It's here again!

Oh my, I'm not sure how it's possible, but here we are again...the start of yet another school year. Although the morning went off without a glitch and my two favorite people were sent on their merry way both a little excited and anxious to begin another school year, my heart is feeling a little heavy. It's filled with happiness as I watch them flourish into such spectacular, awesome and fine young people, but on the other hand, it's a little heavy with sadness as I watch them grow oh' so quickly right before my teary eyes. Sigh...

Here are my yearly comparison pics. My boy is definitely growing and maturing into a teen, but a quite handsome one I might add.



My fantastic, amazing and precious little daughter:



And although he's not so little anymore, he will always be my favorite little man:



And off we go for our next adventure! Mommy wishes you two much hope, achievement, ambition, confidence and promise in this upcoming school year. I know you two, without a doubt, will always make me proud!

xoxo,
J

First morning text came with a smile~

I woke up to an early morning text from Todd with a picture attached and a message that read, "Mommy and son cuddling." I opened the attachment and this was the picture I saw:



As Todd tried to get in bed last night, he found a little body there warming up his side of the bed. This seems to be the case quite often lately, so I guess Todd decided to take a picture. This picture makes me smile and my heart melt, but I also know these precious times will probably become fewer and far between as we get ready to hit those infamous teen years.

This was shortly after we laid in bed chatting about his homerun, reading his Facebook together as we laughed at some of the ridiculous comments made by other friends and said teens, laughing about his Sherlock Holmes comment to Tonya and, as if this is a surprise to anyone, me scratching this little guy's back because he had an "itch" that lasted about 5 minutes. I'm not complaining though...these are the moments I cherish and adore.

Priceless moments with my forever loves....

P.S. Don't mind the lovely discolored pillows with no pillowcases...it's clearly time to get rid of the old and bring in some new.

Sometimes I wonder...

am I being a little to tough?

So report cards came out this week and, once again, my kids made me one super proud Momma. All E's and S's for the little one. Well, if you ask Ellie, she got all E's because she got all E's in the areas that matter...Reading, Writing and Math. She got an "S" in Science, but she said they don't even really do anything in Science so she doesn't know how she got an "S", and she got all S's in PE and Music. I honestly don't think they even give out E's in PE or Music, so I'm happy. ***On a side note, I would also like to share that Ellie had to run the mile in PE yesterday. She actually ran the mile in 8.20 minutes, which I find astonishing. I don't think I even ran an 8 minute mile when I was running every day. She was in first place for her entire class...that includes every boy and every girl. Pretty good, wouldn't ya say? She said some of the kids ran it in 25 minutes??

Now onto the bigger kid...6 A's and one B. Yes, I am SUPER, SUPER proud of that kid. I don't think you will find many kids that can play 3 sports all at the same time and still come home with grades like that...not to mention that he is in all Honors classes and is getting high school credit for the Honors Alegbra class he is taking. Jacob would run from school to basketball, from basketball to baseball, and eventually home to finish up homework. It still baffles me, but he did it well and I'm proud of him. However, he did slack a tiny bit and neglected a few assignments, which resulted in an assignment or two being turned in late, so I strongly feel that B could of easily been an A...he wasn't far from an A. So how does that saying go..."if you want your child to keep his feet on the ground, put some responsibility on their shoulders." This is where sometimes I wonder...am I being a little tough? Yes, Jacob got a little chat from his parents about being a little more responsible and making sure that ALL assignments are turned in on time, but it was brief chat and he was told over and over how extremely proud we are of him.

I couldn't be more proud of our two precious children! I feel very blessed and fortunate to be called their Mommy. Keep reaching for the stars, kiddos, and your dreams will come true! You make us VERY proud!

xoxo,

Mommy & Daddy

Team Ellie Rocks!!

I haven't had a chance to upload my pictures from the walk, but I wanted to quickly share one of the fabulous pictures of "Team Ellie." Each year our team grows a little and we add a few more walkers.



