All Star~2009 I'm having a heart attack.....

My youngest son, Ryan, made All-Star's again this year...At his first practice we realized this was not the same team as last year. The odds were we wouldn't be playing state. Honestly, I was okay with that. We have too much to do this summer and didn't want baseball consuming our life. The first game we lost and we lost big....We couldn't do anything. Best part was Meme and Papaw came down early and we all went out to eat at all of our favorite hamburger place..Jucy's...

That night, after the game, the coach told Ryan he was going to be pitching on Wednesday's game....Okay, I'm gonna say this, and my husband probably will NEVER back me up on this one...but, I have really changed...I can remember when my kids were younger and they were playing sports....I was yelling...I knew the coaches couldn't do a better job than I....But one day, I had recorded myself and couldn't believe I was that vocal......so, I don't yell....as much....

Wednesday morning...The day of the heart attack.... I was insistent Ryan go outside and throw about 50 pitches...learn the fast ball, curve ball, and change-up...and be rested for the game...okay, now who is going to catch those pitched balls?...I made my oldest son go outside with Ryan and he lasted for one fast ball and said he was done....So, I told Ryan he needed to rest....So, we went to the bating cages...He hit a few, I yelled a few, and we came home......All day long I felt like I was having a heart attack....In fact, I mentally prepared for it...I went online and searched "women having heart attacks...what are the symtoms".....well, I had 2 out of 10....however, the website said that if you have one, you should call your Doctor....One of the symptoms was anxiety...okay, on any given day, symptom one is always present... Also, your chest feels like there is an elephant on it....yes, I feel like an elephant is there.....Another one is irritability...yes again...always present....so, what do I do....I took a baby asprin, I've been told that helps with blood flow.....I took it easy, meaning I didn't clean, cook, or organize...my kids would say I do that most days.....

Time for the game....Oh my, I had to take four tums.....I think there is an elephant on my chest...another symptom...(I think I can talk myself into having more symptoms...because of fear)......Ryan warms up...Looking good...His aunt and uncle are here to cheer him on....I just want him to do okay for about two innings for them.....

He pitched the WHOLE game!!!! He struck out 11 batters!!! He hit the ball solid.....About the bottom of the 5th I realized the elephant had walked away....He was no longer on my chest.....At that moment, it dawned on me I was nervous for Ryan.....WOW!!! I had put so much pressure not on him, but on me. Not sure why that happened.....He had not pitched in over two years and I was so afraid of what could happen...There are fans out there that will turn on your child, most especially the pitcher.....I heard a few remarks....I shot a look to let them know they really didn't want to mess with him....I'll sic my elephant on them!

I was so very proud of him. Not because he was awesome..but because he truly did his best....If he had walked 4-5 runners, hit a batter, pitched badly, I would have still been proud of him...Would have had more elephants on my chest but still would have been proud.......That's what Mom's do....They are their child's biggest fans....... After the game, we went for ice-cream to celebrate....

All-Stars is over for this year. Ryan may never step foot on the pitchers mound again. But what he experienced this night can never be taken from him. He pitched an awesome game...and we won.....15-7....

test

test

Happy Fourth of July

FROM OUR HOUSE TO YOURS~HAPPY JULY 4TH!!!!!!
REMEMBER OUR FREEDOM COMES AT A COST!!!!
THANK A SOLDIER~YOUNG AND OLD!!!!
MORE IMPORTANTLY~PRAY FOR OUR COUNTRY!!!!!

HERE ARE SOME PICTURES I HAVE TAKEN OVER THE YEARS....

Skyvue memories

As I was looking at our calendar, I realized we are nearing the half mark of summer and we still had not done "things" with the boys.....money is a big issue right now with the warehouse and flip house still not done....and baseball, we are are right in the beginning stages of playoffs....now, this team is not last years team (state champs) but we are still doing okay. I was reading the paper and looked at the movies coming out....I saw Ice Age 3...The boys had said they wanted to see this, so I noticed it was playing at SkyVue, our local drive-in theater. So, I knew we had a night off from baseball, so I mentioned it to Jim and he said go for it......

