What's Up Wednesday: May 2018

I'm linking up with Sheaffer Told Me To The Larson Lingo and Mix and Match Mama for What's Up Wednesday today.

What We're Eating This Week

We celebrated all of those who fought for our freedom over the weekend by eating a huge amount of chips, dips, carbs and sugar, as any good American should, of course. Since then, which if you're counting is exactly one full day, I've been trying to eat better. In the last few weeks, I've been eating a lot of avocados. "We" have not, as none of my people will eat them. In fact, I asked my husband to pick a couple up at the grocery store this week and he had to ask someone to help him find them. I'm eating them in salads and in this smoothie, but mainly I'm eating them for breakfast smashed on top of a fried egg and sprinkled with Trader's Joe's Everything but the Bagel Seasoning. PS That photo is so sad. I can't imagine why I haven't been hired to write a cookbook.

What I'm Reminiscing About

Last night Drew and I got to watch our varsity baseball team win a nail-bitter of a play-off game with a walk off in the bottom of the 7th by a kiddo we've watched play since he was five years old. I imagine my incessant chatter about youth and high school sports might get old, but in reality it comes less from my love of a particular game and more from my love of the people these teams have brought into our lives. So, I'm reminiscing today about seasons past where friends became family and my littlest guy ended up having the chance to cheer for and look up to way more than two big brothers.

What I'm Loving

The under eye area of my face is of particular concern right now, so suffice it to say that I'm not loving it. To be honest, there are many, many "particulars" concerning me on my face right now. However, I keep thinking my mascara is running and am realizing that lo and behold those are dark circles, not mascara. *sigh* Anyway, I heard about Tarte Shape Tape Concealer recently and the reviews are crazy good, so I bought it yesterday. Perhaps it's a stretch to say that I am loving it yet, since I've used it exactly once. I suppose I love the idea of it and hope it will meet my very lofty expectations.

What We've Been Up To

Well, it is spring, so we've had lots of baseball and basketball in the last few weeks. After 5:00 pm almost any day of the week, you'll find me at Drew's middle school baseball games, at the high school varsity baseball games of my many non-biological sons, and/or at Kyle's summer league basketball games. I could not be happier to be racing from the field to the gym and back again. I am my best self when I'm in the bleachers using all my jedi mind tricks to affect the outcome of a game. I have come to know that I am made for such a time as the Spring sports season.

What I'm Dreading

I'm not dreading anything. Summer is almost here and I don't have to make many more lunches. What's to dread?

What I'm Working On

I have a devotional on Gideon due to the writing team at my church next week and I'm going to be honest and let you know that I'm going to need to do a little research first. For some reason, my Vacation Bible School education seems to have been void of this story. I think I'll start with googling "WHO IS GIDEON?". Based on my initial search it seems that Gideon was musical?

Friends, let this serve as a reminder to all my readers that I love Jesus and I love the Bible and I love my faith and I certainly love to share it here, but I ain't no Bible Scholar. For me, there is always more to learn.

What I'm Excited About

Joe, my oldest son, who is home from his first year of college is starting an internship this summer with the National Journalism Center which will have him working at a DC radio station on the morning show which runs 5:00 am - 9:00 am. I'm so excited about this opportunity for him, and also I will not be making him breakfast.

What I'm Watching

Add caption

Joe and I started watching Arrested Development earlier this week. I've been told many times over the years that I would like it, but have never seen it.

Steve and I are still trudging through The Americans, but I have decided that I have lost any shred of feeling I ever had for every single character on that show, so Steve might finish that one without me. Dear Elizabeth and Phillip, you gotta give me something. Is there any redeeming quality in either of you? Anything? I think nyet.

What I'm Reading

I received The Royal We over the weekend, so I promptly put down The Brothers K - which it turns out is good, but really, really long - and started it. So far it is just as delightful as I expected. I think I'll finish this one quickly.

What I'm Listening To

I know I mentioned Reckless Love by Cory Asbury a few weeks ago, but I am still pressing repeat on this one over and over. Goodness gracious, I love this song.

