Mother's Day 2012

This is the season of parenting we are in. 

Busy.

Family time looks different than it did when we had toddlers.  Our weekdays are full of practices and games, one sport or another.  One parent going here, and the other parent going there.  Rarely are the five of us together at the same time.  And now we are in the season of Sunday games and Sunday recitals and Sunday tournaments.  Our schedule is packed.

It just is what it is.

Would I have rather been in church this morning?  Yes.  But I would have been torn.  I would have missed half of my heart.  I would have missed my people doing what they love.

So the question is, do we separate our attention?  Or, do we embrace the new season of family time?  How do we find balance in the midst of this season?  I don't know the answer.  I'm still trying to figure this parenting stage out.  I'm not perfect.  I make mistakes, but I'm learning to give myself grace.

I don't know much, but what I do know is that I would have missed seeing Zeb's helmet with my name written on it and his little hand-drawn heart.

I'm so glad I saw that sweet sign of affection {especially from him}.  I needed that.

With my whole heart, I needed that.

It's the little things that matter most during this season of busy.

Happy Mother's Day from an imperfect momma who is taking in the deep breath of grace today. 

How do you spell "cool?"

You probably spell it C-O-O-L.

Or, even K-O-O-L, if you so desire.

But I spell it C-H-A-M-B-E-R-S.

Zeb's teacher, Miss Chambers, took time out of her busy schedule to watch a few of her students play a double header last night.  I can't say enough about how happy those kids were when they saw her in the crowd rooting for them.  She cheered and took lots of pictures of her boys.  During the second game, she even bribed them with classroom incentives if they hit the ball and ran the bases.  IT WORKED!!  Almost all of them had monster hits and we won the game.

...aaaannd then the parents made her take a blood oath saying she'll come to all the rest of their games. 

Baseball players are very superstitious.

{Not really.}

{The blood oath thing, not the superstitions.}

{They are weird about that.}

{Skip wore the same "I heart Mickey Mouse" boxers for his entire high school playing career.}

{I'm not even joking.}

{He still has them.}

Personally {selfishly} I loved having some time to talk with her without feeling rushed by the school clock.  She is incredibly easy to talk to and I am enjoying getting to know her better.  But the way she treats Zeb has earned her a forever spot in my heart!

I am a fan.

Miss C, you ARE one of the c-o-o-l kids!!!

Facing the Giants.

This weekend we played in a very COLD baseball tournament.  There were four teams in our division all with pretty good records.  The teams we face in tournaments are so different from our team.  The other teams are ALL-STAR teams with hand selected players from different towns.  Our team is a group of boys that have played together for many years and will hopefully feed into the High School program in a few years.

The major difference is that the other teams are always packed with HUGE boys.  Boy-men, really.  We faced some 10 year old boys this weekend that were the same size as a small man.  The main thing that comes with size is the ability to hit to the fence. 

Hit after hit after hit.

Our boys held on tight in the first game.  I hate to say we lost because of two bad umpire decisions.  But yeah.  We lost that game due to two bad calls.  This game was a nail-biter.  The score went back and forth the whole time.  The Pirate boys played a great game and they should all be proud of their efforts.

We went on to lose the next three games.  Although we were all disappointed in the outcome, there are so many lessons in losing.

You never quit.

You never give up.

You never stop hustling.

You never stop giving everything you have.

You always stand with your team.

You stick together through the good and bad.

You cheer each other's victories.

You stay true to who you are.

You shake hands and congratulate the winners.

You leave everything on that field.

You stand united.

Isn't that just like life?  You have victories and losses.  You succeed and fail.

BUT YOU NEVER STOP.

Our boys picked themselves back up in the semi-final game and played their hearts out.  They didn't give up.  They faced their GIANT and made us proud.  They walked off that field heartbroken, but strong and united.  They proved to each other that they all deserve to be there.  They all had success in that last game.  They all dug deep and committed to see it through to the end.

I don't know about you, but that's how I want to live my life.

Every single moment.

Giving everything I have.

Buy me some peanuts and cracker jacks...

WOW! 

This week was a complete blur! The first week of the baseball/softball season and it was busy for the coach and his support team (me).

Tuesday night, Zeb had his first game. This is his second year to play in the competitive division of his age group.  He (usually) plays second base and pitcher.  He lives for baseball, just like his daddy.  He wears Skip's high school and college number...16. 

The season opener was a success!  The Pirates won 10-3.