Thank you, everyone, for sharing in this beautiful and special day! More pictures to follow...

Lots of Love, T, J, J and little E

Another brave step!

I am happy to report that little Ms. E proved yet again how courageous and brave she really is! This Saturday evening, for the very first time, Ellie gave herself her own insulin shot in her leg. She has tried to do it a few times over the last month, but never got quite enough courage to insert that sharp and pointy needle into her leg on her own, and who couldn't blame her? Even the doctor told us last week, "well, she still might be a little young for that." However, she finally got that confidence she needed and inserted the shot and injected the insulin all by herself. Woo-hoo!!!

After meeting with the doctor last week, we are hoping to get the insulin pump installed over the summer. We still have lots to learn, meetings to attend, tests to take and trial periods to maneuver through first, but I think Ellie is ready. Although the doctor said she still won't be able to eat at any time or whenever she feels like it, but she will definitely have a lot more more flexibility, and I think that will be a good thing for Ellie. Do you know how heart-wrenching it is when your daughter is begging for something to eat, yet you can't give her anything? It's very tough...

Good job, E! Mommy and Daddy are super proud of you! Every day you continue to prove what a brave and fearless little soul you are!

xoxo

Yet another award!

Although Ellie was selected in the second month of school to be Student of the Month, I am proud to report that she was selected yet again, but this time she was choosen by her media teacher to be Student of the Month for ALL of her classes. Here is a picture of the Star Student getting her certificate at the Awards Ceremony today:

(like that pretty blue nail polish? Ellie and I indulged in some more girl time...Monday night was shopping and last night we went and enjoyed an evening at the nail salon getting a pedi and mani.)

Ellie also seems to believe that she is Mrs. Stefani's "teacher's pet," so she strongly feels she is in contention for the Student of the Year Award. She received that award last year from Ms. Lynch, so I'm not sure if they give that out to the same child two years in a row. I guess it's possible, but I don't want her to get too excited and then have her hopes crushed.

Great job, Elle Belle!! You never cease to amaze me, so keep up the good work and continue to make me proud!

Many hugs and kisses!

Forever,
Mommy

Funny Story

Ellie and I were driving around town today just enjoying a little girl time. She was telling me about her day and the "mean" substitute she had. Then she proceeded to tell me about a conversation all the girls and boys were having during some down time. I guess the boys decided to take a vote on who they thought was the cutest girl in their class. Ellie said all the boys, with the exception of one, said she was the cutest. This is how our conversation went next:

Me: "So, Ellie, how did you feel when the boys were telling you that?"

E: "I just kept saying I was going to kill myself," as she was shaking her head and smiling.

Me: "What? Why would you say that."

E: "I'm serious, Mommy. All the boys picked me except one and he said he couldn't decide between me and Summer."

E: "So, Mommy....why did you make me such a chic magnet?" And then after a quick pause, she said, "No, wait....I mean a dude magnet?"

Oh my!! I've got one who is about to turn 13 and still blushes when you talk about girls and then I have an 8 year old who constantly comes home with stories about how all the boys flirt with her. I think we are going to have our hands full with this one.

Happy Monday!

Whew...thank God that's over!

He made it! Although still a tad scared and nervous this morning, I am happy to report that Bubbe made it through his 2nd dental appointment with very few tears - teeth are squeaky clean and all cavities have been filled. Best part of all, I didn't even have to take him. Todd said the experience was much more pleasant this go-around.

I'm so glad that's over...no more anxiety, no more worries and no more tears. I'm sure Bubbe is just as happy as we are.

He's been wonderful about brushing his teeth and flossing regularly. Let's pray he keeps that up and, other than the normal cleaning appointments, hopefully we won't have to go through that again any time soon.

Only time will tell...

To put it simple...it SUCKS!!

Don't mind this post - I think I'm using it more as a venting platform today. Probably not the best idea, but sometimes you just got to let it go and vent a little.