What I'm Wearing

Finally, it's warm enough to run outside, so I'm definitely wearing a lot of running shorts and shirts lately. I recently got this Nike top which has a cute split back. I posted a funny story about these crazy running shoes on my Instagram page a couple of weeks ago, and now I might be having some regrets that I didn't buy them. I did buy these. While they are certainly boring by comparison, they are awesome for my 49 year old feet. 

What I'm Doing This Weekend

One kid has an out of town baseball tournament, one kid has an in town basketball tournament and I imagine one kid will be sleeping all weekend trying to recover from having to start his workday at 4:00 am.

What I'm Looking Forward To Next Month

School's out, the pools open, someone I love a lot has a big birthday and that same someone and I are taking a weekend trip to Nashville. June is my jam.

What Else Is New

I am the director of a program for Kyle's Kamp, a pediatric cancer organization which raises money for Children's National Medical Center in DC for research and patient care called Dreams Games. High School Sports teams pick one of their home games to dedicate to the cause of pediatric cancer, they raise money, and they host a pediatric cancer patient as a special guest. It is such a joy to watch these games unfold. Certainly, the funds raised are amazing, but the relationships formed by the players, coaches, and patients are the very best part. This season our participating teams raised almost $20,000. And more importantly, kids like Solomon - a 2 year old fighting neuroblastoma - got to forget their daily fight for a bit and become the star of the show.

Bonus Question: What is your favorite Summer Salad?

We do a lot of grilling out and BBQ in the summer and probably at least once a week, I put together this cole slaw salad. There are no precise measurements. I just throw it all together and people lose their minds over it. 

1 bag of coleslaw mix

A bunch of sliced red grapes

A bunch of sliced green onions

A bunch of chopped walnuts 

Bottled Poppyseed dressing

Mix it up.

That's all, Folks! Have a great Wednesday!

Disclosure: The View From Behind Home Plate is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affliate advertising program designed to provide a means to earn small fees by linking to amazon.com.

5 Friday Favorites: May 25, 2018

Happy Friday, Friends. 

It's time for my Friday link up with A Little Bit of Everything, Grace and Love, and Momfessionals. 

Here are some of my favorite things from this week.

1. The Royal We: A Novel

I promise I'm going to stop thinking about the Royal Wedding soon. Like maybe tomorrow. Or next week. Or next month. I know I had heard about the book, The Royal We by Heather Cocks & Jessica Morgan a long while ago, but then I heard it mentioned on two different podcasts last week. Here's the synopsis from Amazon:

American Bex Porter was never one for fairy tales. Her twin sister Lacey was always the romantic, the one who daydreamed of being a princess. But it's adventure-seeking Bex who goes to Oxford and meets dreamy Nick across the hall - and Bex who finds herself accidentally in love with the heir to the British throne. 

WHAAAT? I'm utterly confused as to why I haven't read a book such as this that was made for a time such as last week. Let's just call that a Major Life Fail. As soon as this arrives in my mailbox, I will put aside all other reading material.

2. Can't Stop, Won't Stop: Royal Wedding Aftermath

If you know me at all, you would have guessed that when Bishop Curry started talking, it took all my willpower not to jump out of my chair, wave my hankie around and shout "Hallelujah". Then I saw the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop interviewed after the wedding together and I've decided there has been no better duo in all the world since Bo and Luke Duke. I absolutely cannot get enough of these two and I want them to start a podcast together. These several minutes are well worth your time.



Also, one more thing about the Royal Wedding. Have you seen this? People on the internet with lots of time on their hands can at times be clear evidence that Satan is real, but other times are straight up DELIGHTFUL.

Wait. Actually, one more thing. I'm serious this time. This is the last thing I'll post about the wedding. Scout's Honor. My friend, Sandy, sent me this.

You're welcome. 

