Baseball for everyone!

Okay, not really...Karen's not playing baseball, and I'm actually playing softball!  Nicholas & Caroline are playing baseball with our church, and having a blast!  Caroline is actually a pretty good hitter - she had a hit in each of her first three games. Their practices lately have been 'optional for extra batting practice'...Caroline's response to that was, "Well, I am the best batter on the team, so I don't need to go..." Ha!

 



 




Nicholas has enjoyed his return to baseball after a few seasons away from it; he's back to pitching (their #1 guy), and one of the best batters.  Here's a line for you...in his last game, he threw a no-hitter, allowed 2 unearned runs (1 hit batter and 1 walk came around to score). He walked 3, and struck out 8 (3 looking). He went 1 for 2 with a strikeout and a homerun. Yep, having a good time in his return to baseball! 


I'm having a great time playing softball again - I haven't played in many years, and it's a blast! We didn't have a practice, so I didn't have very high hopes for us...I show up for our first game and I'm surrounded by guys that play year-round in various competitive leagues! Yikes! I'm the guy that everyone tolerates (translation, the worst guy on the team!)...they are good guys, and enjoying jawing with each other. One of they guys I knew from our men's ministry already, which made it even better.

Look what I found....

One rainy winter Saturday, while I was busy doing something in another part of our house, this was created on our kitchen counter.  A sweet gift from Nicholas....oh! how I love that boy!

Happy Birthday Olivia!!

Just wanted to send out a shout to our niece (and cousin for Nicholas and Caroline) Olivia!  She is 7 today!  Miss you sweet girl and wish we could be there!

The Princess & the Frog Faughter/Daughter Ball

In March,

Caroline took an elective class at her school during their spring break. The class was "The Princess and the Frog", and they studied New Orleans culture, cooking, dancing, and the movie. It was really neat!  My favorite part was the "Father/Daughter Ball" towards the end of the week (and the 'grand opening' of the girls' restaurant on the last day, where they served beignets and mint juleps!)

The Father-Daughter Ball was the first time that Caroline and I had a special time for just the two of us.  They made beautiful invitations during their class, and she delivered it to me with tremendous pride. She had her hair in curlers the day of the ball, and put on her prettiest dress. I wore my 'royal attire' as instructed, with my tuxedo & tails coat, but with a pink shirt to match :)


I lost count of how many times Caroline thanked me for taking her to her first ball, and for our Father/Daughter date...I had no idea exactly how much it would mean to her for me to spend some time with just Caroline and her daddy...an incredibly meaningful evening!  It definitely challenged me to carve out special time for my baby girl much more than I had...

It was quite simply, a magical evening with a beautiful little princess!

Lack of updates.

Tornado sirens, severe thunderstorms, flooding, power outages, straight line winds for 3 weeks.  Just thought I would let you know why we haven't updated our blog in forever.  We have many updates-- just haven't been able to spend much time on the computer.  Thank God we are fine--only lost power for 14 hours and no damage to our house.  When I talk about the school day with Nicholas and Caroline they now say "we didn't get to do XYZ because we were in the hall in the "turtle" position!!"

Fun Times.......or not!

Happy Birthday Mom!

Today is my mom's 60th birthday and 41st wedding anniversary!  Thought I would do a post just to say Happy Birthday.  (she doesn't like her picture taken so this is a picture from a couple of years ago!)

Devotionals

I receive daily devotionals from Proverbs 31 ministries.  I love getting these each day!  Over the past two days it is almost as if the writers were writing these just for me.  Here is a little snippet from the last two days, they have reminded me that we are being held in the palm of God's hand as we walk through this tough place!

No matter what current circumstances you find yourself in, with our Living God there is always a place of “thus far” waiting around the next bend. This is a place of celebration, praise, complete humility and gratitude before the Lord. I have discovered the hardships we go through are all worthwhile when we get to our place of “thus far.” From a grateful heart, we can pour our blessings back out to the Lord as we cry, “Who I am Lord, that you have brought me thus far?”

Dear Lord, forgive me when I don’t sit and take summary of Your tremendous favor in my life. Your blessings are far superior to anything this world can give me. Help me to remember my place of “thus far” when Your plan for my life leads me to another season that may be risky and cause me to walk by faith and not by sight. I offer this praise of thanksgiving to You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

and from the day before:

“And we know (we know it even if we don’t feel it) that in all things (even the ones we can’t even fathom being used for good) God works for the good. (He works for the good. Our job is to walk with Him day by day. His job is to work the good.)

Dear Lord, thank You for this hope. Thank You that You don’t waste our tears, our struggles, or those places rubbed raw from years of trying and failing. Once we do what You’ve instructed us to do, You always do what only You can do. I know You will bring good even when I can’t see it or feel it. And what a comfort that is to me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.