November 11

The kids didn't have school today and the boys wanted to go to baseball day camp, so that's what they did.

I came to pick-up a few minutes early and watched them doing their thing. This is a pretty terrible image, but Brady is the boy holding the bat, and a few seconds later he whacked a wiffle ball and wound up on first base.

I just love watching them play. They clearly enjoy it and it helps with the whole 'ridiculous amounts of energy' thing. So for those blessings, I'm thankful.

November 10

It was, in many ways, an average Sunday. People (though not me; I wasn't feeling the greatest when I got up this morning) went to church, we visited Logan's grave, the boys went to baseball, and Adam and I took a few turns around the Sports Park. But this was a little unusual:

At one point during the early afternoon hours, when I was half watching an NFL game --and by half watching I mean I have no idea who was playing but was vaguely aware of the guys in colorful tights running across the TV screen-- Isaac and Brady trooped downstairs in matching outfits. Then they marched back upstairs and re-emerged with BearBear dressed in like-apparel. They announced that they'd be putting on a fashion show featuring BearBear and his buddies Little Bagger, Slime, and Chubacorn (and yeah, they're really, really good at naming stuffed animals), and that's just what they did.

I have no idea what inspired them, but it made me happy to see them enjoying themselves so much. So for that small thing, I'm grateful.

November 9

Somehow Nikki and I didn't get around to celebrating my birthday (which is in January) this year, and hers was last week, so we decided to do a double observation today with an extended coffee "date" and pedicures downtown.

It'd been (literally) months since our last get-together, which is absurd since we live two minutes apart, so I was happy to have the time with her. It was really, really nice to just sit and chat, and I headed home afterward feeling... happy. So for that and for her continued friendship --even if we don't see each other as often as we could-- I'm grateful.

November 8

Just a quick, simple one for today that's not unlike posts of the past. (Because it's mighty hard to be original when you've been doing this as long as I have.)

When I came downstairs this morning, I found Isaac and Brady on the couch like this. Granted they were playing different games on different devices, but they were doing it together. Given how often we don't spend time with people we love, it made me smile to see them enjoying a few moments of closeness.

November 7

Last night at TPC (aka the boys' baseball clinic), Brady was named baseball player of the month. I wasn't there when the honor was bestowed so I don't know exactly why he was chosen, but I'm sure respect and effort were qualifiers. They gave him a shirt, and he wore it to school today. Here he is:

I could tell when he got home that he was super pleased. And I could tell that Isaac was just as pleased for his little brother, even though he's older, arguably works harder, is a good, respectful student, and has never won the honor himself. It would've been easy --and understandable-- had he been jealous, but he wasn't. At all.

So today, I'm proud of both of them for being awesome people. And I'm grateful for the reminder that it's more important --and maybe even more rewarding-- to choose to celebrate one another than it is to win.

November 6

I was sitting at Starbucks this morning doing my usual Weekday Morning Thing when Stacy messaged me to see if I wanted to walk around the park. I needed the steps and I'm always down for some talk-time, so I packed up my computer and headed out. The funny thing is, that message and the walk that followed wouldn't have had a snowball's chance in the deep, deep south of happening two years ago.

Lest that sounds like a strange proclamation, I'll step back and explain. Abby and Stacy's daughter were really, really good friends in elementary school. Inseparable, in fact. Then there was a falling out, and us moms got involved. And it got really, really heated really, really quickly. And then poof, the girls were no longer buddies and Stacy and I no longer spoke. I wasn't proud of myself at the time, but I was in a bad place and didn't handle the situation well at all. Words are, after all, like the proverbial genie released from the bottle after thousands of years in captivity: once they're out, they're out. And mine were most definitely out.

Anyway, at some point a few years later, I think we both started to feel badly over what happened, and slowly, gradually, we both apologized for our roles in the drama that had transpired. And we moved forward. So today, I'm thankful for the gift of grace, which allows us to freely forgive one another for making mistakes. And for this tangible, real-life reminder that redemption is always a possibility.

November 5

I think I've mentioned it before but Brady would probably play every single sport if I let him. He's played baseball for quite a while now and last fall, I gave in and said he could try basketball. Since he liked it, we signed him up again to play this year, and tonight was his first practice.

I liked watching him as he skittered back and forth across the court and made shots and passed the ball. He may not be the best player ever, but he has a lot of hustle --even the coach told him so-- and even more heart. And I'm thankful for that heart and determination because God willing, they'll take him as far as he'd like to go.