3. Summer Sun Essentials

I don't know if you've heard, but apparently the sun isn't great for you. I can't imagine why my 1980s summers spent monitoring my position on my pool towel every 15 minutes as if I was training to be some sort of Olympic Tanning Champion turned out so poorly, but here we are. Now, I spend an enormous amount of time searching for the Fountain of Youth which has got to be on the shelves at Sephora somewhere. This Mixed Weave Sun Hat from Sole Society might have saved me from this never-ending quest. This would be so cute this summer and should meet all your SPF needs at the baseball park, the lake, or the beach. I'm not sure it can hold as many snacks as Camilla's hat, but it's worth a shot and also it's on sale.

While I was on the Sole Society site I also spotted this beach tote on sale. It's adorable. I generally buy my beach totes at Old Navy because I don't want anything that I spent more than $20 on near sand or water, but this would be cute all summer long. It comes in three patterns and I love them all.

I also saw these cute espadrille flip flops on Sole Society's website on sale and they come in a ton of different colors and patterns.

In full disclosure, I haven't ever purchased anything from Sole Society. I just saw that all of these cute items were on sale and felt it important that you know about them. These are things - along with a photo of a duchess wearing a Subway platter on her head - that I feel compelled to share with you, dear reader. No one knows why and it's best not to overthink it.

4.  Tequila Sunrise Mimosa Recipe

We made these Tequila Sunrise Mimosas (recipe from delish.come) for our Royal Wedding celebration. 

I know. I even said Scout's Honor when I promised not to mention it again. Here's the thing. I never was a Girl Scout. What do you want from me?

These were really good.

Orange wedges, for rim

Sugar, for rimming glass

Tequila

Orange Juice

Champagne
Grenadine

We poured each one individually in order: 1/2 oz. of tequila (recipe called for 1 oz. per drink, but calm down, people. We are not lushes.), then champagne, then orange juice, then a splash of grenadine. We didn't measure out the champagne, oj or grenadine. We just poured until the glass was full. Also, we skipped rimming the glasses with orange wedges and sugar because it was 6:00 AM and I'm just a commoner and didn't have any servants to cut up an orange.

5. A Brief for the Defense
by Jack Gilbert

I wrote about our ridiculously frivolous and yet purely joyful and necessary Royal Wedding party here this week. In the midst of reading tweets and commentaries on the spectacle that was Meghan and Harry's Big Day, I came across this poem. I think it's just beautiful and perfectly resonates with what I was getting at in that post. 

A Brief For The Defense
Sorrow everywhere. Slaughter everywhere. If babies
are not starving someplace, they are starving
somewhere else. With flies in their nostrils.
But we enjoy our lives because that’s what God wants.
Otherwise the mornings before summer dawn would not
be made so fine. The Bengal tiger would not
be fashioned so miraculously well. The poor women
at the fountain are laughing together between
the suffering they have known and the awfulness
in their future, smiling and laughing while somebody
in the village is very sick. There is laughter
every day in the terrible streets of Calcutta,
and the women laugh in the cages of Bombay.
If we deny our happiness, resist our satisfaction,
we lessen the importance of their deprivation.
We must risk delight. We can do without pleasure,
but not delight. Not enjoyment. We must have
the stubbornness to accept our gladness in the ruthless
furnace of this world. To make injustice the only
measure of our attention is to praise the Devil.
If the locomotive of the Lord runs us down,
we should give thanks that the end had magnitude.
We must admit there will be music despite everything.
We stand at the prow again of a small ship
anchored late at night in the tiny port
looking over to the sleeping island: the waterfront
is three shuttered cafés and one naked light burning.
To hear the faint sound of oars in the silence as a rowboat
comes slowly out and then goes back is truly worth
all the years of sorrow that are to come.
 Have a lovely Memorial Day Weekend, Friends!

Disclosure: The View From Behind Home Plate is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affliate advertising program designed to provide a means to earn small fees by linking to amazon.com.

