a different season

alright, there is so much we need to catch up on. hair dos, birthdays, baseball...
(technically, there is so much on which we need to catch up--ms. former english teacher--but either way, let's start here)

y'all know what baseball means to me.

actually, maybe you don't. maybe you haven't a clue as to why i'm so enthralled by the greatest sport on the planet. or why i named my son after the greatest baseball player in world history. okay, then...backing up just a tiny bit further...

you know those great moments you have stored in your head of you as a kid? (how about that for some educated grammar!) wherever you picture yourself, the sun is shining, the grass is really, really green, and you are completely free from all of the concerns you have right now, sitting at your computer and reading this. well, i happen to be in my front yard. my dad is pitching to my brother and my mom is throwing with me. don't know if my sister is born yet, but let's say she is in order to complete the romantic picture i'm painting. we'll say she's crawling after the balls we're hitting. safely, of course. no balls ever actually hit her because that wouldn't make this picture romantic at all. just bloody, and that's a mess we get to opt out of when we're picturing the good ole' days in our heads.
we are practicing all day because all of us are in some type of baseball/softball league. by the way, i'd like to add that i'm sure my brother and i were just instrumental in upping our parents' ability level for their games...
now, transfer the same people to the inside of the astrodome. we were regular attendees to astros games, big orange #1 hands on one arm and hot dog with lots of ketchup tucked under the other. and finally, of course, if we weren't at home, or at the big ballpark, we were actually on the (a.y.a.--holla, alief!)fields watching each other. did i mention i was on the swingin' foxes? and were we!? mary lou retton hairdo and glasses...fox doesn't even half describe it.
baseball was a huge part of my childhood. on many different levels it represented innocence--mine and the game's. (i KNOW, i KNOW, the game is NOT innocent. but i thought it was and i'd like to pretend it was for the sake of the reminiscing i've just done, thank you very much.)

AND SO, with the onset of baseball season, i needn't mention the sudden acceleration of my pulse, the fact that i got my hair chopped off, but not too short so that i can't wear a ball cap, and the research we've done on adding the mlb package to our current t.v. options.

but baseball is going to look a little different this season. with all of this excitement, there will be a twinge of sadness, there will be prayers, and there will be rooting for (GASP!!) a team besides the astros. hang on, y'all. i know it's crazy talk but let me explain.

you see, when we moved here, we knew we were going to love being near our families and being in south Texas again. what we didn't know is that our creative God would allow us to make friends with some amazing, YOUNG, couples. we didn't expect that we would get particularly close, very quickly, to one of those couples. we didn't know they would have two children almost the same age as both of ours and that our kids would fall in love with each other. and mercy, y'all, we did not factor in that they would end up leaving us for nine months. because he's a major league pitcher. uh-huh.

so, twinge of sadness? our newest friends are across the country in pre-season.
prayers? he was injured last season and is coming off shoulder surgery.
a team besides houston? join me in cheering for the washington nationals!

the good news is, if we have learned one thing from all of our travels, you CAN maintain friendships with people you love even if you don't live right by them. michael and i consider the friendships we've made among our biggest blessings; our hearts ache for people we miss all over this country and you can now include florida in that list as well.

with all of that in mind, we bid farewell to the wagners (check out their link on our friends list to the right)! we will miss you while you're gone and will be waiting for when you get back. we'll be praying for a quick rehab, for those sweet babies to adjust well, for momma to enjoy the big city :), and will expect that you represent, mr. international harvester. set 'em up, three-five, and easy on the 'stros.

do you think nolan will miss bailee? oh yea...

i'll miss you mr. ryan

we love to play outside...this time next year, lori darlin' will cram in too!

a stud mama and her daughter!

thank you for helping me with baseball, mr. ryan!