David Conquers Goliath

Last year we headed to Cowboys Stadium the day after Thanksgiving to watch Midway play Denton Ryan. After a defensive struggle, we ended up on the short end of the stick. There are apparently some things vigorous ringing of one's cowbell (red and blue, of course) simply cannot overcome.

It was sad, indeed, but we rebounded quickly as Baylor had a bowl game ahead.

This year we headed to Mansfield's new stadium to watch -- you guessed it -- Midway take on Denton Ryan yet again. We were pretty leery going into the game because we lost some really good guys on defense last year and the players for Ryan were all sophomores and juniors last year so they would be back. And they had a whole year to get even larger. 

Seriously, y'all, I don't know what in the world they feed the kids in Denton but it must be engineered in some super secret place responsible for growing giants.

All that being said, we wanted to support our team. So we did.

The players came out looking ready to fight. We took that as a good sign.

The captains were even holding hands to show solidarity.

We've been playing a three quarterback rotation since midseason. The player who's been getting most of the time lately, though, is #3 Kramer Robertson. Son of none other than Kim Mulkey. He is awesome and clearly has his mom's mindset. (aka I will find a way to win!)

My man was very serious about this game. As he is about most football contests.

We cheered. We screamed. We let the officials know we had a rule book if they needed help. And we wondered, for three quarters, if their whistles actually worked against Ryan.

Dave and his aunt, Traci, were lively, friends. She is so much fun to hang out with!

We enjoyed a fantastic halftime performance.

And then it was time to get back to business.

And, in the end, our Davids pretty much owned Goliath. Oh, y'all, it was truly an amazing game and we were so excited to have been able to attend.

Our guys visited with the Ryan coaches and players and then it was time...

...to hoist the trophy high in the air, celebrate much hard work and enjoy the fruits of their labor!

Go Panthers! We Will Win!

Thanksgiving, Part Two

After lunch and picture taking at my parents', we headed home to bake an apple pie (side note: do you know how many women will stop you when there's a froze pie in your cart and give you tips on how to make it look homemade??) and slice up the lemon squares to take to dinner with Tonto's family.

I'm really blessed because I absolutely love my in-laws. Super laid back, not an ounce of possessiveness and they love my girl. While there, we watched the first half of the A&M/Texas game. I will refrain from any comments about that contest because the Lord has taught me that talking trash about other teams does not bode well for Baylor's next competition.

Not. At. All.

After dinner and the game, we headed home to pack and get ready for a couple of days that were absolutely packed with activity, adventure and fun. Oh. My. Word. It will seriously go down as one of my favorite weekends ever. And since we all know I'm not prone to exaggeration (Ahem.), clearly it must have been awesome, right? :-)

As promised, here are some additional pictures taken during our little Thanksgiving session. Aren't they cute?

Taylor took care of the props ;-)

Happy Tuesday, friends!

Thanksgiving, Part One

Apparently I decided to take a little blog break over the Thanksgiving holidays. Though it was somewhat unplanned, I must say that we had an amazing six days together and I have so many pics and stories to share that it's almost overwhelming. 

Almost. But not quite. :-)

I took off last Tuesday to get a bunch of errands done and then we were all together Wednesday through Sunday. So thankful for an employer with generous holidays!

We didn't do much on Wednesday but Tay and I cooked several things to take to my mom's and Tonto's sister's for Turkey Day. Before we knew it, it was time for the festivities to begin and this little guy got an invite to join us...

He was very thankful for the opportunity and made sure he thanked everyone for all the bites he got from the table. I'm looking at you, Tonto! On an impressive note, though, Rambo can now eat very efficiently from a fork. And a spoon.

After a delicious lunch, we headed outside for some family pictures. It is Christmas card time after all...and the images that appeared did not disappoint.

This one is my favorite. She climbed up in the tree and put this together on her own. My creative girl.

In Boppy's hot rod...

Me and my mom...

Taylor and Nana...

And with Nana and Boppy...

Love. Her.

I took a bunch of my parents as well but thought this was probably enough pictures for today. In addition to those, we also went to our high school's playoff game where they beat #2 Denton Ryan! Before heading to the Tech/Baylor game on Saturday at Cowboys Stadium, we went to the Gaylord for ICE! and it was, in our opinion, the best one yet. 

Like I said, a great time was had by all. I'm so thankful for the time together, for the lessons we've learned this year and am incredibly proud we've all stuck together through it all. 

God is good. All the time.

Best. Sports. Weekend. Ever.

Y'all. Where do I even begin?

Last Friday began what may be one of the most exciting sports weekends I've ever experienced. It began with our high school team winning and advancing to the next round of the state playoffs. Very exciting!

But, friends, there was so much more excitement to come. We. Had. No. Idea.

Saturday we headed over to Floyd Casey to tailgate and then ventured into the stadium where we were to play Oklahoma. As in the No. 5 Sooners.

Now, we all know how much I love Baylor but my hopes for blowing this game out were low. Not because I don't believe in our guys - I do! - but because I try to be a realist. It's best for my blood pressure. I was praying we were going to be competitive and see a good game.