In Thanks for a Gratuitously Abundant Life

The Royal Wedding happened last week. I'm not sure you heard about it. ;-)

If you've read here in the last few weeks, you know that I was beside myself with irrational anticipation. My friends and I planned a viewing party complete with an array of fascinators for attendees to wear, mimosas, blueberry scones, tea, and good ol' American Starbucks coffee. We decorated with photos of the Royal Family and I laced tulle around the doorway. We woke up early and we crept down to my basement so as not to wake the dumb ol' boys and watched every second.

Sure, it was utter nonsense. Sure, we don't know the bride and groom at all. Sure, lots of marriages - especially those that are thrust into the spotlight 24/7 - end in divorce. Sure, the amount of money spent on the flowers and dresses and the cake and the whole entire thing could be considered shamefully excessive.

There is always talk when these events occur from a number of people about how silly it is that we might focus so much attention on frivolity and pomp and circumstance when all around us tragedy, pain, and suffering abound.

This admonishment that we should not find joy when others suffer so much could have, in my past, made me feel a measure of guilt and embarrassment for finding happiness in small things. I had and still do at times have a tendency to temper enthusiasm or even gratitude for daily blessings because others are suffering.

But, I've grown up a bit now and hey, guess what?

In the midst of reading all the fun tweets and all the Debbie Downer tweets over the weekend, I spotted this one from someone named Linda Holmes:

Please, please don't be that person who lectures that if you take a moment to enjoy anything, you've apparently forgotten all the pain in the world. All joy takes place at the same time as all tragedy. If you've ever had fun, you've done it while people suffer. It's not a contest.

Say it louder for the people in the back, Linda.

There is and has always been good and bad in the world. Hope and fear. Crushing defeat and exhilarating triumph. Every day, all at the same time. And it is true that the God I worship has never once told me that He promised us a world of ease and comfort, of crowns adorned with jewels and of googly-eyed romance. Not one time.

Jesus tells me in John 10:10 that the thief comes to steal and to kill and to destroy. Yes, he sure does. We've seen it and we've felt it . . . in school shootings, in broken marriages, in cancer diagnosis, and in shocking, untimely deaths of friends and family. And we are called to hold the broken close and to grieve with those who grieve.

But here's the second part of that verse about the thief which is as important as the first: I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. (ESV)

During the week of the royal wedding, we marked the anniversary of a dear friend's death. His wife and children still reel from the shocking loss of him as do his neighbors and friends. I have three close friends fighting cancer at this very moment. One of my friends buried her father this weekend. One of my friends is helping her husband navigate the fear and sorrow of caring for her mother-in-law who has dementia. One of my friends is basically holding her breath through the next few weeks of graduation festivities because cancer stole her son before he could get his diploma.

My people and me? We know pain and fear and heartache. We know that the thief lurks out there waiting for us. But, we also know the love and hope and comfort of a good God who wants us to have an abundant life. A life full of compassion and empathy and also of joy and dancing. He sees us in our pain and He sees how we are working to help each other through it. He sees how we are trudging into dark places and holding a hand and crying a tear.

Am I telling you that I heard the voice of the Lord say, "Here you go, loves. Here's a handsome and charming British prince and here's a stunningly beautiful American woman. They love each other and they're going to get married. Take a minute and enjoy."?

Nah. I didn't.

Maybe that's not what He said. But my girls and I believe in hope and love and beauty and fun and laughter in the midst of a broken and bleeding world. We set our alarms and we got together in the early hours of a Saturday morning to drink champagne and eat scones and gasp at a beautiful sparkling tiara trailed by perfect delicate veil. We giggled at the little pageboys and girls. We listened to the pastor flat out BRING THE WORD and speak of love overcoming all things.

The amount of time and effort and thought I put into that morning? It was quite abundant, if you will. And, I suppose it could have been considered straight-up nonsense and even embarrassingly gratuitous. Interestingly, I found two definitions of the word "gratuitous" today. One defines it as uncalled for or unwarranted. And another defines it as given freely, without charge.

Hmm. Well, isn't that the definition of this life the Savior gave to me? Free and without charge. I'll take that second definition, thank you very much.