Thursday night, Langley had her first softball game. This is her first season of coach pitch. Sadly, the game got rained out in the bottom of the first inning.

(By the way, I have a crush on the man in pink.)

Saturday, we hit the road for a two-day baseball tournament. It should be a fun weekend!

I will be back on Monday for some riveting content.

Or, maybe not.

My brains might be fried from sunshine, high fructose corn syrup, and baseball.

We are busy little beavers around here.

Ahhhhh. Silence. Silence is golden, isn't that what they say? Z and Lou are off to school this morning and I am enjoying the moment. I can't sit long or all my time will be gone. I have a list to end all lists of jobs to tackle. I have two short hours.

The last week seems like it came and went with a bang. It was action-packed and memory-filled. I thought I would share our highlights with pictures!


Our little Cub Scout. Yes, I was able to sew on the patches and they look reasonably straight. I hope no one will inspect the inside of his shirt...the stitching was a mess. Anyway, he had a Community Service project on Saturday. Good time was had by all...especially dad. He enjoyed playing football and watching Z climb trees.

On Labor Day, the boys headed to the ballpark in St. Louis. This trip was made complete with both grandpa's. Papa is in red and Pa is in gray. They had so much fun that they want it to become a tradition. Too bad the Cardinals lost, 11 to zip. Bummer.

On Tuesday, Loulabelle started Preschool. She has a great teacher who loves her, plus two best buddies. Now, Lou is one to be extremely helpful. Will was trying to complete his craft when she performed Operation TAKEOVER. I don't think he minded, but we did talk with her about letting Mrs. B be the teacher! She was full of smiles on this special day. I was the Parent Helper so it was a joy to see her in action. She brought her "Jammy Baby" for show-n-tell and got to pick out the snack: apples, bananas, carmel dip and Teddy Grahams. All her favorites!

The fun wouldn't be complete without soccer. This is Lou's first chance to play organized sports. I am sure it will be a riot! She has most of her friends on the team: AJ, Will, Elizabeth, Adrienne, and Cassidy. This will be the cutest soccer team ever...complete with pink cleats and bows!

Well, I better sign off. My free time is ticking away!

The Power to FREEZE pt. 2

About a week ago, I wrote about Superhero powers. I made the case for the power to FREEZE time. I had another moment today that I wish I could freeze forever.

This afternoon we headed to my Grannie and Gramps's house. Grannie had knee replacement two weeks ago and came home from the hospital yesterday. You wouldn't believe it if I told you she is 81 years old. The surgery took 10 years off her face. For the last 10 years she has lived in pain...mostly constant for the past two. She is doing a fabulous job of pushing through rehab and will heal quickly. I am so proud of her "never quit" attitude.

While we were there, Z found a soft baseball to play catch with. The mommy in me said, "No balls in Grannie's house." My Gramps had a different idea. He started calling Z his "Lil Fielder" and wanted to play catch. Gramps has been legally blind for many years and his mobility is weak, at best. I worried that he might have been living in the past when he suggested that they play.

But he insisted. So they played catch. In the living room. Filled with BREAKABLES. Many breakables.

It was the sweetest thing to watch. I saw my shy, reserved Gramps giggle with glee. He hooted and hollered. They played for almost an hour. I was so blessed to watch their interaction. Sadly, my kids are standoffish with Gramps; probably due to his age, wrinkles, walker, crooked fingers.

But today, they played.

They played like I played with my Gramps many years ago. I loved spending summers in Nebraska visiting them. Back in the day, Gramps was extremely active. He would tinker in the garden, take long walks and bike rides. I loved the times when he and I would get on our bikes and ride through their small town. Stopping halfway at the A&W for an ice cream treat. I loved helping him trim bushes, wash the dog, and piddle 'round the house.

Today, I saw the Gramps of my youth playing with my son. And I want to FREEZE this memory forever.

It was almost ruined over $5.75.

Last night, we enjoyed a fun time with our Supper Club at a local minor league game. We ate at Chipotle's (thanks, Dawn for the recommendation). Stuffed our faces with a big, fat burrito and headed to the game.

The weather was perfect, albeit a little on the warm side. I immediately started to burn up wearing my denim capris. Technically, they are 4 inches away from being jeans...what was I thinking? Who wears jeans on a 90 degree day? Anyway, the evening was a typical summer evening. Stifling, with a mild to rare chance of breeze.

I was hot. I was trying really hard not to complain because I wanted to enjoy the moment of sitting with friends and watching the kids play.