And we did. Well, we saw half of it. Let's just say crutches and recovering from surgery aren't exactly conducive to watching football. At least not in person. 

We made it to halftime but watched (with eyes half opened at times) from home and, y'all, I was literally kneeling on the floor in prayer at one point. But you know what?

Art Briles and company knocked off the #5 Sooners!!!

And the fans rushed the field...

This was a huge team effort, friends, but we all know who the Heisman candidate is, right?

And then on Sunday the #1 Lady Bears hosted the #2 Lady Irish for the Preseason WNIT Championship.

And. We. Won.

I mean, seriously, can it get any better? And did I mention our men's basketball team (No. 9) beat San Diego State last week as well?

It's almost more than my competitive little heart can handle.

But, given my Louisiana heritage, is it really that surprising? I mean, there's another Louisiana native at Baylor who's a bit competitive as well...

Happy Monday, friends, and Sic 'em Bears!!!!

A New Chapter

Today is the the one I've been dreading since April 25. The one I anticipated would bring me to my knees, tears to my eyes and pain all over again.

It has not.

This was the year I summed up in one word - revival - as it began and was absolutely certain it would bring joy, peace and an easy season for our family.

It has not.

My feelings since that numbing day a bit over six months ago have run the gamut - anger, laughter, grief, joy, despair, peace... I have been positive for months all those feelings would collide today.

They have not.

What I feel today is peace. Joy. Hope. Anticipation. It is true that what we should be doing today is welcoming a new member into our family here on earth.

But we are not.

I have no idea why it was not to be. I have no answers to many of the questions I've asked, cried, begged and pleaded with Him for...

And that's ok...

In fact, it's more than ok. Because this year has brought about many things and, much to the devil's dismay, one of those things truly has been revival.

My marriage is stronger. The way we love each other is more passionate. My parenting comes with more understanding (most of the time). And we try our best not to take any day for granted. Each is a gift.

I have been, for the most part, proud of our little family and how we have weathered this storm. That's not to say we haven't fallen, stumbled or had bad days. But we have gotten back up, dusted ourselves off, moved forward and made the choice not to let this experience define us.

So what I actually feel today is that it is, in fact, the end of a chapter. A very special chapter I, for one, will never forget. One that made me question everything around me, including my faith in One who works all things together for the good.

While I still do not understand, I have learned firsthand that He is near those who mourn. Even when grief and sadness cloud our judgment and we cannot feel His presence.

There was also a period of time when I felt He had backed away. I know, without a doubt, He never left me but I do believe He was giving me a choice. I could either continue to seek Him - without every concrete answer I begged for - or I could choose to be angry. And it would have eaten me alive.

So today we close the chapter. We look ahead. With great anticipation that He has infinitely more wonderful things in store than we could ask or imagine. And, with gratefulness, I now know the following passage to be true. To my very core.

I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.

Philippians 4:12

He is the answer. The only one that matters...

Taking Care of Daddy...

...right after surgery...

...is exhausting, time consuming and requires attention to detail...

...lots of snuggling...

...loads of cuteness...

...and dedication to the task at hand...

And, of course, the ability to swoop in on an instant's notice and gather any and all crumbs dropped from Daddy's plate. It's a rough job but someone has to do it.

There just may be a future in nursing for our baby boy.

Or a crumb collector. Whichever comes available first.

Attitude Adjustment

Let me start this post by acknowledging I'm in serious need of an attitude adjustment. Though the intelligent thing to do, in this situation, may be to refrain from blogging, I really just feel like getting it out of my system.

You've been warned, friends... :-)

So here's the thing...I'm tired. I'm cranky. I'm tired of watching my man hurt. I'm currently in the middle of the week I've been dreading since we found out our baby was gone on April 25. And to top it off, there has been a tragedy in the Waco community I truly cannot get out of my mind. Add in some seriously annoying things that keep happening this week and you will find me with a very heavy heart.

On Sunday evening, my Facebook timeline was filled with people mourning the loss of a friend who had gone to be with the Lord following a car accident. He left behind a wife and infant daughter. While this would be tragic regardless of who the person was, I learned yesterday it was someone my co-workers and I met at Baylor Line Camp in July.

We had dinner together and chatted on and off throughout the long evening. An incredibly nice guy. A relatively recent grad. A man who told us all about his beautiful wife and precious baby girl. And now he's gone.

He was actually in some of the photos I took that night but it feels odd to share them at this point. I absolutely did not know him well but I cannot imagine having my man abruptly ripped out of my life. In an instant. Or having a baby to raise who may not remember the father who adored her.

Of course, this time last year I also couldn't imagine having a precious baby go to heaven before I did either....

All that to say that we truly aren't promised tomorrow. And though I should be seizing the moment with this fresh reminder, all I really want to do is sit down and sob.

While I'm 100% certain that has a lot to do with Friday looming ahead (that's another post for another day), the fact of the matter is that people's lives are being turned upside down each and every day. Those we know. Those we don't. Those we meet in passing and assume we'll see another day.

And that's really hit me afresh this week. Things we find unthinkable happen all the time. And I certainly hope I'll be more cognizant of that moving forward and enjoy my peeps - and all those He puts in my path - a little more instead of rushing straight on through to the next task.