The Lord gave my friends and me hands and hearts that are free to hold both sorrow and joy at the same time. We have the ability to love and grieve at the same time. We have the ability to laugh and cry at the same time. We're talented like that. ;-)

So, thank you darling Duke and Duchess of Sussex. You brought us some abundant, gratuitous joy and we opened our hands to take it when we could, knowing that we would soon after fold those same hands in prayer for the broken.

And, thank you sweet Jesus, that this is the essence of the life you came to give every one of us. It's beauty and brutality all at once. It's confusion and understanding all at once. It is a life bursting with abundance. I am so grateful for every last bit of it.

5 Friday Favorites: May 18, 2018

Happy Friday, Friends!

It's time for my Friday link up with A Little Bit of Everything, Grace and Love, and Momfessionals. 

Here are some of my favorite things from this week.

1. Harry and Meghan Lifetime Special

It's been raining here for about 532 days in a row. Yesterday morning it was pouring, so I thought it was the perfect time to stay in my pajamas until noon, do some laundry and watch Harry and Meghan: A Royal Romance on Lifetime. And also I'm preparing for this wedding like it's my job, so let's not pretend I wouldn't have done that if I had no laundry to do and it wasn't raining. Was the great majority of the movie completely cheesy, embellished and probably straight up nonsense? Yes. Were there a number of lines that made me cringe/eye roll/hide my face in embarrassment? Yes. Did I cry at the end and decide that Harry and Meghan were pretty much my very best friends? Um, yes.

Also, I had to endure a commercial about 17 times where Katherine Heigel, who used to have a sweet gig as Izzy on Grey's Anatomy until she apparently made everyone on the show mad, decides that massive chandelier earrings and a gold evening gown are the perfectly appropriate attire in which to sell the viewing audience some cat litter.

And the last thing I'll say about the Lifetime special is that I also decided on my next Friday Favorite soley based on that movie. Proceed.

2. OPI Alpine Snow Nail Polish 

Poor distraught Fake Meghan has just realized that she's made a massive mistake in breaking up with Harry and she will now race to the airport and convince some random airport attendant to stop his plane from taking off. As you do, of course. This little bit of fiction is not what peaked my interest in this particular scene. It's the nail polish.

I don't know if Alpine Snow is what Fake Meghan is wearing here or if Real Meghan is going to wear this color nail polish tomorrow, but I can tell you that I found it at Target yesterday and it's going to match my navy and white pjs and brand new wedding fascinator courtesy of the Lovely and Talented Mrs. C. perfectly.

Also if you're wondering if my boys are finding me very confusing and difficult to live with this week as I keep moving the channel from ESPN to Lifetime and the BBC, the answer is yes and also, what comes around goes around, jokers.

3. Trader Joe's Everything but the Bagel Seasoning

My family has fallen in love with this seasoning from Trader Joe's. You can put it on anything. I've put it on scrambled eggs, on avocado toast, on popcorn and on the cream cheese on my bagel which seems really dumb, but it's awesome. I find that sadly not everyone has a Trader Joe's in their town, so the great news is I found this stuff on Amazon right here and if you have Prime you can get tomorrow. The internet is a wonder, y'all.

PS And also a rip-off. This stuff only costs $1.99 at Trader Joe's, so while it's awesome, I'm not sure it's worth the $6.00 price tag at Amazon.

4. Hello Mornings by Kat Lee

I've had this book, Hello Mornings by Kat Lee, for a number of months now and I might have even mentioned it on the blog before. I just started reading it again because of a decision I made last week to get up 30 minutes earlier than I had been in order to foster a habit to make my day run more smoothly. That means 5:30 am for me. I love sleep. I'm actually really, really good at sleeping. It's really annoying to my husband. There is no doubt though that getting up earlier and maintaining a routine last week made every day better. I really need a lot of time alone in the morning before my people get up to pray, to write, to come up with the day's schedule . . . all of the things. I know I won't do this everyday, but I think it's worth a shot. Here are a few passages from the book that I've highlighted so far (and I've only read two chapters):

*How do we live wildly, bravely, and exceptionally in the midst of the ordinary? We do it by living with wild, exceptional excellence in the small things, remembering that the habits we foster and the character we build along with the way are the heart of our greatest triumphs. 

