Saturday, Feb. 13, 2010, Fort Worth, Texas~

Dear Journal~

Tank Griswald here.  Hope this finds y'all well and happy!

I am doing great, now that the Snow Event of the Century has finally moved off east.  Our area had anywhere from 6 to 13 inches of snow; in my own backyard, I measured 9.2 inches of the white stuff!  It was incredible:  the snow started early Thursday morning, and it didn't quit until very early yesterday.  Now the sun has come out, and it's starting to melt; but there is still quite a bit of snow in my yard:  a good solid six inches or so.

They even cancelled classes at TCU; all day Thursday Steffi and I played in the snow like little kids.  We made snowmen and snowladies, and we got into a good old-fashioned, rock'em, sock'em snowball fight with some of our classmates; we also went sledding down the big hill at the park near our place.  It was a lot of fun!

Who says that adults can't have any fun????

Tonight, seeing it IS Valentine's Day Eve, I am taking my baby out to eat (going to Razoo's Cajun Cafe'), then am taking her to see "Avatar".  I've heard so much abuot that movie; I want to see it for myself, to see if it is as good as people saying it is. 

Tomorrow, for Valentine's Day, I am also taking Steffi out to lunch after church, and then we might mess around in the snow again; I might even take her for a night on the town.  She deserves to be treated like a queen!

You already know that we are engaged, right?  If not, I popped the question just before Christmas, while we were in Tennessee, visiting her folks; of course, she cried and said yes.  We are planning a fall wedding; we want to get married at Centennial Park in downtown Nashville.  For our honeymoon, we have decided that we are going to Alaska on a two-week long cruise.

We have already started working on our wedding plans:  what color tux for me as well as for my fellow male counterparts, what color the bridesmaids' gowns are going to be, what dress Steffi is going to wear, the band/musical entertainment, or what there will be to eat.  So much to work with, so much to plan out, so much to spend!  Yarg!!  I never knew weddings could be so darned costly!  Sheesh!!!!

It's hard to believe that Steffi and I will be getting married later this year; it seems like only yesterday when we first met!  Once I saw her, with her beautiful bright orange hair and big, bright sea green eyes, and her curvaceous figure, there was no way I could not say no.  It was love at first sight; our love has only gotten stronger, so much, in fact, that we will be getting married later this year!

Last night, we watched the Olympics' Opening Ceremonies from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; the Olympics are going on from now until a little over two weeks from now, sixteen glorious days of competition.  The Opening Ceremonies were nothing short of spectacular; however, there is already a dark cloud hanging over the Winter Games:  yesterday afternoon, during the last practice run, a member of the Georgian (Russia) luge team was killed in a horrible accident; he was only 21 years old.

The Opening Ceremonies were dedicated to this fallen athlete and his fellow teammates, as they come to grips with this tragedy.  They even had a moment of silence for the man, as a way of rembering him, which I thought was very honorable.

I am sure that Steffi's brothers and sisters back home in Tennessee have caught Olympic Fever.  Four years ago, when Steffi still lived in Tennessee, she and her brothers and sisters had their own version of the Winter Olympics in their backyard; they even had medals and everything.  They do this every Olympic year, and each time, it only gets bigger and better, according to Steffi.

I have always wanted to be in the Olympics ever since I was a little kid; however, a devastating knee injury while skiing ended that dream.  I was in high school then; I was skiing in Vail, Colorado, with my family, and I ran into a tree and injured my knee.  I immediately knew it was bad.  And I knew my Olympic Dreams were now history.  My knee still gives me grief sometimes, especially when it is going to storm.  (And boy, did it ever sing several days ago, before we got the snow!  It was remiding me that it was still around, like, "HelLO!  Remember me??"  I was more like, "Go away!!!!")

Well, I am going to get ready, and then pick Steffi up, and go out for the evening.  I will write in here again soon; until then, take care and God bless!  Talk to you later!

~Tank.