What sucks you ask? Let me spell it out for you...D.I.A.B.E.T.E.S. S.U.C.K.S.!!!

Although diabetes is more about my daughter and less....way less...about me, sometimes this daily routine can be mentally, emotionally and physically challenging for both Todd and I as parents. Sometimes keeping track and managing Ellie's diabetes can be a little difficult and it can become quite frustrating trying to maintain "normal" blood glucose levels. When I find myself struggling to maintain those "normal levels," I feel like I'm failing my daughter and, seriously, that can be the worse feeling in the world. She's a little girl who only wants to live the life of a normal 8 year old and sometimes diabetes gets in the way.

Ellie's sugars have been fluctuating like mad recently, which, unfortunately, results in an emotional 8 year old with a little tummy ache (which can be common in diabetics) and a very frustrated Mommy. That frustration is, of course, not directed at Ellie in the least bit, but just the situation in general.

This morning was just another one of those "frustrating" moments. Ellie's sugar was perfect at bedtime, so we were cautious in making sure that we counted out the perfect amount of goldfish she was allowed to eat in hopes of waking up with a pretty decent BGL this morning. Instead, we woke up to a number in the 200's....really? Poor Todd went into the bathroom, away from Ellie, and let off a little frustration of his own as I hear him screaming, "diabetes sucks!!!"

Needless to say, I left for work this morning a little frustrated and with tears in my eyes as I kissed my husband goodbye. Sometimes I think it's something that only he truly gets and understands like me. I didn't have to say a word though...he knew exactly where my tears were coming from and how my heart was aching. All we want is for our baby girl to lead a normal, happy and healthy life.

With that being said, it's time to accept what I cannot change, refocus and think positive. I have one dynamite little girl that is relying on me and I'll do whatever it takes to make sure I don't let her down.

xoxo

Want to play a guessing game?

Here are a few messages that I received from Todd today...can you guess where he's at?

Todd: Crying. Want to come take him?

Me: He's going to cry whether it's me or u. He's been thru it before...just tell him to relax.

A few minutes later...

Me: Has he relaxed?

T: Ya right!! Panic mode.

T: This is going to be fun.

T: Still crying.

A few more minutes go by...

Me: Is he calmer?

T: No!! Can't talk now.

T: Embarrassing!

Me: They probably deal with that a lot.

T: I'm not bringing him again!

T: He has to come back to fill the last 2.

T: I'm not coming back with him.

T: Acting like heart surgery.

Yep, that would be the conversation between Todd and I while child #1 is at the dentist. He can be such a calm, cool and laid-back kid, but mention the word "doctor" or "dentist" and he goes into full on panic mode. I purposely didn't tell him about the appointment ahead of time because I didn't want him to panic about it for the next few days, but maybe I need to rethink that stragedy.

After we came home from his game last night, I simply said, "Jacob, do you have any tests tomorrow?" With that one simple question, I got the dear-in -the-headlight look and he immediately knew where that conversation was headed. Needless to say, he went to bed in tears and woke up tears.

I just don't know what else to do to calm this kid down in situtations like this, so any suggestions would be helpful and appreciated. Now he gets to go back next week and I get the pleasure of experiencing round 2. Lord help me...

Thankfully, Todd said the dentist was extremely calm and very patient. And, if there is anything good that has come out of this ordeal, perhaps my #1 kid has learned how important it is to brush his teeth every morning and every night.

On a side note, little E had zero...yes, zero...cavities. Go, E!

Never Say Never~

Ellie and I went to the movies and watched the Justin Bieber movie this past weekend and I think I officially have the Bieber Fever. That kid is so darn cute and we both thoroughly enjoyed the movie. I found it to be a very inspiring story with a strong message... never give up and always follow your dreams.

I teared up several times throughout the movie. It made me think about my 2 favorite little people and their dreams - how I so desperately want them to follow their dreams and pursue their deepest desires. Along their path, I'm sure they will have others that will try and push them down, or tell them they cannot do what they want to do or be whoever they want to be, but as the song "Never Say Never" says...