*Decide that who you are becoming is more important than what you have to do to get there. (paraphrased) 

*I've learned to wake up for my life instead of just to my life.

Really good stuff here, right? I'm looking forward to reading more . . . perhaps very early in the morning. :-)

5. When Your Husband Goes to a Conference in Dallas the Week Before Mother's Day

I was lucky to get this hat as a gift on Sunday because Steve just so happened to be in the DFW airport two days before Mother's Day. And since, as I mentioned, it has rained every day this week, I've been wearing it a ton. If Texas Forever is not your thing, first of all, I'll keep you in my prayers ;-) and second, you can find a lot of other cute trucker hats by Katydid here.


Well, that's it for this week. I have to go look up a recipe for Tequila Sunrise Mimosas now. I hope you enjoy the Royal Wedding immensely tomorrow. You can rest assured that some of my girls and I will be annoying the fire out of my boys as we gather here to watch the festivities at 6:00 am, critique every single person's attire, try to be the first to point out Elton John, and scan the crowd to see if any of Harry's exes show up.

If you're one of those Debbie Downers (see Steve, Joe, Kyle, and Drew Skinner) who think it's all a bunch of trivial nonsense then by all means, carry on with your super-important, non-frivolous weekend agenda. Have a blast. We're going to bask in the bloody foolishness for as long as we can. Cheerio, Friends!

Disclosure: The View From Behind Home Plate is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affliate advertising program designed to provide a means to earn small fees by linking to amazon.com.

That Time I Missed The BonJovi Concert, Mother's Day & Other Happenings

Hey, Friends.

I don't have a whole lot of excitement to tell you about from the past week, but I feel itchy when I don't write so I'm taking a little time at the keyboard today. The most important event that happened this week is, in reality, a thing that didn't happen at all and it's still haunting me.

I didn't go to Bon Jovi on Monday night when he was here in DC for the last stop on his tour.

"You, like, cannot be serious, like, can you?", my 17 year old spiral-permed-self says in disbelief. "So, like, what, like, happened? Where, like, were you? You weren't at, like, a baseball game or in a basketball gym, like, AGAIN, were you?"

It will be necessary for me to stay off of "the socials" for the rest of the week because I have lots of (former) friends who went and it's as if everyone and her sister has gone directly to Facebook and has been relentlessly "BONJOVI!!!" - ing at me for days. There are photos of pure happiness and videos of Jon singing all my favorite songs and pictures of girls drinking margaritas before the concert at Rosa Mexicano across the street from the Verizon Center. Or maybe it's called Capital One Arena. Or maybe the Enormous Random Corporation Bowl. I don't even know. As far as I'm concerned, it's called "The Place Where Jenn Skinner Wasn't". I haven't missed his stop in DC in the last five tours. I'm certain Jon was looking for me everywhere.

My 17 year old self is like totally shaking her head so furiously now that her chip clip is about to fly out. She's already alarmed that I ended up with some guy who is like, what is it again? Like, a business consultant? Whaaa? I mean if I didn't marry Jon, I could have at least married some guy named Tommy that used to work on the dock. And now to know that I didn't even go to the concert when Jon was in my general vicinity is, like, gonna make 17 year old Jenn totally have a cow.

Let's just move on.

I actually spent Monday evening watching this kid play basketball and if you want to know the truth that means that as of today I have watched this kid play five basketball games in the past three days and I've got another one to go tonight. As much as I have enjoyed spending so many Mother's Days over the years on the baseball field, I could not have loved being in the gym watching this one play more. And honestly that even includes when I watched him on Monday night with Jon singing "Wanted Dead or Alive" just miles down the road.

17 year old me just rolled her eyes, said, "Gag me with a spoon. I'm gonna totally barf." and left to curl her bangs.

