Mostly just picture posts for the unforeseeable future. Blah but it'll have to do. Sorry, Texas.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

POLISHING UP

Apparently Brooke learned how to paint her own fingernails from another 6 year old. Awesome. I offered to paint her nails and she said Carrington taught her how when she spent the night with her. Well...okay then. My little girl wants to do it herself :(
She sure looks cute doing it though. She may have chocolate pudding smeared on her chin but, those eyelashes are still amazing. Wowza.

A little polish is fun...It makes you feel sorta fancy, huh?

Sunday, October 24, 2010

RESTING PLACE

Nathan's grandfather passed away right after his radiation treatment was complete and right before my parents came through town to take the kids on their little trip. He hadn't been in good health for a long while so, we'd been expecting it pretty much since the beginning of the year. He was 87.

June 2009
June 2010
I haven't had any grandparents for close to 20 years so, I sent this email to my dad...

Nathan's grandpa (Joe's dad) passed away Sunday morning. This is his first time experiencing losing a grandparent. I really don't know what to say but I wondered if you might have some comforting words for Jane and Joe about losing a parent. They are all having a very hard time...Especially Joe's mom. They've been married for 60 years.

This was his reply...


Bummer. Obviously words can not replace the one that has been lost, and even though what we say may be very profound (at the time we speak them) they are often NOT heard because the survivors are too caught up in the moment - shock, grief, anger, questioning, etc. Just the other day I listened to Alan Jackson's "Remember When"...there is a lot of emotion in his music and this is possibly what we would want people to say to us or about us - remember when?

We are also told in numerous poems, movies etc that we never lose them if we continue to speak of them and refer to them in our daily living. I think the Jewish Nation does a tremendous job with this when they reference those who have gone before them - even back to Abraham.

Sixty years together (your mom and I are 2/3's there) make it difficult to think about the other person being gone, but so often I think we have become them and they us. What we are today and tomorrow is molded by their presence in our lives. Let's see 60 years times 365 days times 24 hrs equals 525,600 hours...I think we become very much alike.

This all said, the one remaining has much to ponder, rejoice...neither of which will replace the one departed...the legacy continues in Joe, Nathan, Cole - WOW, she certainly has a fine specimen of a shade tree under which she can reflect and give thanks.

I would never do well delivering an address at a funeral - probably one of the reasons I decided against being a pastor - people hear what they want to hear, expect you to say what they want you to say, and sadly often don't hear what you say. Words are cheap. Maybe over the days to follow the deeds are more important. I remember my dad saying it was so lonely after mom died. All the people from the church went back to their routine and the plates which food was provided were returned to them and then there was nothing.

I ramble...tell Nate we are sorry for his loss, but believe the legacy does continue.

Thank you, Dad...Your thoughts were amazing and really struck a chord with Nathan's parents. Joe mentioned your email to Nathan as soon as he picked him up from the airport and said they really appreciated it.

I also asked my mom to go up to the viewing to represent me. Of course, she said she'd be glad to do so. Nathan said he'd never been so happy to see her because it made him feel like I was there with him. Thank you so much for doing that, Mom. That meant so much to Nathan, as well as, the words and feelings you expressed to his grandma.

Since Grandpa was a military veteran, he was able to be buried at the Dallas/Fort Worth National Cemetery. He never spoke of his time that he served in World War II. He just said he never wanted to speak of the things he saw there again. While going through the house, they found paper work that he had received four bronze metals. No one, including his wife of 60 years, knew about them. Unbelievable.

Grandpa made fiddles for all of his children and grandchildren. He was a fiddle and guitar player in a band back in the old days in New Mexico. They are amazing and mean so much to everyone that has one.

Nathan picked what wood he wanted when he was 9 years old.
He chose birds eye maple...Very pretty.
It was very fitting that he went to his final resting place with a fiddle in his hand.
Happy Fishing...From your grandkids
WHAT AN HONOR...


What a beautiful place to rest.

No more pills, no more aches and pains...Just peace.

Friday, October 15, 2010

KID VACAY

About a week after Nathan's radiation was complete, my parents came through Tennessee on their way to my dad's senior softball tournament in Dalton, Georgia. Our house was slightly out of the way from Texas but, they decided they wanted to swing by and take the kids with them.

Whaaaaaa???? Take my kids? Out of town? Many hours away from me? Ohhhhh...I don't know. I had to seriously think long and hard about that. I finally told myself that we had to do it because most likely we're going to end up living much farther away from family with the next job transfer. And if the kids are old enough, we may want to send them to stay with their grandparents for a week or something. Well, maybe.