Whenever you knock me down,
I will not stay on the ground.
Pick it up,
Pick it up,
Pick it up,
Pick it up, up, up,
and never say never!

To my little darlings....reach high and dream deep....just believe in yourself! Regardless of what your dream may be, I will be right beside you...believing in you and supporting you all the way! Your dream may change over time, but whatever it may be, stay after your dream and you will, without a doubt, succeed through sheer power of passion!

Never give up and dream until your dream comes true...

Most importantly, know how much I love you and support you! I know you both will make me VERY proud!

Lots of Love!

Forever...
Mommy

8 letters, 3 words, 1 meaning... I love you!

A special day of...

LOVE~

HUGS AND KISSES~

HEARTS AND FLOWERS~

RIBBONS AND BOWS~

LOVE SONGS~

POETRY~

It's not about finding that special someone to live with, but finding that someone you can't live without. Thank you, Todd, for being my everything. You are not only my husband, but my lover, my friend, my comforter and my soul mate.

Love bears all things,

Believes all things,

Hopes all things,

Endures all things.

Love never ends...

And although at times things can certainly get a little crazy in our home, I am happy to have a home warm with the joy that only a family can bring.

Lots of love to my husband, my son and my little daughter. You guys are my everything!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!

XOXO

Forever...

Mommy

2/01/09- a date we will never forget!

It is inevitable that at some point in this journey that we call "life", there will be several life changing event(s). It could be many different things...a marriage, a birth of a child, a death or perhaps overcoming some great trial, like a serious illness.

It was exactly 2 years ago today that my so little and very precious daughter was diagnosed with a serious illness that forever changed our life. That day remains so vivid in my memory that it seems like it was just yesterday. I'll never forget this face:



As I was getting ready for work this morning, I was thinking back and reflecting on that Sunday morning 2 years ago...

I can remember the days before Ellie's diagnosis when I was starting to notice the minor changes in her daily activity. She was always thirsty, constantly having to go potty and just a feeling of being worn and tired, and which was completely out of character for her. I remember searching the symptoms on webmd.com and everything pointing to diabetes. I remember sitting in my bed with my computer in my lap just sobbing as I continued to read more into diabetes and the associated "first sign" symptoms. I kept searching different sites hoping that something, or anything, would lean me in a different direction and give me a different answer. I remember Todd doing his best to console me. He didn't want me reading the medical websites because they were making me think the worst and he was doing his best to keep me positive. I remember him saying, "everything is going to be okay. " But was it?

Ellie happened to stay the night with my Mom the evening before her diagnosis. They went to the park that chilly Sunday morning, but Ellie wasn't being herself so my Mom decided to bring her home. I will never forget how my heart felt when Ellie walked in the door and her fatigued and exhausted body just fell in my arms. Todd was at baseball practice with Jacob, so I called him and told him to come home right away because we were heading to the walk-in clinic.

I remember how nervous I was in the car ride to the doctor's office. I remember feeling so anxious and edgy as I sat in the lobby cuddling my baby girl in my lap thinking, "please, don't let this be what I think it is."

I remember those words that flashed on the blood glucose meter as the nurse pricked Ellie's finger for the very first time..."high, high, high." After I saw that, I looked at Todd and discreetly mouthed, "they are going to send her to the hospital."

I'll never forget the helplessness I felt as my daughter laid in the hospital bed with IV's coming out of her arms. You could tell she was terrified, but she was trying her best to remain brave and calm. I remember telling jokes, stories, or laughing about the cartoon that was on TV...doing anything to keep her mind distracted. Just as she started to doze off, the doctor came in and gave us the diagnosis...diabetic ketoacidosis. All I remember was thinking, "what the hell is that?" After a quick rundown from the doctor, we were informed that Ellie would be transported to Palms West Hospital where they specialized in the care of children. I'll never forget how terrified Ellie was when she learned she was going to be transported to a new hospital in an ambulance.

