36th Annunal Firecracker legion Baseball Tournie

Day 1

Two games today. In the first game at 10a, Conyers Post 77 pulled ahead of Troy Ohio's Post 43 with seven runs in the bottom of the 5th. However, they ended up losing 8-7. The second game at 2:30pm they were neck and neck with Jacksonville Post 283 and pulled up another 8-7 but this time as the victors.


Normally, I'm at the beach by now, but with two games so close together and not much fan support, it seemed like a good day to catch the action. So with a record of 1-1 so far, the Conyers boys seem good in individual play, but lack the ability to pull it together as team for smooth and confident play. They are also allowing what I would call some stale innings and have some limp fielding, but are able to generate enough energy to pull it out. Mr. Jeff is writing his own report for the Citizen, so I' thought I'd try to update my "readers" too! : )

Another day in paradise

Mr. Jeff is feeling better. He still has some lingering affects of "the bug from Binks" as he's referring to it.

Miss Annie is off watering the plants at the monastery I think.

Chloe is doing what she does on long summer afternoons, sleeping.

I'm doing laundry and taking care of little things that I haven't attended to in a few months.

Our air con is making a laughable attempt at keeping the heat at bay.

Heard from the boss yesterday evening before I left work. He was checking in to make sure all is well. And it's fine. I felt badly saying we're fine without him, but we're fine without him. He is doing well in Alaska, seeing a lot of things and I think sounded relaxed and in a good mood for the first time in a long time. Good for him, and that's good for us too : )

if you haven't see it yet, check out "that Catholic Show" it's wonderfully short, sweet and to the point. I'm looking forward to using it for our RCIA class as opening for discussion. Catch episodes 1-4 very excellent faith formation and very entertaining http://feeds.feedburner.com/ThatCatholicShow

Prayers please

Mr. Jeff is under the weather with a particularly vicious stomach virus.
Also for our youth minister who is ill today.
And for Miss B who is home healing.

Keep them in your prayers today please.

A lesson in perspective

Avalanche Ranch was closed out yesterday - WAH HOO! Looking back we had a very successful run and things went rather smoothly. We had great staff to work with and everyone pitched in with as much as they could muster each day.

Interestingly to me, day 1 God is Real - Wah Hoo!, brought some behaviorial issues that I thought I might not see until day 2 God is present - Wah Hoo!, and in a moment of surprising clarity and insight my boss lifted my spirits. He asked me his usual yearly question - if I was "please with the day?" I responded "yes, but there were some behavioral challenges." He looked at me with a smile and said something along the lines of... When you have that many people together (150 +) are you really surprised that you'd have a few behavioral challenges?

He was right and I tried to put the "fires" we had to "put out" the rest of the week, from daily decorating and supply wrangling to personality conflicts and family emergencies to whatever in my mind in perspective and it worked.

I prayed really hard at the beginning of every day for the grace sufficient unto the day to get done what the Lord wanted, more than what I wanted. And at the end of the day prayed to be grateful for the joy that was present in the room and in the individual smiles from the kids and leaders and also for everyone getting home safe.

It was a good lesson in perspective - God's not my own.

It's official!

VBS has officially sucked my brain dry! I went to dial my home phone number and I couldn't remember what it was for a minute...this is so sad.

On the up side, Begs came by to deliver a much needed item for our Youth adventure program during VBS and lent her expertise, style and wit to the process, which added to the camaraderie of the event.

Also on the up side, we have some great people who have worked every night this week to create a fun and exciting space for our Avalanche Ranch buckaroos. Kudoo's to Barb, Beth and Jessica.

We have built so far this week, a roof top in Jericho, the river Jordan parted a la the Red Sea complete with fish watching us pass by with squishy water underfoot and squirting from above and now the town of Jericho that our kids will topple as the horn is sounded and they march around the "city", I use the term very loosely.

I wonder aloud every year, why I can't make the regular PSR year like this...I realized this year - it would kill us! So I'll take the largeness of VBS for the week, savour it and move into the world of real and doable, that is until next June!

(I tried to post some picts, but couldn't get them there.)

In relation to your giftedness...

"God gives something to everyone. Pray, reflect. Find out what you bring, then bring it!"


Miss Kelly, May 25, 2007

AMEN!

Anniversary at Sea

Today was our 12th wedding anniversary! We celebrated in a little goofy kind of way...we went to two movies,dinner and service. Movie, Shrek the Third then church then Communion to a friend who just had surgery dinner then movie, Spiderman 3.

We actually celebrated all weekend, spending the two days pretty much just us doing things together- heaven! Saturday, we went to a National Park, Ninety-Six in South Carolina where a Revolutionary War battle was fought. But, I think my favorite part of the day was praying Morning prayer (from the liturgy of the hours) with Jeff on the way out there. I started to cry I was so content in the moment. I thought my heart would burst from happiness!

