The Summer of Baseball

As you may have noticed, I haven't spent much time blogging this summer.  And that is because I've been at baseball games the majority of the time.  Joseph and Michael were both selected to be on American Legion baseball teams this year, which was quite an honor, and they were SOOOO happy and proud.  But it kept our family SOOOO busy because each of the boys was on a different team, with different practice times, different game times, and many of the games were out of town, which often resulted in my husband and I traveling different directions to watch our boys plays.  It was crazy but fun for the whole family.  Baseball is the big-boys' passion, and the little boys enjoyed chasing after fouls balls and receiving a prize from the concession stands. :)

It was exciting to watch the boys play at a higher competitive level than ever before and improve their skills.  Both boys also had to learn how to deal with disappointments along the way too, which was no fun, but I'm sure it helped them grow in Godly character! :)  Michael's major disappointment was injuring his right hand middle finger at the beginning of the season.  It was an injury called "mallet finger" or "baseball finger" where the tendon that straightens the finger gets damaged.  In order for it to heal properly he had to wear a finger splint for 8 weeks.  Despite the annoying splint, Michael somehow managed to have one of the best batting averages on the team and was the starting 2nd baseman most of the time.  Joseph's challenge was learning to deal with the reality of being a small fish in a big pond this year.  There were 18 young men on his team, many of whom played Legion ball last year and had done traveling All-Star teams the previous years.  About half of his teammates were pitchers, so Joseph didn't get to pitch quite as often as he would have liked, but he still enjoyed every single minute of his season whether he was cheering on his teammates from the dugout, pitching from the mound, batting, or playing left field.  Both boys and their teams had a great season, with more wins than losses, and our boys are already eager for next season (mom and dad are still recovering)!  :} We were super proud of our boys, but we were also a bit grateful when the season was over so that we could get back to normal family life and do some other fun things before summer was over.

Here are some great photos of our boys in baseball action!  I was super thankful that a few of the other parents had amazing cameras and high-powered telephoto lenses, and I was able to download them off of Facebook.  It's the only thing I've ever used Facebook for!  :)

I'll start with photos of Michael...

He only got to pitch a few games before he injured his finger,

but honestly, he loves playing in the in-field more anyway.

And now photos of Joseph:

And now we wait for next year... :)  While we wait, Paul and the boys have plans to build a batting cage in our extra garage so that they can practice in the off season.  I sure love my baseball-loving boys, and I hope they always give glory to God in their sport, grow in virtue while they grow in skills, and have fun no matter if they win or lose. 

Two Special Summer Visits

Whew, this summer has been crazy busy---mostly with baseball, but that's a post for another day.  In the midst of the craziness we were blessed to have two special visits from family:  Maria's parents and also Paul's mom and step-dad.  Both sets of visitors were such a blessing.  They helped cart kids in different directions to baseball games, enjoyed some of Montana's great outdoors, and created special memories of simple pleasures like playing cards together in the evening .  We are so grateful that God has given us such loving, fun, holy, and generous parents/grandparents!  God is so good!

Me with my amazing mom and dad.

It is so hard to live so far away from them, 

but thankfully we get to see them a few times a year.

(and that makes it bearable) :}

Grandma Theresa and Grandpa Pat with their MT grandkids!

A couple of weeks after my parents left, Paul's mom and step-dad came for a visit.  Paul's mom was a huge part of the reason we were able to buy our gorgeous house and property, so our hearts will be filled with gratitude to her forever and a day!

Paul and his lovely momma in our lovely backyard.

Grandma Jean and Grandpa Dick with their grandkids.

And here's a new family picture.

Hard to believe our kids are so big, but the picture is proof.

Thank you, Jesus, for all the summer blessings you've given us!

Our hearts overflow with gratitude!

Stressed...but very Blessed

Summer is here!  Does that make anyone else want to dance for joy?!  This year, I'm pretty sure I was ready for summer more than any other year.  To be perfectly honest, this past school year was the...most...stressful...one...eeevverrrr---for a litany of reasons:

My teenagers had a tough teacher that made their year miserable,
               but by God's grace we got through it.
All of the boys got a horrible case of the hand, foot, and mouth virus,
               but by God's grace we got through it.
My husband and I had a mini marriage crisis this Fall,
               but by God's grace we got through it.
Spring rains and snowmelt caused natural springs and flooding in our backyard (and our basement),
               but by God's grace we got through it.
Dominic got a  rare bone infection in his knee and spent a stressful week in the hospital,
               but by God's grace we got through it.
Dominic's hospital trauma ushered us onto a path we never imagined---the path of panic attacks,
               but we are trusting in God's grace to get us through this day by day.