I was slightly freaked out but Cole and Brooke were stoked about their own little vacation. They went to Ruby Falls in Georgia right off the bat. It has stalagmites and scientific stuff like that. Sorry, Mom, I forgot the specifics of it but, it's a super cool cave, y'all.Hotel pool fun...Isn't that one of the best parts about going on vacation when you're a kid?They did have to spend some time up at the ball fields where they have a fabulous playground and other things to occupy the kids.Brooke has no fear when it comes to dogs...She wants to pet them all.Grandpa was so sweet and let Cole be the bat boy for a while. I know Cole thought he was hot stuff doing that.Teams came in from all over and his got second place. National Finalists, baby! Yep, his team is big time and they travel all over...Even to Las Vegas for the world championships...Which they've won before and got a fat ring to show off.
They stopped in downtown Nashville to grab a bite to eat and check out a little bit of the scenery.
Oh my...who's kids are those sopping wet in their clothes AND in a public place??? Surely they're not mine! Cole actually told his Grandma, "My mom would never let us do this." Nope, your daddy either boy. Swimsuits that were actually in the car would have been nice but, that's okay because they didn't carry all that water into my car. I will say that they looked like they had a grand 'ole time with something so simple...and outdoors...and free.
Thanks Grandma and Grandpa for all of the great pictures...But more importantly, thank you for offering to take the kids, for showing them such a great time, and for making some wonderful memories with them. It was obvious that they had a blast with all the jibber jabber they rattled off to us the minute they got home...And that in itself was awesome!

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

HORNETS TOURNAMENT

Cole was asked to play in a travel ball tournament for a different team during the summer. Travel ball is the same as select ball in Texas...you know...you have to try out and it costs a whole lotta dough for all the fancy schmancy gear. We got lucky that they just needed a player to fill in for their last tournament so, they let us borrow the whole uniform. And it was local...Thank goodness. This was a great opportunity for Cole but it was also at the exact same time Nathan was undergoing radiation.

Nathan talked to the coach on the phone for a while and agreed to let Cole play. Towards the end of their conversation the coach told him that their goal would be to make it to Sunday because Nathan would be done with radiation and could come see them play. That was so nice of him to say...Especially since we'd never met him before.

After taking Cole to a scrimmage that Thursday and a quick practice on Friday, this team's chances of winning enough games to make it Sunday play were looking pretty slim.

Saturday started off with an early morning game. Yep, we were all tired.
I don't know what happened but, it seemed like a totally different bunch of kids showed up to play. Cole didn't hit all that well but, the rest of the team did great. I was shocked and, they won their first two games...Sweet!


We broke for lunch and headed back for more baseball. Cole suddenly came alive and got several hits in the third game to help the team win. He struggled early on with the different weight of the travel ball big barrel bats and the speed of the pitcher but, then something just clicked. Must have been the Taco Bell.After they won the third game the head coach starting saying "Cole?! Where's Cole?" He grabbed Cole in excitement and said, "Guess what?! Now your daddy gets to come watch you play tomorrow!" The coach was just as happy about it as we were. That was so awesome! Oh my lanta...Talk about holding back the tears.


It absolutely killed Nathan not being able to be there. Cole really could have used his daddy but, I did the best I could and all the coaches rallied around him. It was good for me and the kids because it kept us out of the house a lot but, Brooke was beyond disgusted at all the baseball games and having to sit in sheer boredom in the blazing sun for hours on end.So, by winning all of their games on Saturday Nathan was able to watch the Sunday games. He was just as pumped about it as Cole was. What was even better was that Cole did awesome in front of his daddy. He got lots of hits and did great on fielding...Even caught his first pop fly ever! All of the coaches went nuts when he caught it. He almost caught two but he didn't squeeze his glove hard enough on the first one. That's why I think everyone was so shocked when he caught the second one. We were soooo proud!

Of course, I missed videoing that one along with when the ball took a bad hop and hit him right under the eye. Talk about scary...He instantly fell to the ground and just laid there. I was so nervous but, it made me feel so good that all four coaches sprinted to the outfield to check on him. I made Nathan run out there, too. It took a few minutes but, he finally jumped up and refused to come out of the game.

The Hornets somehow made it to the championship game. They were playing at a super nice complex that actually had a grounds crew come out and drag the field before the game started. That was really cool to see...For the parents and the kids. That definitely made the kids feel like big leaguers.
The championship game was against a team that we beat the day before. Apparently that team had three players (or their parents I should say) quit the night before so, they brought in three ringers for this game. It really wasn't fair at all but, lots of politics are involved in the travel ball scene so, it is what it is.


The kids all played hard but ended up coming in second place. Cole still thought it was pretty cool for his very first tournament and with a completely different team where he didn't know anyone. Nathan and I thought it was pretty cool, too...Good job, son!
I thought the whole tournament experience was pretty fun and exciting...Minus the killer sunburn and the little diva with an attitude. Needless to say, Brooke was ecstatic that it was finally all over. At least she was happy in the final game because someone gave her a blue slushee thingy. Whatever works, right?