The ambulance ride, the arrival at Palms West and the many days, weeks that followed were simply horrifying. This new diagnosis sparked a range of emotions....anger, sadness, worried, frightened and probably even a little guilt. But, soon after I realized it was time to adjust and accept the challenges that we were getting ready to face together as a family.

Our life has been forever changed by this illness, but as time has gone on, all of us have gained a little knowledge and confidence , learned from mistakes, celebrated successes and slowly moved away from the intense feelings we initially felt after the diagnosis.

I have always felt that Ellie is the true hero in this story. She is the one that suffered the most obstacles as a lot of new "stuff" came into her life...stuff to check, stuff to inject, stuff you have to do or not to do, eat or not to eat...there really was so much for her to learn. However, she's adjusted SO well and I couldn't be more proud of her and the bravery she has shown over these last 2 years.

Above all, I simply hope my sweet girl remembers that, despite this daily routine that sometimes can be a little overwhelming, she is still Ellie and there is so MUCH more to her than this disease. She's a...

fun;
silly;
sweet;
loving;
caring;
intelligent; and
beautiful little girl that will forever be my hero!

My hope is that one day in the near future she won't have to deal with diabetes and she will have the chance to live that "normal" life again, free of the many pricks and prods that she endures everyday, and that "normal" life I think we sometimes take for granted. Until then, we will continue to fight this disease and support the cause.

As I've told you many times in the past, sweet girl, we will NEVER, EVER give up hope!

We love you, Elle Belle!!!

xoxo,
Mommy and Daddy

HOPE...
It's powerful.
It's real.
It's all we got.
CURE DIABETES!!

Whew!

If yesterday was any indication of the days ahead, I better stack up on my Wheaties. Although a tad tired at the end of the day, yesterday was a day full of activities and all I could think was, "and this is only the beginning."

This is kind of how our day went:

We left at 9:30 for Jacob's basketball game at school. That, unfortunately, didn't go over so well. The final score was 44-0. Granted, our poor boys had to play against monsters who were probably a foot, foot & a half taller than them, but it would of been nice to at least put 2 points on the board. It was kind of funny listening to the crowd as the boys would run down the court, shoot for a basket and then just watch the ball slllooowwwlllyyy roll or BoUnCe off the rim....again and again! After every basket the team missed, you could hear "ahhhhhhhh" echo around the gym. Oh well, we'll get them next time, Hawks!

From there, we ran to the bank, pharmacy, barber, McD's and home for a quick wardrobe change.

Then it was off to Ellie's baseball scrimmage game from 1:00-3:00. Although I didn't get to see the entire game, I was so proud of Ellie. She is such a hustler out there on the field and put the bat on the ball EVERY time she got up to bat. Good job, Ellie! It's pretty clear this might be a challenging season for us when it comes to Ellie. It has become quite a chore trying to get her psyched up and ready to go to baseball practice, but on the flip side, once she gets out there, she seems to have fun and enjoy herself.

I had to leave Ellie with MawMaw and then run Jacob down to Stuart for his first scrimmage travel ball game with the TC Drillers.

Here's a picture of Jacob in his new Driller uniform:

I took a few shots of Jacob yesterday with the new fabulous camera I got for Christmas from PawPaw. Although there are too many to post, here is one of the pitching squences I got with my camera in sport mode.

And a picture of the boys just being supportive and cheering Jacob up after a kid just hit a homer over the fence.

We lost, yet again, but it's going to take some time for the kids to get to know each other and learn to play ball together as a team. I have high hopes that it will come around. I did really like the camaraderie amongst all the players. They just seemed to be supportive and had the togetherness and fellowship that I like to see. Crossing fingers....this is going to be a good change for Jacob.

After the game, we went and had some wings with PawPaw and MawMaw and then came home to relax. The evening ended with me falling asleep in my bed with my two favorite people beside me. It was a tight squeeze and probably not the most comfortable evening of sleep, but we were together and so tired that I don't think any of us cared.