We iced down some drinks, loaded up some snacks, grabbed the Off, and loaded in the car....We talked and laughed all the way out there about different things....Got there just in time to throw down a blanket with pillows, set up the chairs, and go get movie pop-corn....

As I was watching the movie, I looked up at the sky, the moom was half full and just beautiful...there was a gentle breeze blowing...just enough to make it tolerable to be outside in July.....We watched two movies....which were both really good movies....

As I was staring at the moon, half listening to the movie, it dawned on me that this was just a memorable as an expensive trip....maybe not as much as a "wow" factor, but one that I think my kids will remember....I know I will.......Time just seemed to stop...it didn't matter that we don't have the flip house finished. the kids don't have their summer reading done, we don't have the yard mowed.....none of that mattered...what mattered is that we had pop-corn in our laps and drinks in our cupholder, and we were all together as a family....enjoying the night.....

This was a moment I wanted to bottle up and bring home to open on one of those school nights where we have so much homework, and stress level is at its highest....

We got home around 12:30....full of pop-corn, cokes, sweat, Off, and happy memories.......

Man in Uniform

This morning our family went to see a patriotic musical done by our local church. It was spectacular!! One of the songs the choir sang was a song that represented every military unit, and if you served in a particular branch, you were to stand while they sang the song that went with your branch. They also had a person march down the asile carrying the flag that represented their unit....My husband stood when they sang the Army Song...I was so very proud of him....Then it came....like candy in a candy store....like a boy seeing a cute girl....The United States Marine....This unit got the attention of my son. I mean how could it not...they are dressed from head to toe...even down to the crisp white gloves...and of course, this branch was last....How dare you recruit my son....he is only 11 years old....there that guy was...I swear he looked at my son the whole time...even though we were in the bacony and were probably 200 ft away...but to a mother he was right in front....If my son could wear the uniform and not have to go through all that brutal training, I would let him go....But as a Mother, how can I control him....I mean how can I guide him when he is so far away...I don't think the military lets the boys bring their Mother.....And for good reason....

I know that if my boys dream is to serve our country, I have to let him....God didn't give me Ryan to fulfill my dreams, but to fulfil God's dreams...

Maybe I'll take him to the candy store tomorrow and let him pick out whatever candy he wants....My luck there will be a recruitment office right next door......

To all our Military guys and girls, I salute you for everything you do..You basically give up your life so that I can have mine....To all those Mothers that have to let them go, I pray for you. You are truly my heroes.....

NO MORE JON & KATE!!! BOYCOTT

I am so very mad right now...I really don't want to promote any thing on my blog...It is a blog about my life raising my two wonderful boys with my beautiful husband....However, I am so very upset right now that I am going to vent....

I watched the last episode of Jon & Kate ever..I will no longer watch their show and hope that the ratings will fall and the show will fail. I watched that show from the very beginning. In fact, we have a rule in our house during school nights no T.V. However, the boys love the show so much that on some occasions, if they finished their homework, we would watch it, or watch it on the weekend....As the episodes went on, I noticed they were focusing more on what they were buying than on spending time.....I used to love watching how Kate organized her house and how it was not uncommon to see her in sweat pants and no shoes....the new episodes she is not only dressed in the top fashion with jewlery, she has on HEELS!!!! What stay at home mom wears heels!!!!! But I guess not much is needed when people are constantly delivering "things" to the house.....All my boys would say is, "Mom, let's get on that show so we can get things..." They were even getting tired of all the stuff....

No, Jon, you are not thinking of the kids....And your first mistake was saying that your kids come first....What happened to God coming first....If you have lost sight of Him, then that explains why you have filed for divorce....This is NOT what is best for the kids.....If you believe that lie, ask ANY kid from a broken home if that is true....I would love to hear the answer to that one...Oh, wait, I know....