Anyway, it was very exciting as there was a moment on Saturday when the game was tied with 8 seconds left and Kyle made the winning shot just before the buzzer sounded right over a guy who'd been smack-talking for most of the game. I actually for once in my life captured it on video which is awesome except for the fact that the video also recorded my very measured response cackling and cheering like a demented psycho after the ball went in the basket. I sent my sister the video and she sent this back to me.

It's important to have people in your life who'll call you on your crazy.

Let's move on.

In other news, Joe's home from college and this is his hamper.

Let's move on.

Speaking of having Joe home, since he is my movie buddy, we went to see The Avengers: Infinity Wars with the understanding that I can pick the next movie we see. Let me tell you about The Avengers. Do not fear because I can't spoil it for you because this is how I feel about that movie.

Why so many superheroes? Just. So. Many. I can't keep track of them all which causes me to ask about 700 questions and I'm sure that was super fun for Joe. When 17 year old Jenn went to the movies, she would prop her doubled layered socks and Keds up on the seat in front of her and only needed one superhero and one bad guy. Now 49 year old Jenn is watching a movie where every single person on the screen turns into a superhero. So, I'm feeling like an old geezer because after awhile you realize that there are multiple people who can start shooting lasers out of some area of his/her body at any moment. And really, if you've seen one girl wearing a knit cap hanging out next to a kabob place turn her hands into Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer killer light bulbs, then really haven't you seen them all?

Let's move on.

I did have a nice Mother's Day. Since my husband is really on top of things and made a reservation the day before, we got the coveted 4:00 pm slot for dinner at an amazing restaurant at the Georgetown Harbor. The boys were just as tickled about this as you can imagine since that meant they would miss the Celtics playoff game at 3:30 pm. Unfortunately, there was not a seniors early bird discount for MawMaw and PawPaw and their three sons, but it was really good food and a great atmosphere.

As I told the boys after we ate, the silver lining of having an early dinner was that all the shops in Georgetown would still be open so that we could make our way up M Street so that we could do some shopping. You can imagine how excited they all were about this. That's why I took this special photo of their utter joy as they practically sprinted up the street so that they could get back to the car to hear the end of the game on the radio to get to their beloved mom's favorite store, Anthropologie.

Unfortunately, the Anthropologie was closed for renovations. I felt like this was a total bummer for all of us, so that's why it was weird when I'm pretty sure I saw Steve and all the boys react like this:

Seriously, though, they were all really good sports about the whole thing. In the end, I got to do almost all of my favorite things which mostly include hanging out with my guys. It's been a great week having everyone home.

I know sometimes we mamas set ourselves up for really high expectations for Mother's Day weekend and sometimes our humans don't always meet them. I also know that sometimes Mother's Day Weekend is painful for all kinds of reasons for many women. No matter what, I hope you had a peaceful weekend and that your May is going well. And if not, I'll just leave you this.

Shot through the heart, right? You're welcome.

Have a great Wednesday!

5 Friday Favorites: May 11, 2018

Happy Friday, Friends!

It's time for my Friday link up with A Little Bit of Everything, Grace and Love, and Momfessionals. 

Here are some of my favorite things from this week.


1. SARTO Espadrille Wedges

Dear Universe (and/or husband and/or oldest son who is the only one who ever clicks on this blog.),

I would like these espadrille wedges for Mother's Day.

Which is Sunday. That's two days from now.

Espadrille Wedges are a fancy way of saying shoes. And don't make that comment that you like to make that you're weren't aware that I had run out of shoes. Shoes are not like ziploc bags or toothpaste. Stop it.

Thank you and Good-bye.

2. Reckless Love by Cory Asbury

I heard lots of high praise for this song months ago and even heard Cory Asbury interviewed on a podcast where he talked about writing it. The first time I listened to it, I honestly didn't know what all the fuss was about. Then I heard it again last week on a day when I was filled with some pretty hefty worry and I immediately downloaded it and listened to it over and over. When God wants to reach your heart, He'll find a way and He'll get to you just at the time you need Him if you're open to receive His reckless love. It might be through a song, through a verse at the right time, through a well-timed text or through the glistening eyes of a friend choosing faith and light over fear and darkness. These lyrics make me cry my grateful eyes out.

