Sunday, March 28, 2010

Opening Day




I had a great Dad day on Saturday. Cole and Reed are both playing baseball in Farmers Branch. They have a parade to kick off opening day. Reed’s team didn’t participate (bummer), but he got to ride in the truck with Cole’s team. They threw candy and had a great time riding through the town. There was then an opening ceremony with a prayer, songs (Star Spangled Banner and God Bless America), introduction of the teams and a ceremonial first pitch. It was a great way to start the season. Reed then had a game.


(Proud dad moment coming)
Reed is 5, the youngest one on his team (the Cardinals) and in his first T-ball game ever he started as the pitcher. Now for those of you who don’t know much about T-ball, they usually put the best players at pitcher and first base in hopes of getting 3 outs at least once in a game. Reed was able to catch the ball and throw out the runner at first…TWICE! They got three outs in the inning. In the next one he played first base and caught a throw from the pitcher for an out. He also got 2 hits. Quite a stellar start to his career. I guess having 3 older brothers paid off. Cole had a game right after Reed’s.

(Proud dad moment #2)
Cole played hi first game with a new team, the Lugnuts. He played 2nd base, pitcher, short stop and third base. He fielded 5 grounders and threw the runner out at first all 5 times. While playing third there was a hit down the line over his right shoulder. He reached up backhanded and snagged it as it went by. A great catch! I had to leave the dugout to celebrate and give Kim a kiss. (Didn’t want to show my bias to the other Lugnuts). He also went 2-2 at the plate.

I realized on Saturday that I still love baseball. Of all the sports I have been involved in during my life, baseball is the best. There is nothing like spending time at the ballpark, siblings running around, sunny day, sunflower seeds, playing catch, a line drive up the middle. I had an amazing day on Saturday. It was the best day I have had in a long time. Thank you baseball.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

TWENTY!!

Aunt Krissy SAVES the day...and my "non-photo-computer" shortcomings!! Here are the pictures just the size I was trying to get them!!


Tod Michael on 3/23 at 4:56!! Look at those pinkies!

Proud Daddy!

My mom and Tod


Aunt Karen, Tod and I
This day was absolutely amazing. It is was filled with such joy, laughter, pain, comfort, hugs & kisses, and CHOCOLATE (thank God for Jamie!)! Mike and I had NO IDEA what we were doing, or what we had gotten ourselves into!
Tod, thank you for making it easy for us. You, as I have shared so many times, have added so much color to our lives. Thank you for growing our hearts, and showing us just how BIG love can be.
Happy 20th, our little man!

Sunday, March 21, 2010

shredders

My "to do" list during spring break was long. And sadly, like my lenten "sacrifice," I failed at wiping off every single sinkin' thing on that list. Pet peeve. I like even my list "spit spot." Two of the items on my list ended up being very charged with unprovoked emotion. As many of you know, our 45ft live oak's roots decided to to "let go" of it's hold on our tree...which came crashing onto our house in late September. Recently, Larry, the most amazing, patient, and talented contractor...and more importantly, family friend, and his team finished repairing our home. It looks amazing. (SHOULD insert photo, right? slacker owner doesn't have one YET) Anyway, Larry got Mike and I working like bees on the inside stuff that was not on his list...one of which I finished this week. Painting the walls and trim (never ever again...on the trim that is) of our entry and hallway. Hall looks great. One item on the list was returning the crosses (which we collect) on one of the walls of the hallway. Forty eight to be exact. It was quite powerful. In fact, I teared up as I reached for nails to hammer into our wall....nails....and I erected many crosses. Flashbacks of the Passion of the Christ came to mind which had a tearful result. It reminded me of just how weak I am. Can't even give up Diet Coke successfully this Lent for goodness sake!! Capital "L."

And today, despite my OCD issues, the IRS paperwork from daycare and brown's pharmacy (which we DID receive and I filed in the IRS file) are missing. I get that Fatal Attraction look of "I won't LOSE in this search..." (truly scary for all to see, I know) as I examine every single piece of paper in the house. There is a LOT to be said for the aging process but my mother would reach down from Heaven itself to deliver a bar of soap for this girl's mouth if I said what I want to say!! This search, however, led to the most beautiful sound in the world. The shredder. How did I ever go so long without one? Nothing is better than ridding your life, your home, your filing cabinet, etc. of all this unnecessary JUNK. This led me to a place that brought about much emotion. How I wish I could shred some memories, choices, places, decisions, etc. from my life. Permanently ERASE and shred their existence. So many of them, despite my strong and persistent efforts, haunt me, periodically, to this day.

All in all, powerful reminders, this week, of our brokeness, and our inability to become whole without Him. I look forward to the day that He shreds all of my imperfections. I pray that your Lenten journey through this desert self examination period has caused each of you to reach out for His Hand, and to hold on to It...steadfastly.... through the storms of our brokeness.

Friday, March 19, 2010

it is what it is

blah. that's it.
hope all is great with you all.