Opening Day at Panther Field:)

Last Thursday was Mick's first home game. And after some unfortunate events on their first and second games (ie a mouse in the house!!) we were unable to make it to those. So we headed out extra excited about our first home baseball game for the Panthers. It was an exciting game. So exciting that Mick got asked to go stand behind the concession stand...ie. he got ejected:( I am sure he knows, but I seriously can't remember him being thrown out of a game in either sport since before Micah was born...the man has mellowed dramatically. But the streak as it were has been broken and Mick will be watching the next two games from an undisclosed location. I am not as usual flaunting our dirty laundry to shame my husband. But because I've got a story I wanna remember...that follows after the story we might like to forget. Ha! But yes, since rumors travel fast and facebook is alive and well alot of people already know anyways honey:) Basically what happened is this, Mick was indeed trying to get the umpires attention because the other team was breaking a rule, when he did so (from sitting on his trusty bucket)...the third base coach from the other team started mouthing off to Mick. I am told Mick responded to his comments and I am sure he did so in a completely loving and kind manner:)??? So the third base coach paid Mick a visit nose to nose. Mick's side is that he had no choice in order to defend his team and himself he had to stand up and in a sense, argue with our opponent's coach. By doing so all the players and fans got a bit heated and angry. As both teams of course wanted to defend their coach. I will note I "just so happened to be taking SayJ to the potty" so I didn't get to see what happened, nor was I able to play the Jr holy spirit by yelling/screaming/suggesting Mick calm down. All of my info is secondhand. Bottomline both Coach's got tossed. Mick had first gotten banned to the dugout but then in order to "regain control" the umpire decided to eject him. This upset Mick but it definitely did help to calm the situation down. After all the hullabaloo I realized that I had left Micah with his Daddy who was now standing behind the concession stand. So I went to get Micah who was standing there just still taking it all in. From his perspective the story goes like this "That man yelled at Daddy, so Daddy yelled at him, I think they had a fight" We have been struggling with controlling our anger at home, especially with SadieJane so I just reminded Micah of our memory verse to be "slow to anger and quick to listen". He agreed. Later, after the game we were sitting with the kiddos and Mick finally wanted to know how mad I was, I explained I wasn't mad I just thought possibly he could have handled it differently. Because I feel in situations where we are pressed hard we almost always have room for improvement. I was trying my hardest not to be "that wife" but also have an opinion that might slightly differ from my spouse. So one of us asked Micah what he thought about it, and Micah said "Daddy, I think you should have just turned and went in the dugout." Hmmmm...faith like a child. Although the moment is profound I know that words are easy to come by but actions far harder. Micah is struggling hard with pride and I am working hard to help him be more like Jesus in loving others, not getting so angry and not being a braggart. It is hard, and even harder when he is watching high school baseball.

On the brighter, less serious side, the Panthers came back and won the game. Apparently the coach getting kicked out can motivate players to hit bombs! So, thankfully we did speak with our bats in the end, not our fists.

The last note, even saddest note, is before the incident at hand I dropped my camera and it. died. I am still in denial. As if my blog wasn't suffering before, now with no pictures it is a sad, sad, day.

All my wild animals went to the zoo...

even Koonie came along.

Micah was in timeout and SayJ stayed close by to gloat. Nice.

And it proved to be impossible to get a picture of all three!

We had a week off for "winter break" this past week. Except well, Mick has baseball so it didn't really seem like a week off. And while I love my husband and love to have him around it made this week very difficult. We had alot of fun...playdates I think everyday someway somehow. But, trying to arrange "our" (the kiddos and I) schedule around ball practice and ball games and trying to let Mick actually get some sleep proved to be REaLLY stressful for me. I know, cry me a river right. It just goes to show all the love for order and consistency I instilled in Micah is straight this Momma's fault. I got my hair highlighted the other week and Micah actually ran from the room crying when I walked in because he couldn't understand "whhhhhy would you change and put COLOR on your hair???, I loved it the way it was, with only one color!!!" Anyways, we got to see a ballgame this week and hang out with friends...trip to the zoo, burger king (just fyi chicken fries are GONE!), jumpy place, craft time, and lots of time outside. I also got to run everyday! So, I'll dry up those tears and get ready for the real hard times as baseball officially begins for my little boy this week and Mick will be basically gone for good. Time for me to wish I could rearrange my schedule so that we could at least eat a meal with Daddy. But in it all there is such joy seeing my babies faces and seeing Mick love coaching...more on that story later:)

My Valentines'

We had a two day Valentine fest around here, because of school parties and then the day of love itself. I never remember the sheer amount of sugar being so over the top but it was worse than Halloween with the candy this year. But we did find a little time to make love day a day about showing others the love of Jesus. We made card's for the softball girls, friends at Daddy's school and our sweet neighbor Emna. So while Hallmark still made theirs, we hopefully put some lesson learning behind all our hearts and hugs. Last, we did have a date. Ahhh, so thankful. Lastly last, Mick also got the kiddos their own Valentine cards just from him and it was definitely the highlight of their day. So glad for their Daddy's love for them and for me! (I got a double doozie cookie cake!!!!!)

Hope you are rockin' out this Heart Day!

Life is so crazy as of late, well really as of always. I have very little time to myself, much less time to blog. But one thing that I am oh so thankful for is the gift God gives us in people. I often used my blog to connect with people over the years, especially when I couldn't literally connect in real life (due to babies, PPD, nursing, work or just bad time management). But thankfully recently the Lord is allowing me time to BE with people. To talk to my family, to hang out with a friend and most importantly to get outside myself and be used by Him. For so long my ministry has been these two little people that require ALL of my time and MORE energy than I've got. But I have been praying for God to use me, and He has come through with abundance. Ahhh, it is beautiful. Lest I think it is something of my own I have since gotten real sick for some reason if only to know it is NOTHING of me and ALL of Him working in me. Again so thankful. Then there is Mick, bless him. He is really showing me Jesus and instead of complaining about what he is not doing I am choosing (and finding it pretty easy) to see the ways Mick is working hard to minister not just to others but to his wife. Another beautiful moment. Lots of hard moments like always, but God is allowing me to see the beauty, even in the moment, which is usually reserved for waaaaay down the road. So, on a day like Valentine's day, Love day, heart day...we know like it or love it any day that serves as a reminder to tell others how much we love them is a good one! So to those I see often and to those I don't see often enough, Jesus loves you and so do I!

Pony Rides!

A few weeks ago we went to a friend's birthday party at Circle A Barn. It was AWESOME and both kiddos loved it! There was a girl there taking pictures for my friend and she sent me some of them and I was more than thrilled. I forgot my camera that day, but now I am glad I did because mine would look terrible up next to these:) What was really awesome is that with Micah's glasses we haven't gotten one really good picture of him since, they are transition and just have a glare, etc. So the first one of him made me cry. I know, I know. So since I've continued to be MIA I thought I'd at least share our cuteness. AND, if I can talk Mick into leaving our house for a birthday party one of my children might Pony Up for our birthday party this year because we loved the barn so much!

Oh, the girl who took the pictures is D. Crowe Photography, wanted to give credit where credit was due:)

On a sadder note, we are headed to "grandmama's house" today. Unfortunately she isn't at her house, she is in the hospital. She had some swelling in her legs and it turns out she has Congestive Heart Failure. It sounds really scary to me, and especially to my spry 89er Gmama, but she is so tough and I just know we can treat it with meds and she will be good to go. Nonetheless we are going to see her and talk to her so I can see that she is ok for myself. Please pray for her if you think about it. Thanks so much in advance for your prayers.