Todd came home from work this morning with a Sunday plan already in mind...a little family time at the Italian Festival today. I guess we'll go embark on a cultural journey filled with Italian food, music, art and tradition.

Happy Sunday!

xoxo

Kindness, generosity, compassion...

and thoughtfulness...simple words, but with HUGE meaning.

It brings happiness to my heart to learn of someone that is not affected by diabetes in any way, shape or form, but yet they take the time to join a JDRF team and volunteer their time simply out of the goodness in their heart. I just got an email at work that brought tears to my eyes and touched my heart.

The company Angie works for, FIS, has decided to join the nationwide effort, form several teams and take part in the JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes in Orlando, FL. Their walk takes place on March 5, 2011 and they have a goal of raising $10,000 for juvenile diabetes.

Angie sent an email to her team thanking them for taking part in this cause and briefly telling why she, too, finds it special to her heart. She challenged all of her co-workers to make a donation, and for every donation they made to their team, she would donate an additional $5.00.

This is the email she got back from one of her co-workers:

Angela,

I'm so happy that my participating in this walk is actually helping a family member of someone I know! I wanted to volunteer because I knew it was a worthy cause, but having the personal touch makes it all the more important. I hope the money my team raises will help toward a cure someday.

This may sound hokey, but do you think we could get Ellie to write her name on a piece of ribbon, which I can pin to my shirt when I do the walk? I'd like to do it in her honor.

Marni C.
FIS KMS Administrator

Her gift of time is so priceless and her small act of kindness is worth more to us than she will probably ever know. Thank you, Marni! We would be honored to have you walk on behalf of our daughter. Although I'm always touched by every family member or every friend that we are fortunate enough to have that supports our family, my daughter or our team, your act of kindness really touched my heart today. It's people like you, untouched by the disease, yet still supporting and donating to the cause, who make an unspoken difference in my daughter's life.

"Volunteers don't necessarily have the time, but they have the heart."

xoxo

Our Hunt for a Cure!

Mommy and Daddy love you, sweet girl!

Funny things kids say~

As the kids and I are sitting at the dinner table eating a little pasta, the reality TV show "Keeping up with the Kardashians" was on TV in the background. The show was about the dad, Bruce Jenner, dealing with his younger daughter having boys in her room, and he simply wasn't having it. This is the conversation that ensued between my two:

E: "There is going to be no dating in this house."

J: " I agree, Ellie."

Me: "Yeah, ok...I'll remember this conversation in a few years when you guys are getting mad at me because I won't allow you to have boys or girls in your bedroom."

J: " Not me. I'll have other things to worry about, like college."

Me: "That's right, buddy, you keep thinking that way."

If only their minds would stay that innocent and pure for the many pre-teen and teen years ahead. That's what is great about this blog. In a few short years, it will be my pleasure to refer Jacob back to this blog post so he can remember what he was thinking when he was an innocent 12.

Wacky Hair Day!

Ellie paid 5 Crane Bucks in order to participate in Wacky Hair Day at school. I really wished I had more time in the morning to get a little wackier, but we were a little rushed and didn't have much time to mess around.

We had 3 colors...pink, blue and sparkle gold. Unfortunately, the gold wasn't quite as wacky as the other two colors. All it did was add sparkles to Ellie's already golden hair.

Next year we are going to go a little more wacky and do something a little more outrageous...maybe a few more wild colors with spikes and mohawks and side-ways ponytails!

