STRIKE!!

I love baseball. I understand the rules. I understand the basics. I get baseball. I think I practically grew up on a softball field, so a baseball field feels like home. Of course he plays all sports, but baseball is the only one that I even get the rules. I have watched 6 years of soccer games and I still don't know what "off sides" means. Maybe that is why I get so involved in his baseball games, and put so much pressure on him to do his best, I finally know what is going on!!!!!!!

Tonight the prince played a perfect game. (pitched a perfect inning three up three down, had a great hit bringing two players home!) I was so proud of him, he has worked so hard to be the best he can be, and tonight it payed off. Great job buddy! Remember I will always be your biggest fan.

What is Wrong With Me???????????

Okay, so today was the princesses kindergarten graduation. It was a lovely event, the children were dressed in their Sunday best, and all were excited to show their parents all they have learned this year. I was excited too just for a different reason. I'm glad schools out!!!!!!!!! I'm glad I don't have to help the princess learn anymore bible verses or the prince with his book reports. I'm glad I don't have to get up early anymore, and I'm glad to get away from all those people for the summer.

Am I sad that my baby is now a first grader, yes. Did I cry like all the other mommies? NO! I could not see anything to cry about. I tried to cry, I even poked myself in the eye (just kidding) but there are no tears. I'm proud of the princess, but graduating from kindergarten is not exactly the same as completing her medical degree at Harvard (which by the way I will never be able to send her there, as it is, I probably won't be able to afford community college.)

So I am now the proud mommy of a 5th grader and a 1st grader. One day they will be grown, married with their own kids, and then I will (hopefully) see the fruits of my labor. My kids are growing up, but isn't that the way it is supposed to be?

Why is Everyone So Depressed?

Since my wonderful friend Sandy introduced me to blogging I have spent too much time reading other people's bloggs. First of all sometimes it seems that very few of them are written in English, I understand that it is the World Wide Web, but it seems blogging has not taken hold in the good ole USA.

Anyway, I lost my train of thought...

Why is it that a lot of people who are blogging are depressed or cursing or worse! It can be fun to read the daily updates on some random strangers pregancy or the travel blogs of a 20 year old college student, it is not fun the read the blogs of the depressed masses. What is wrong with these people? Half the time when I look at their ages they are 16-17 years old. What could possibly be wrong with them? Does the break up with some loser whose name you won't remember in 10 years really warrant such emotional distress?

I think I have decided over the course of writing this the answer to my own question. These people need Jesus. Although I became a believer at a young age, I still understand the feeling of searching. I guess they put so much faith in things other that what matters, that when they lose that "thing" they feel hopeless. I hope that God will use me in someway to reach those who are searching for Him.

It's the last week of school, I am so thankful for summer and the opportunity to enjoy my children without the pressures of homework and sports.

Field Day and Other Not So Bright Ideas

So today was Field Day at school. Somehow because there no other "good mommy's" in Mrs. Morrison's class, it was my privledge to run the classes game for field day. The kids enjoyed getting wet in the sponge relay, but basically all they wanted to do was get wet, they had no interest in actually playing the game. I would have been a ton easier to just squirt them with a hose, it would have saved a lot of "good mommy's" a lot of time.

Another question about field day, why can't we just have winners and losers anymore? Are these children's identities so fragile, that they can't handle being a loser in a game that they lost. One of the moms I was with kept saying "your all winners," all I could think about is when did it become a negative to challenge kids through competition. I would like to hope that most children have enough self -confidence that a loss in the sponge relay does not warp them for life. Are we doing kids a favor by sheltering them from the losses of life? When grandma dies is she taking a nap, when they don't get into the college of their choice is it because they weren't chosen for some random reason? How can kids cope with life's losses if they never have to deal with something as simple as losing the three-legged race?

Call me old school, but today's kids are sheltered and babied. I only hope that they somehow manage to get jobs and pay their social security taxes so Jon and I can have our medicine AND not have to eat cat food.

Starting Over

Over the weekend Cora's mom's house burnt down. Ever since Saturday I have been thinking about starting over, how does one rebuild, start over or move on at the age of 75? For that matter how do we start over when we are young. I thank God that Jeanette (or" Ma" as we call her) is alive. She is so strong and brave, and honestly I think that is how she will get through all of this. But how important are our things? Can we replace our house, of course we can, can we buy a new floral couch and all new linens, of course we can. But there are things we can't replace such as our pictures, our keepsakes from when the kids are young or the memories that make our house a home. "Ma's" tragedy has remined me of what is important in this world... not the things we can replace but the things we can't. Maybe I will be more careful the next time I dump the kids artwork from school or throw away their "treasures." How blessed am I to have wonderful (most of the time) kids who want to bring their mommy gifts, or a husband who buys me a rose while on vacation. I am thankful for the reminder.

On a lighter note....

"Your next American Idol is... Jordin Sparks!" I was excited, or as excited as I could be at 10:15pm, that Jordin won. Of course the boys in my house were disappointed that Blake lost, but you can't win them all. I hope that the pressures of being the "American Idol" will not change Jordin into a "hollywood" type. I'm sure we will be buying the American Idol CD in addition to the Blake Lewis CD soon enough.

Go Jordin!

So I watched American Idol last night. Jordin blew me away! I could not help thinking during her last song the magnitude of the moment for her. She is 17 years old. When I was 17, what had I done? Well, I had finally gotten my license, barely passing my junior year and completely clueless regarding my future. Yet at 17 she has shown poise, grace and maturity that most 17 year olds can only dream of.

I hope that she wins tonight, I did my part I voted 4 times (I've not voted since the great Reuben vs. Clay showdown!)

On another note.....

I told my friends at school today that I had a blog. Mostly I just got laughed at. Just wait, ever so slowly my technologically advanced friend Sandy will teach me how to do this better and soon my blog will be great. In the meantime, it's just random nothingness by yours truly.

Until later.....

If Sandy can do it, so can I!

Yesturday my best friend from college Sandy, referred to her blog... I said, "your what?" So she pointed me to her blog, and I was hooked. Being the "voyeur" that I am, it is a great look into the thoughts of other people. If I'm interested in reading about other people and what they do, maybe someone will be interested in what my thoughts are also.

So thanks Sandy, for better or for worse, you've taught me something new!