Every marriage goes through bad times....You as a couple have to move together with every stage...There is NO "ME" in a family,....it's "US".....The best thing that could happen to Jon and Kate is NO ONE watch their show.....I want to encourage EVERYONE to never watch it again...even the repeats....I know funding....if you don't watch, they don't continue.....TLC will drop them quickly...Then they will come back to the normal world....probably too late for them...But, I do know this, God CAN turn that marriage around...I have seen it first hand.......But, you have to let go of the selfishness of the "me" and ask God how...

I pray for that family tonight...I pray especially for those kids....what in the world will happen to their little world...all they know is when they want something, they get it...I wonder if any of those kids have asked for their parents back together....Wonder what TLC will do for them then???

Gotta go, I have two boys waiting for me to watch the college world series....That my friend is living...not a crazy house..which would be nice, but all too soon those kids will out grow that house..then what??? Time~ time spent talking, laughing, coloring, playing outside in the water hose, taking bike rides in 100+ degree weather......priceless....

The Gift of Time for Father's Day

We honored my father today by going to church with him......We all got up a little tired from a long night last night. The boys had some friends wanting to go "wrap" a yard. I decided to let them go as long as I could watch and make sure they were safe. I can remember as a middle school kid how much fun we had doing that. But, we don't live in that world any more. Long story short, they finished around mid-night and we came in but they were not ready for bed....they were as pumped as a football player that just scored the winning touch down....

I was trying to get myself dressed, find something for the boys to wear....when you home church, "church clothes" are not important. Actually, the boys wear shorts at our church....

We got in the car....a typical Sunday morning....late, grumpy, hungry, and now tired....I remind the boys that today is Father's Day and they owe it to their father to behave...Like it's okay all the other days of the year (except Mother's Day, of course) to act crazy.... They ate their healthy breakfast of pop-tarts and milk...and before we got out of the city limits they were at each others throats again....we finally made it to church... I tell the boys to smile, and BEHAVE!!!! Now as we are sitting in the pew, I can no longer yell, I have to do "the LOOK"....oh, they know the look...the look is, I"m gonna take you out of this world if you don't stop immediately what you are doing.....the boys swear my eyes turn red during these episodes.....

The preacher talked about how the best gift a father could give is the gift of time.....At that moment, my youngest poked me as if to say, I needed to hear that.....Okay, like we don't spend time with you......hello, did you forget I GOT UP WITH YOU LAST NIGHT SO YOU COULD WRAP!!!!! I just gave him "the look" and kept on listening!!!

After church we took my dad out to eat for lunch along with my sister and her family. Had a wonderful meal and we all talked.. Then we went to Dad's house to give him his gift...We took pictures out by his garden. He has the most beautiful sunflowers he grew just to enjoy....

One of the highlights of my day was walking around the house looking at all of Daddy's flowers. He would explain what they were and how well they grow....I have never done that!!! It was truly special. It was a memory that all to soon will become even more special because he will be gone....I love my dad so very much and realizing more every day how much I am like him...

We said our goodbyes and drove down the road and saw a produce stand.....I have been wanting a watermellon all summer long....And since the first day of summer is today, it was perfect.....We had the best time there...The boys had never been to a produce stand before....they even serve homemade peach and strawberry ice cream....We ordered it and sat down in the hot and humid weather and enjoyed every bite....We shared with the boys things we remembered as a child and how this would be something they will share with their children....

As we were driving home it hit me what the preacher had said earlier...the best gift a father can give is the gift of time...Isn't that the best gift anyone can give....How much time is wasted regretting you didn't spend the time when you had it.....I got one of the greatest gifts today....walking and talking with my dad....that is rich!!! that is worth more than silver and gold....

Daddy, thank you for always giving me the gift of your time...I can't remember a time my dad wasn't there for my piano recitals, band concerts, choir performances, sunday school, G.A. presentations and on and on....I always remember him being there....But thank you most of all for living the ultimate gift and that is the gift of salvation.....My Dad truly lived and still lives the verse talked about today, As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.....

Happy Father's Day to the best Dad ever!!!!!!!!!!!!