On a side note, we went out to another travel ball practice this morning....3 hours worth!! It was different and interesting, but I'm starting to think that maybe a fresh new experience with new coaches (not including Dad) might be a good thing for my son. This new coach is somewhat vocal, an ex-Marine and a personal trainer, if that tells you anything. He was a little tough, yet fun, but I liked him. And more importantly, Jacob said he likes him. I was quite impressed with Jacob today and he proved to me that when he puts forth the effort, he is quite a talented baseball player. The coach pulled me and Jacob to the side after practice and extended a formal invitation to join their team, the Treasure Coast Drillers. He also gave us some info to read about their team, including their mission, which Jacob, Todd and I all have to sign. Afterwards, I told the coach that I appreciated the invitation and for allowing Jacob to come out, but that we would go home and talk it over as a family (since Dad was at work today) and we would let him know our intentions later this week. We weren't home 30 minutes and the coach was calling Todd.

Todd told the coach that Jacob is playing basketball, too....not to mention this is his last year in Little League so he wants to be able to enjoy that final experience. The coach seemed to fully understand and said none of this would be a problem.

Lastly, I sat Jacob down and had a serious talk about this new commitment, his goals and to confirm this is something that he really wants to do. Jacob assures me he is in and ready to move forward with the TC Drillers.

So....strap me in, folks, as it appears we are about to set off for another crazy ride.

Sunny skies and sandy beach with fruity drink in hand~

That's what I'm thinking about right now. I'm feeling it's time to find a little solace and serenity and escape to some private beach island for a little pampering and to simply get away from some of life's daily chaos. Okay, go ahead and nudge me...wake me up from this dream.

It was yet another busy and crazy holiday season and I have yet to get my house back in order. I can't seem to find the motivation to do that right now, but here we are about to dive back in for another crazy baseball season.

I'm very sad to report that Team Worth has officially dissolved and, yes, it's for good this time. I know I complain about the rigamarole of Jacob's crazy schedule, but I also think it's important for him to continue playing against higher caliber players as it is only going to benefit his own skills. I think Jacob needs that competition to keep him at the top of his game. There are certainly downfalls, too...busy schedules, burn-out factor, costs, etc.. So, the question is, what to do? I just have to make sure that Jacob is in it 100% before we commit to another team. Todd has already met and talked to another travel coach. Jacob went out to one of their practices this week and met some of the players, hit a few balls, etc... and he seemed to enjoy it. Todd said Jacob told him that he wants to do it, but I think I still need to have a little chat just to make sure Jacob does indeed wish to continue playing travel ball and that he's doing it for himself and nobody else....period! Where will the travel ball path lead us? I guess that is yet to be known...

I'm still finding it a little hard to motivate little E, but Todd and I keep pressing how important she be involved in some form of extra-curricular activity. She went to her first practice with her new cleats and new glove in hand, but I can't say she was too excited about it. She is now playing on a Rookie's team with several other girls, so I'm hoping once she gets a little more comfortable and gets to know some of the other girls, she'll be ready to go.

Todd and I both feel it's so important for our children to be involved in some form of activity, whether it is to excel in a specific talent, build confidence, form friendships, or most of all, to stay out of trouble. I hope that this upcoming season is simply a fun and rewarding season for both my kids.

Although that private island sounds very enticing, I guess it will remain a dream for now.

So....off we go.

Are we ready for that talk yet?

Nope...not just yet.

So last night Todd, Jacob and I were sitting on the couch just chit-chatting and having some one on one time with our son. Although I forget exactly how the conversation started, this is how some of it went:

Me: "So, Jacob...do you feel that you could come to me or Daddy if you ever wanted to talk about...umm...."

Todd: "the birds and the bees."

Jacob: "I'm not interested in that."

Me: "I know you aren't, but I want you to know that you can come and talk to me and Daddy about anything."

Jacob: "I'm just not interested in that yet."

Me: "Yes, Son, we understand that, but we just want you to know that we are open and ready to discuss anything when you are ready...don't ever be too scared or to nervous to ask ANY question. Okay?"

Jacob: "Okay, but I'm just not interested in that yet."

Well then...I guess he's not quite ready for that discussion, so I won't push it. I understand it may take a few times, so until then....

It certainly wasn't long before the conversation skipped right back to basketball, baseball and anything else sports related.

