby" starts college next year:) Where has the time gone? We just got Nick's graduation announcements this week and Isabella's costumes for her dance recital in May! Also, not sure if I mentioned this, think I did, but Isabella had her DARE graduation this past month.

Currently, we're applying for scholarships for Nick. He was awarded a $6000 academic scholarship so far. We'll see what else comes along. Oh yeah, Nick finally decided he'll be attending Bowling Green State University i the fall!

So, we'll be busy over the next few months with end of the year activities for the kids at school, wheelchair football, dance, getting ready for Bella's dance recital, getting ready for Nick's graduation and celebration, for our "graduation vacation" this summer with our family to celebrate Nick's graduation, applying for scholarships, getting ready for summer plans, ETC. Just like most parents!:) We're happy to do it and it's all great stuff but it's making us a little nostalgic and sentimental (and excited!) already! I'll be updating as we go along!

Blessings:)

Amy