And Then It Was Tuesday

The days since Friday have been a bit of a blur but the good news is that Tonto came through surgery well,  it was rather uneventful and he's actually pretty self-reliant for someone who's currently on crutches.

This was actually before surgery instead of after as one might initially believe. He told me he "needed a nap."  :-)

Though he went in for a meniscus repair, it actually wasn't torn after all. He did, however, have a great deal of unstable and floating cartilage (hello, second surgery that was a complete fail) that needed to be removed. The underside of his kneecap was also rough again due to bone on bone rubbing before he got the synthetic cartilage injection in March.

So he's on crutches until he feels it can withstand weight but no set timetable. We'll just have to see how it goes. And although he is doing well, he's still in a lot of pain. More like the first surgery than the second, which was relatively painless given what he'd been living within in the months and years before.

All that to say that I would really appreciate it if you would pray for my man. He's a tough guy but I don't like watching him suffer. And all of the rainy weather and fronts coming in don't help. At all.

We are praising God for a favorable outcome with the realization that a knee replacement is in his future at some point. Right now he's way too young for that to be a viable discussion but it is the eventual conclusion. Until then, he'll be getting those lovely injections :-)

Happy Tuesday, friends!

Puppy Love

Guess who wanted to say hello?!?!

And big sister too!!!

Perkie, as usual, fled as soon as the camera made an appearance but just pretend this is her instead of another adorable pic of Sir Rambo. :-)

So we learned this morning that Tonto will report for surgery at 9:30am tomorrow. We've been eagerly anticipating the time but they apparently don't provide that information until the day before. Which totally makes sense because it's not like some people live over an hour from the hospital and have children whose schedules need to be worked out in advance...

Oh wait, yes there are...

Anyway, we are grateful the time was set and are looking forward to getting this over with and moving on to the next adventure on the list. Personally, I would give a lot for anesthesia-induced sleep and eight weeks off work. Even if it was due to surgery. :-)

I'll be back next week with what are sure to be some funny photos of Tonto. As many times as we've done this, you would think it would be old hat but it's still my man. Who I will make fun of regardless of surgery. Because he would totally do the same to me :-)

Homecoming 2011

Baylor Homecoming was this past weekend and was, as usual, an amazing time. I must admit to not going all out this year. We didn't even attend the parade.

I know, I know, but it had been a really long week and the girl asked if she could sleep in and have Shipley's for breakfast. We had also planned to watch the parade while eating said breakfast but she wasn't awake in time. It is on our DVR, though, so there's that...

We also didn't attend Bonfire because we were at the Midway football game. We did, however, show up at the stadium bright and early to set up our tent in the very windy conditions. In honor of the LSU/'Bama showdown - GEAUX TIGERS! - we had jambalaya and red beans. It was sooooo good, y'all. Totally hit the spot :-)

March of the Bears was extra festive this time. I even got high fives from RG3, Big Griff and Ahmad Dixon. I may never was that hand again...ok, totally kidding - I washed it shortly after but still...

After stuffing ourselves with the yummy Cajun food, we headed inside to catch the tail end of warm ups and the band's pregame show. Coach Art Briles even stepped up his game for this special occasion and donned a Vegas gold pullover instead of his traditional white. Step back, CAB!

BUGWB!

New for this game but the ginormous traveling camera that was rigged with cables from a number of light poles. As the ball kept sailing through them during kickoffs, I wondered what would happen if it actually hit one of the cables. Interference by an inanimate object? :-)

The alumni band was on hand to do "script Baylor."

And my girl and her friend got their faces painted. Funny story #1 - the girl's friend dropped her phone onto the field while trying to film the players running out of the tunnel. One of the freshmen who's redshirting this year picked it up and kept running to the sideline. The girls finally retrieved the phone shortly before the end of the game but, let me tell you, that video is priceless. He had no idea he was being recorded for a good 5-7 minutes.

Cheeseballs...

Why do they think this is funny?

After much gnashing of teeth, wondering if the officials had a nice trip from Missouri to Waco (we were playing Mizzou), biting my fingernails, and not watching most of the game (I was bad luck - every time I looked something went terribly awry), we went into our prevent defense and allowed them to score once more so we could get the ball back.

AND WE WON!!!!

We were, in fact, on the 10 yard line and could have scored again but Coach Briles is all about not crushing people's spirits. I said I like him - not that we agreed on every point of the game! :-)

Funny story #2 - my girl came running toward the car after the game and presented us with her new prized possession - one of Kendall Wright's game gloves. She is still absolutely beside herself. You see, he gives them away every game and he threw one to her at the last home game but it slipped out of her hands. A little boy grabbed it and ran with it.

Well, this time, a little boy caught it and ended up giving it to Taylor because he saw how much she wanted it. So she spent the ride home watching the funny video on her friend's phone and marveling at how large Kendall's hands are...she clearly did not expect him to wear an extra large. :-)

It was a delightful evening and I'm so happy my parents were there with us while Tonto was working. Only a few more days of work for him, though, as surgery is just around the corner. That's another post for another day, though.

Happy Wednesday, friends :-)