On a different note, he did tell us that he got the highest grade in the class on his Science semester exam...so super proud of that kid!

Rumble in the jungle...

or maybe that should be rumble at the ballpark.

I'll tell you the beginning part of this story and then let your imagination run with it.

So imagine this...

We are hanging out at the ballfield on Sat. watching the rest of try-outs. Todd and Dooner (one of Todd's friends) are sitting on one bleacher, Ellie and I are sitting one behind them and then Jacob and his friend, Ryan, are sitting on the bleacher behind us. There is a somewhat large fellow sitting about 2 bleachers down from Todd and Dooner, and when I say "large fellow," I'm putting it kindly. The fellow slowly leans forward to get the momentum he needs to stand up and as he is half-way bent over and a few inches off the bleacher he sneaks out a VERY loud rumble, or as my kids would call it....a toot, or a fart, depending on which kid you are talking to.

Now, keep in mind how most kids find farts to be quite amusing and ridiculously funny. Now picture the faces of two pre-teen boys as they hear this rumble in the jungle. I swear that is the hardest I've laughed in a while. The look and reaction of said pre-teen boys was just PRICELESS!

Although the fellow never looked back, he did say sorry and continued on his way.

"Baby you're a firework..."

"come on, show 'em what your worth."

As most of you know, Jacob decided to give it a shot and try-out for his middle school basketball team. He was excited, yet scared and nervous, since he has never really played "organized" basketball before. As I've always told my kids, I had to remind him again...just go out and give it your all - that's all I can ask for and the best you can do.

As I picked him up after the first night of practice, he hopped in the car and said, "that coach is mean." Almost immediately his eyes started welling up with tears and my initial thought was, "oh boy...is he ready for this let down?" Jacob went on to tell me how the coach told the boys after practice that this is the first time since 1993 that he's ever seen a group of boys that can't play basketball. And, as we all would expect from Jacob, he took this right to heart. I asked Jacob how he thought he did and he said, "I thought I did pretty good." Me: "Well, son, that's all that matters." You could tell that he was still pretty disappointed, but I just continued to encourage him, besides....this is, afterall, the first time he's ever tried out for basketball. I told him to give his self a chance, let the coach give him some pointers and teach him a few things and I'll sure it won't be long before he shines....kind of a like a firework.

The next day he came home from school with a grin from ear to ear. I guess he passed the coach in the hallway and the coach said, "boy, you've got game." That's all it took...those few, simple words from the big man and Jacob had a completely different outlook and attitude on the start of his basketball pastime. He was now ready to move forward full speed with his mind focused on the work ahead.

The next morning he went to practice from 7:30-8:45 and again immediately after school from 4:15-5:30. And guess what?? On Friday afternoon he learned that he made the "A" team. They have an "A", "B" and "C" team, but the "A" team is I guess what they would consider the "varsity" team that consists of the top 12 kids. He's super excited and I'm super excited for him.

No, he may not be a starter...initially...but he is prepared for that. I told him to continue to go out there and give it his all, practice with all his heart and I bet it won't be long before he's at the top of his game and fighting for that starter position with the rest of the boys.

Katy Perry's "Firework" song is one of my new favorites and now everytime I hear it it makes me think of Jacob and his newfound journey...

"You just gotta ignite the light
And let it shine
Just own the night
Like the Fourth of July."

"Cause baby you're a firework
Come on show'em what your worth
Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!"
As you shoot across the sky-y-y"

"Baby you're a firework
Come on let your colors burst.
Make 'em go "oh, oh, oh!"
You're gunna leave 'em fallin' down-own-own."

"Boom, boom, boom
even brighter than the moon, moon, moon
It's always been inside of you, you, you
And now it's time to let it through."

For those who may not know what song I'm referring to, take a listen...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGJuMBdaqIw

Jacob...go out and show them what you got, big guy! I know you can do it!

I guess I officially have yet a new team to cheer for...Go Hawks!

Happy New Year!

xoxo