Friday, May 30, 2008

Take me out to the ballgame!


















We've been spending a lot of time at various ballparks, including Scooter's T-Ball park and the baseball king's park (where Scooter had the unfortunate incident on the monkey bars). Last Saturday's game found Sam leading off the first inning with a home run! He later added to his hit parade with a double. Unfortunately, we lost the game. Nearly all our players this year are new to this team and to this level of play. But.....just wait 'til next year! We've got some players with hustle and talent and we'll be in the running next year.
Last Sunday we had a real treat - we saw the Arizona Diamondbacks play at Turner Field in Atlanta. One of Sam's heros - Micah Owings - pitched for Arizona and won the game. We got some strange looks - wearing our Braves paraphanila and hollering for Micah to win! We had great seats on the Terrace level and by the 2 inning or so were enjoying the shade while the folks below us were broiling in the hot sun. Weird to think that when Tom Glavine was first pitching for the Braves back in the 90's, Micah was probably in middle school or so!

I got to see Glenn Hubbard *sigh* the best 2nd baseman to ever play the game in my opinion..... well, o.k., it's a biased opinion when you consider the Cardinal's Ozzie Smith, etc., but how about the best 2nd baseman for the Braves in the modern era?? We splurged on a program and I've enjoyed reading all the articles about the Braves staff and front office. I noticed something that I thought was pretty cool - they included the pictures and names of the secretarys, admin assistants, HVAC technicians, plumbers, etc., everyone who makes Turner Field work! What a great recognition that without all of the "little people", no one could come and see Chipper hit a long one or see Franceour make a spendid diving catch for the last out.

The kids were thrilled when I was asked to participate in a contest in the middle of an inning - guess the headline, I think it was. I had a 50-50 chance of getting it right and winning a $50 Braves gift card......but it was not to be! Oh well, we got a goodie bag with a foam tomahawk, a bumper sticker, a T-Shirt and a cap.

We were fortunate that the Diva and Scooter were able to spend the day with friends at the church Memorial Day picnic and at their home. We were able to get to the ballpark early, watch batting practice, get autographs, etc. Oh - Matt Diaz was kind enough to autograph a baseball for both the Bookworm and the baseball baron. Then, two games later, he was dreadfully injured valiently trying to make a play in Milwaukee's stadium. Pray for him - he may be out 6 weeks or so. Underneath his autograph, he penned "Phil 1:6".

But I guess the biggest thrill of all for Sam was that Micah had asked his sweet sister, Abby, to give Sam a Diamondbacks T-Shirt, which Micah autographed after the game. Wonderful family and we're so proud of them all - I think Micah and his brothers would all agree that they owe all their success to the Lord and to their supportive family.

What a great day for the Bookworm's first-ever Braves game at Turner Field! We've been to many minor league games and are eagerly awaiting the opening of the Gwinnett Braves next year, but this was her first big league game and was enjoyed greatly by all.
So, just take me out to the ballgame anytime at all!




Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Don't ever, ever ask what can happen next!!!!

I guess with four young kids at home, it's inevitable - the trips to the doctor, quick care or the emergency room. It all started out last week with the diva having a bicycle wreck. A bad one. Without her helmet - which we have scolded and scolded - fortunately not hurting her head, but experiencing some terrible "road rash". Well, when I was young, we just put cream on it and went our merry way. But she was so pitiful - the bandages sticking to the wounds. Well, I had the bright idea of putting liquid bandage on it. WRONG! At the pediatrician yesterday, we had to soak down all the five huge wounds with saline and the nurses had to pick it off with tweezers. But the prescription cream the doc gave us is a miracle! The wounds look better even this morning, and we're back to the old-fashioned tape and gauze.

So anyway, she's on the road to recovery, right? After Scooter's last T-Ball game of the season yesterday (during which he hit several line drives - but who's bragging?), we were all at the ballpark for 1st son's baseball game. The baseball baron went 3 for 4 with a couple of good put outs at second, but lo and behold, during the game, a friend brought to me a weeping Scooter. He had attempted the monkey bars (at 4-1/2 with his short little legs), fallen and was in pain. We iced it down and decided that it was just a bad sprain. Back in the day, if the bone wasn't protruding, you just "suck it up" and go on. At least that's how we did it - you just didn't go to the doctor unless things were really, really bad. But I was concerned this morning when Scooter was still crying and complaining. All the way to the quick care, I was thinking "what a waste of time; the kid's fine". Shows you how much I know - poor kid's right wrist (thank goodness he's a lefty) is broken in two places. At least it's the greenstick fracture - the bone doesn't need to be moved. We'll go back for his case this afternoon. When asked what color cast he wants, he firmly stated "red and black". I was so proud! Pictures to come later!!

This isn't his first close encounter with the monkey bars. About a year ago, while at church, he fell off the playground and split his tongue. Right down the middle. When he stuck it out, it FORKED! They couldn't stitch it or anything; just a week or so with soft foods. We teased that "when Scooter speak, he speak with forked tongue". It looked like a snake's tongue. But it's all healed up now - let's pray his arm heals just as thoroughly.

So my advice to you is to never, ever, ever ask what can happen next. Sure as shootin', it will!

Thursday, May 1, 2008

May Day Ramblings

I can't believe it's already the first day of May! Are we finally going to have a spring? Are we finally going to finish work on the house? Am I finally going to get these rods out of my nose and (hopefully) be able to smell? Hannah found out that May Day is a big holiday in Russia, so now she thinks we ought to have a party with her and Stephen as the stars, because, of course "they're Russian and you are not". I think we're gonna pass on the party. Better dead than red, remember that?

Today is the National Day of Prayer and our church is participating in an observance this morning. The kids are going to release balloons at the end of the service. I can't think of a more important time to deliberately pray for our country.

Mother's Day is coming up - always a bittersweet day for me. Sunday is the Mother Daughter luncheon at church and the girls and I have invited Larry's mom to come with us. She's always had a schedule conflict before, so we are excited about her attending. I know that I am my children's Mother, but it's just not the same once you lose your own mother. It's so weird - she's been gone 12 years now, but I still think of things I need to ask her, reach for the phone to call her, and see things while shopping that she would enjoy. She'll always be with me.

Looking ahead to summer --- swimming lessons, golf camp, tennis camp, church camp, two or three family camping trips --- I'm tired before we even get started and the summer is already spoken for as well. I'm already working on booking our Christmas camping trip to Key West. Too bad we can't just move down there and wait tables or something! Really, truly a paradise.

We hope to have the deck expansion done by the end of this week. We'll have doubled our outdoor living space and should be able to enjoy watching the kids in the pool from the 2nd story deck. Larry is anxious to fire up the new grill and get cooking ..... wait, did I really say that???

The support stints in my nose come out next Tuesday and that will be the moment of truth about whether or not the "patch" over the hole has held. I've sneezed a couple of times - ouch! Right now my nose just looks real swollen; thankfully no bruising. We've been blessed incredibly by friends and family with childcare, food, prayers, calls and emails. God is good to our family!

Larry's been real good and helpful to me during my recuperation. I had to get dressed up only two days after surgery and he even helped me put on my pantyhose. Well, he put them on backwards at first. He couldn't understand why it would make a difference! I told him the poochy part for my bottom has to go in the back. I guess I ought to be glad that he isn't familiar with the nuances of the fine art of putting on pantyhose!

I can't wait to be able to get out in the yard and tend to my roses. I planted my geraniums in the porch containers before the surgery, but I need to get out some begonias as well. Patience is NOT my strong suit!

Well, nothing mind-boggling this time, just some ramblings about this and that. Have a happy May Day!