The View From Behind Home Plate: Tuesday that feels like a Monday Daybook: 5/29

Outside my window:
Hot, humid, sunshine...my kinda day.
I am thinking:
of the amazing work of a father and his family who found a mission when tragedy struck. The Kyle's Kamp Memorial Day Baseball Tournament to raise money for pediatric cancer set a goal of $250,000. As of this moment the First Giving site reports over $408,000 raised. My little boys played in the tournament and learned a heck of a lot more from it than how to swing the bat. Blessings, blessings, blessings.
I am thankful:
for a group of baseball families who have become part of my own over the course of 5 years that Joe has played on his travel baseball team. We played in our final Rehoboth Beach tournament this weekend together as many of the boys will move on to high school next year. Again, we have found much more than baseball knowledge during this experience. We have found friendship, support, loyalty and a heck of a lot of fun; go-karting, beaching, J. Crew outlet shopping (!) and eating seafood at long picnic tables with 30 people. It even makes the fact that one of those crabs I ate turned out to be all wrong and the fact that the 3 hour trip home turned into a 6 hour traffic-laden trip home worth it. Again...blessings, blessings, blessings.

And for more quality time with my first born...Bethany Beach, DE

In the kitchen:
there is some ground turkey waiting for me to come up with something else to turn it into besides tacos. Ideas? Anyone...anyone...Bueller?
I am wearing:
white and navy pjs.
I am wondering:
about how many of the projects I intended to accomplish when Drew started full day school in September can be accomplished before school gets out in 9 days. I'm not sure anything was crossed off the list.
I am reading:
Heaven is For Real by Todd Burpo.
I am hoping:
that someone who is building a life again will know deep in his heart this: that even in the midst of great struggle there is joy and hope and actual happiness that He has laid out for each one of us if we work diligently to notice it. I believe it with my whole heart. Each day, each hour even, if we take time to remember and know the proven character of our God, I think we will glimpse it even in some small place. He is constant and present; every day, every minute.
I am listening to:
Matt Lauer and some guy making cold soup which sounds disgusting to me. I'm not sophisticated enough for cold soup...at least at 8:00 in the morning.
On my IPod:
One Less Lonely Girl by Justin Bieber. I'm not even kidding. Just found out he'll be here in November and I will be adopted by Mrs. R. and her girls and I.AM.BEYOND.EXCITED. No, I really am not kidding. And yes, I know that I graduated from middle school a long time ago.
I am praying:
for my dad who has severe back pain and is weighing options to address it. Might you send a prayer up for him?
I am learning:
how much I missed my husband, my home and my own bathroom when I found myself lying on the cold tile floor of a Hampton Inn hotel bathroom after my stomach decided that one of those crabs I ate was not welcome in my body. Too much information? I'm also learning that blogging lends itself to my sharing too much...sorry. Also, learned that my 13 year old could sleep through anything.
A favorite quote for today:
"Are stress and worry evidence of a soul too lazy, too undisciplined, to keep gaze fixed on God?...Isn't joy worth the effort of trust? Because I kid no one: stress brings no joy." Ann Voskamp in One Thousand Gifts
Verse for today:
"I have come that they may have life and have it to the full" John 10:10b
One of my favorite things:

Baseball Mom Buddies (before the unfortunate seafood incident)

Around the house:
Monday and Tuesday chores all rolled into one FABULOUS day! Yay. So excited.

A peek into my day:

Welcome back summertime laundry...sandy beach towels, chlorine scented pool towels and boys who forget to hang up their wet swimsuits and instead throw them in with the rest of the laundry. It just smells delightful around here today.