There's no shadow You won't light up, no mountain You won't climb up, coming after me.

There's no wall You won't kick down, lie You won't tear down, coming after me.


3. The Brothers K by David James Duncan

I have had the novel, The Brothers K, on my to-read list for a few years and just hadn't gotten to it yet. Here's the synopsis from Amazon:

This touching, uplifting novel spans decades of loyalty, anger, regret, and love in the lives of the Chance family. A father whose dreams of glory on a baseball field are shattered by a mill accident. A mother who clings obsessively to religion as a ward against the darkest hour of her past. Four brothers who come of age during the seismic upheavals of the sixties and who each choose their own way to deal with what the world has become. 

The Lovely and Talented Mrs. C. , of my baseball mama posse, makes it a habit to choose a baseball-themed book at the start of each season and this season she chose this book. I just finished An American Marriage last weekend, so I jumped on The Brothers K, so that we could discuss it together. Speaking of baseball themed books, I also highly recommend The Art of Fielding if you are cuckoo for cocoa puffs about America's game like Mrs. C and I are.

4. The Happy Hour with Jamie Ivey
with Christine Caine

I have mentioned Jamie Ivey's podcast many, many times and there is not one episode that did not teach me something or make me want to stop the car and take notes. I could have transcribed huge parts of this interview with Christine Caine. (and you'll find below that I did.) It seems lately I hear bad news about someone special to me just about every few days and some days my faith is on shaky ground. I remember years ago fretting and sobbing and worrying about someone I loved to my mom on the phone and she stopped me cold by saying, "The question in all of this is, "Do you trust Him or do you not?" It is the ultimate question for every believer. I think Christine Caine drives that point home so powerfully here and I needed to hear this so badly this week.

"Jesus never said you're not going to have trials. He didn't say if trials come. He said, when. If we're going to freak out every time there is bad news or there is trouble or there is a negative diagnosis, then I wonder what our faith was really rooted in and grounded on anyway? Because trouble reveals what's in you. The scripture says in Hebrews that only those things that can be shaken, will be shaken, so that those things that cannot be shaken will remain. So, troubles reveal to you what you really believe about God. Are you looking for a God that you can control, or are you serving a God that you trust? You will never know until trials come . . . whether you trust God or whether you're trying to control God, so if you've built a god in your image whose only going to do all the good stuff and keep you safe, then I don't know what God you're serving, but it's not the God of the Bible. Because trials will come, suffering will come, but Jesus says in the midst of that, be of good cheer; in the midst of that He has overcome the world. And the same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead lives on the inside of me. Therefore I have the power of God living in me to respond to a negative diagnosis, to respond to the terror in our world . . . I am of no use to a lost and broken world if I'm gonna freak out in the same way as the world freaks out every time something happens."

-Christine Caine

Well now, y'all. That'll preach.

5. Princess Charlotte and her Baby Brother

and other Royal Happenings

What can I possibly even write about this photo of Princess Charlotte and little Louis? I can't handle it. The world is in desperate need of some happiness and celebration and the Royal Family is delivering. We are a week away from Harry and Meghan's wedding and my girls and I are so bloody excited about it we can barely stand it. I've got a plan for a Wedding PJ party in the works and The Lovely and Talented Mrs. C. is my official milliner. Check out the fascinator she made for me to go with my wedding attire.

She's not called talented for nothing, y'all. 

PS My writing is featured in a couple of different places online this week. I wrote a devotional about Lydia HERE and a tribute to all my baseball mamas (and every other mom who is her kid's first and best teammate) HERE.

Happy Harry and Meghan Week! A special shout-out to all the mamas especially those who have to carry their children in their hearts and not in their arms today. I've met so many of you and you remain the most loving and brave mamas I know. Have a wonderful weekend, Friends!

Disclosure: The View From Behind Home Plate is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affliate advertising program designed to provide a means to earn small fees by linking to amazon.com.