The month of February was dominated by post-season wrestling. However, there were a few other things going on as well.

In science, Jeremy and Ruth learned about fossil fuels. We did an oil-drilling project. First, we placed empty egg shells randomly throughout the sand field.

Then we filled the shells with baking soda mixed with black powder dye, mapped out the oil field, and covered the shells completely.

They took turns drilling wells to find the oil underground by poking a hole and using a funnel to pour vinegar inside. Even with the map, it was not easy to find the exact locations. But we did find success.

Molly and I continued running on the prairie path, which was more of a wavy sea of ice throughout the entire month.

Molly had her claws, and I had my yak-trax to keep us from falling headlong on the slick, uneven terrain.

The ice made for pretty nature scenes.

Wheaton Academy had a signing day for seniors who are planning to continue their athletic careers in college. Derek’s football coach sat with him as he committed. Coach Thornton has been a tremendous influence in Derek’s life over the past four years.

Ruth enjoyed Wednesday nights with BFF Beth. On one such night, the girls went to a horse stable and learned how to groom a horse!

After completing the remodeling of our bathroom, Jim headed to Michigan to help his friend Neal redo his bathroom. It was good bonding time for those guys. Rub-a-dub-dub two men in a tub.

Derek’s wrestling coach agreed to teach some of the boys from Jeremy’s football team the basics of wrestling.

At the end of the season, they showcased what they had learned.

Wrestling. It was a big month for Derek. February is the road to State, which is an extremely difficult road. He had been on it for three years; the past two years coming within seconds of qualifying, but never quite making it.

Despite having to fight through shoulder pain most of the season, he was determined. With his eyes fixed on the goal ahead, he started on the road by wrestling Regionals and winning.

The following week was the Sectionals tournament. It’s quite a Sectional: in Derek’s weight class alone, there were several previous State placers, including last year’s state champion. He would have his work cut out for him, and his success would not come easy. Long story short, he wrestled his way to qualify for State!

Now he would have to wrestle to see how he would be seeded.

It was a long couple of days for all of us. Mom and Dad came out to Byron on Saturday to cheer on Derek, as well as offer moral support to Derek’s siblings.

While sitting at the tournament, Mrs. Cortez knitted a headband AND a scarf for Ruth!

Despite his hunger for a higher place among the four, Derek came in fourth overall.

As difficult as it was to end on a loss, we would find out later that Derek going in to the State tournament seeded fourth in his sectional would be a great advantage.

When we finally got home that night, we ate a Steak for State celebratory dinner!

The next weekend–Valentine’s Day–we traveled down to Champaign. What a sight it was to see the wrestling arena in person, filled with wrestlers warming up.

Derek warmed up with an opponent from the season. It was neat to see the former competitors helping one another get better.

The faithful fans:

Speaking of faithful, Peter opted to miss two days of school (which meant two days of missed work to make up) so that he could accompany his brother downstate. It was pretty neat: two brother coaches and two brother wrestlers (one supporting the other).

Ruth, the people-watcher,

and book-reader.

Poor Jim was more nervous than Derek was all weekend. He asked friends to pray for him as well as for his son.

Mom and Dad drove down for Friday and Saturday–talk about faithful.

Derek’s first match was against a number-one seed from another sectional. The coaches loosened him up beforehand.

Derek came out confident

and aggressive,

and before long pinned his guy.

First win of the weekend!

It sure felt good; and all the credit does indeed go to God.

His next match Thursday night would potentially clinch a spot on the podium at the end of the tournament. Even if he lost, he’d still have a chance to place, but it would be a long and nearly impossible road to get there. His opponent was big and strong.

The scene was so intense.

And after much back and forth, Derek prevailed!

This was definitely the highlight of the entire weekend. He knew at this point that he was a State-placer. He owes so much to these coaches.

Unfortunately, Derek would not see another win the rest of the weekend. But he nonetheless stood proudly on the podium Saturday night.

We welcomed him and Peter home with a sign,

and unbeknownst to us at the time, so did the neighbors.

Then we celebrated the first Wheaton Academy State placer since the 1970’s!