Somewhere along, the minute we sat down, the kids started begging for food. I managed to hold them off until the 5th inning. At which time I proceeded to buy 2 snow cones and a bag of Kettle Korn. As I was delivering the snow cones, I asked my beloved if he would like a bottle of water. He said..."No, I am fine." (remember that)

I wasn't. I had been eyeing the ginormous soda that Shelley was drinking. Not to mention, I was HOT. And SWEATY. I went to the stand to buy my Coke. They had 3 choices at the stand.

Tiny for $1.50
Plastic cup with NO refills for $3.25
Bigger-than-one-human-can-drink for $5.75 plus 1 free refill.

I chose the bigger than life sized Coke. I knew my kids would help suck it down and then I could get a free refill. Once I walked back to my seat, Skip eyed my drink. The drink that took both hands and good balance to hold.

What happened next was NOT pretty. You could have cut the tension with a knife. Why did I buy a drink that he doesn't drink? Why did I spend FIVE dollars on that? Why did I not buy water that we could all share?

HOLD THE PHONE.

Did I not ask if I could buy him a water? Did he not say, "No" to that request? I was fully prepared to buy the water and the coke. Needless to say, this was almost a deal-breaker, folks. This was almost the straw that broke the camel's back. I say almost because in the midst of our tension, I tried to slam my giant drink in the stadium cup holder. It didn't fit. I sheepishly looked at him and we burst out laughing.

If there was one thing that I love most about our marriage is our ability to laugh. Laughter has provided the backdrop for our life together. He is my best friend and I am his. We can laugh at ourselves. We can laugh at our circumstances. We can laugh at our mistakes.

We can laugh when our BIGGER THAN LIFE cup is half full. Even if it costs a whooping $5.75.

Road Trip Highlights....plus a good-ole embarrassing moment!

Great Time Was Had By All!

We had a fantastic time in St. Louis last weekend. As you can see the view from our hotel room was incredible. I felt like I could reach out and touch someone from our room. We had a blast watching all the excitement and hearing the noise of the crowd. Skip and Z went to the game while Lou and I stayed behind. Gotta say, I was soooo jealous. It is such a fun atmosphere that you can't help get excited.

After Skip and Z went, I kept watching the scalpers and seriously thought about buying a ticket for Lou and I. I lost my nerve well into the 6th inning. So, she and I ordered room service and took a bubble bath. She fell asleep watching Madagascar. We snuggled up in the Westin's Heavenly Bed...I gots to get me one of those.

View from the "cheap seats." When Skip was in HS, he played a tournament against #44. Gotta say he is not a fan (probably just jealous).

My guys enjoyed the game...even though Cardinals lost. It is a dream come true for Skip to take his son to a game. They had a special time.

Lookin' good! Oh yeah, I would say this was a tad bit embarrassing. I am the only one in my family with enough hair to make this experiment work at the Magic House. We had a blast exploring this museum on Saturday. Well worth the $20 bucks. Not one time did the kids complain, or fight, or whine, or beg, or bother. I would have paid $200 bucks for that peace! They have the most amazing, hands-on activities. To top it off, they have a 4 story slide that the kids LOVED!! It was a wonderful day!

Here is the kicker. If you thought I was embarrassed before with my wild hair...you ain't seen nothin' yet. You know those pin toys that show your hand, or face, etc on the other side? Well, this is a whole wall. We had so much fun sticking our hands and writing our names in the pin wall. The second panel down is my face. If you look closely at the third panel down...those 2 round objects are my boobs. I came around to the other side to see my face, only to get a double surprise! Skip was laughing so hard. Thank the LORD we were the only ones at the wall. That was enough to make me blush. Of course, he had to take a picture of it...

I Fell In Love with My Husband on the Baseball Field...

Many years ago, I fell in love with Skip. I loved to watch him play baseball. He was SM #16. He played with such intensity and love for the game that you couldn't help feeling the same. I fell in love with the way he looked in his uniform, the way he he encouraged his teammates, and the way he gave everything he had on the field. I knew he was destined for greatness.

Greatness came tonight on the t-ball field with our son's team. I love watching him coach these little guys, many of which he has coached since they were 3. He loves these boys. He loves this sport. He coaches with integrity and purpose while teaching them the fundamentals of the sport. I love watching him prepare for the practices/games days in advance. His heart is on that field with those boys. He holds nothing back...gives it his all. That is greatness.

I fell in love with my husband on the baseball field way back in 1989 and again tonight in 2007.

By the way...the team is adorable!!