It would take me pages to elaborate on each item in that litany, but I'm sure you get the jist of it from those few lines.  Our family has been carrying some crosses, but there have been so many blessings along the way.  God has been with us each and every step--consoling us, and helping us carry the crosses He chose for us...crosses that we trust are making us holier, teaching us lessons we may have never learned otherwise, and turning the trials into blessings that someday we will praise Him for when we look back with hindsight and clearer understanding.  Actually, we praise Him now, because we know He is good and is doing something good even though we don't quite understand it yet.

Still, I would like to ask sincerely for prayers.  We are still going through some very difficult times with Dominic's panic attacks.  We are trying everything we can think of to quicken his healing:  counseling, neurofeedback, occupational therapy, probiotics, yogurt, kefir, inositol supplements, neurotransmitter testing, essential oils, breathing techniques, countless rosaries and chaplets...  I do think he is getting better each week, but the progress is slower than we imagined.  He is having fewer panic attack than he did during the school year, but they are still there...and our whole family lives in apprehension of when the next one will hit.  They are sudden.  They are scary---for Dominic and also for anyone who is around to witness them.  He has at least one per week, and it is affecting his lifestyle.  I can't send him to church camp.  I can't send him to someone's house for a playdate.  I don't know if I can send him to school next year.  So please help us pray for quick and miraculous healing, and also for guidance for my husband and I as we navigate this new road that we previously knew nothing about.  It has been very humbling.  We have made some mistakes.  But God's mercies are new every morning and we do trust that He will work all of this for good in His perfect timing.  We welcome any advice and all the prayers you can send our way!

And I will leave you with some "praise pictures."  The last 12 months have been very hard, but I still have been noticing blessings all around me.  This Summer has been especially full of the blessings of nature that have been like healing balm to my cracked and weary heart.  May the beauty and colors bring joy to your heart too!

I planted tulips last Fall and it was so beautiful to see them bloom this Summer---the first flashes of color in our backyard.  Tulips are special to me because they remind me of my mother and her mother who also loved tulips.

This picture shows the natural springs flowing from the ground in our backyard.

Thankfully, we were able to divert most of the spring water into our pond,

but some of it caused minor flooding in our yard and in our basement.

Pink Bleeding Hearts remind me of the Sacred Heart of Jesus...

White Bleeding Hearts remind me of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

We were blessed to watch these baby robins grow day by day in their nest on our backyard gate.  

I cannot believe how quickly they grew from skin and fuzz to feathers and flight!

The mix of struggle and beauty that I find myself in reminds me of the beautiful old hymn, "How Can I keep from Singing."  (Which, ironically, our son Dominic loves and can play by ear on both the piano and the cello).  If' you've never heard it, I highly recommend listening to it on YouTube, sung by Catholic artist Audrey Assad.  Here is the link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Li2hddmy63U.  Or, you can just read the beautiful lyrics that are both poetic and true:

My life flows on in endless song;

Above earth's lamentation,

I hear the sweet, tho' far-off hymn

That hails a new creation;

Thro' all the tumult and the strife

I hear the music ringing;

It finds an echo in my soul—

How can I keep from singing?

What tho' my joys and comforts die?

The Lord my Saviour liveth;

What tho' the darkness gather round?

Songs in the night he giveth.

No storm can shake my inmost calm

While to that refuge clinging;

Since Christ is Lord of heaven and earth,

How can I keep from singing?

I lift my eyes; the cloud grows thin;

I see the blue above it;

And day by day this pathway smooths,

Since first I learned to love it,

The peace of Christ makes fresh my heart,

A fountain ever springing;

All things are mine since I am his—

How can I keep from singing?

Another April Birthday

We have 2 April birthday boys in our family--a big one and a little one (although even my little one isn't so little any more!).  Isaiah turned FIVE this year!!!  My baby is about to start kindergarten and is getting too big for me to carry any more!  But, he still loves to hold my hand, follow me wherever I go, snuggle, read books, wants to be near me and talks to me non-stop, so for all those things I am soooooo thankful.  My other April birthday boy no longer does any of those things, so I'm going to soak in Isaiah's sweetness as long as I can!  :)

Here are photos from his special day.  We just celebrated as a family---minus our two teenagers who were at baseball---but Isaiah felt happy and loved and special nonetheless. 

Here is Isaiah holding the LEGO Luke Skywalker that he picked out with his birthday money from Grandma and Grandpa, while sitting on the Star Wars blanket that Grandma Theresa made for him.

What JOY he has added to our family!  God knew Isaiah was just what our family needed, and I am so thankful to be his mommy.  May God guide him closer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus with each passing year and may he always know he is loved more than all the Legos or Star Wars movies ever made! 

May the Force 

(oops, I mean Holy Spirit) 

be with you always! :)

And just for fun, I thought I'd throw in a couple of pictures from his very first birthday!  He had no idea what to do with that candle or that chocolate cupcake! :)  He's come a long way since then!