It occured to me as he sat there praying with this friend and her son, that when I said "I do" 12 years ago, I didn't think I could love him any more than I did that day. I didn't think that we could share any more of ourselves, know each other any better. Oh but I've learned I can and we do.

Happy Anniversary my Love!

Thank you for the best 12 years of my life!!!

Aren't we fascinating? When we have something we rarely really appreciate it and when it's gone we can often miss the very things that made us nutsabout that something.

For example. this was the last class day. Oh I know we'll have VBS in a couple of weeks, boy do I know it, and I am so not ready at all. But hearing the silence on the hall leaves me a little...empty.

Out on the Big Sea

Roiling Seas now calm or for now calm

Finally received worn on Jeff's one year scan. It came back with nothing that shouldn't be on it on it! He's clean and clear for this year...I know keep your day job poet.

Speaking of poetry this one from my childhood just came to mind "...And the waves roll out and the waves roll in and the nodding night wind blows, but why the moon man fishes the sea, only the moon man knows." It really is quite delightful...the page from our children's poetry book had a deep darkening sea, with brilliant star fish and mermaids with nets and a moon with a large smile. http://www.wenaus.com/poetry/moonsong.html

Binks' second trip to the neurologist nets a shining report. Thanks to modern pharmaceuticals, blood thinning levels are in the excellent range as well as her blood pressure. She is doing her "light" tread milling exercise and back in classes for interior design.

On the work front - First Communion activities are rolling along, I'm on my second straight week of work I'm realizing I'm not as young as I used to be, but boy is God good.

The Master Bath saga continues - The shower and the bath have been tiled, and are awaiting their grout. Tomorrow morning we buy a toilet and some other wonderful bathroom type fixtures.

Big Sea Dining

For those of you who didn't know, I love the ocean. Guess the blog gives it away. I am so excited by this idea...

April 15th, the first ever all-glass undersea restaurant in the world opened up at the Hilton Maldives Resort and Spa.

It sits five meters below the waves of the Indian Ocean, surrounded by an exquisite coral reef.
and is encased in clear acrylic that gives guests 270 degrees of panoramic underwater views.

O.K., now that Big Sea dining! 20th Anniversary here we come!

Foxes return!

The husband spied two new kits frolicking on rocks in the woods....He has decided to rename our holdings, "The Fox Ledge" in lieu of it's previous given title of "The Retreat".

However he wants to assure the daughter of "the Pearl of the Antilles" that he recognizes her contribution as the original name and she may of course refer to our abode by whatever title she wishes.

I of course am plotting the photographic possibilities with the cunning and skill of a big game hunter.

-O.K. I'm hoping to get lucky that the Mama Fox let's them come out at twilight before the light fades. : )

Patron Saints Index: Saint Vincent Ferrer

We have a new patron whom, or is it who? We are invoking in our current remodeling project...which has turned into a battle with the just cleaned out septic system.

Septic System 2 Home Team 0

Patron Saints Index: Saint Vincent Ferrer

If asking St. Vincent Ferrer to intercede for us doesn't work, we may be needing a two seater out back!

Mixed bag 05

I was going though some of our pictures for a Longaberger show I'm doing tomorrow and here are some of the others I saw that I thought were cool. The cat does appear to be praying, Jeff really is sacked out at Longaberger, Flat Stanley did indeed go on the factory wine tour, Skeeters is a girl dog, and that castle is made of candy and chocolate (which everyone knows is it's own food group)!

Joyous Octave of Easter to you!

Well the Great Easter Vigil was really great! We had 5 adults two baptized and three make professions of faith and at least 18 kids of various ages and sacramental receptions at the Easter Vigil. There was a great feeling of excited serenity. Seems contradictory I know, but that was how it felt.

Purposeful, awesome and although not as grand or as rich as I'd like to see the symbols communicated it didn't matter. God takes care of everything and makes it so meaningful for those coming into the Church.

We are blessed with wonderful RCI team members for the kids and the adults, who care so deeply about each candidate/catechumen and freely give their time and love. I think that the position of team member gives a unique perspective, truly being able to watch through the year as those preparing are "dying to sin" and at the Easter Vigil "rising to new life," a new birth that can truly be felt.

Or maybe it's just me...Naaaa.

Caution Men at Work!

Before Dad and Sister make the move to Alabama, he and our new friend Mikail are busy remodeling our master bathroom. He's a great Dad!

Like Basketball?

Even I thought that was kind of cool!

"...it's nothing like basketball!"...so they say.

A dog's life on the Big Sea

A dog's life...in this house not a bad gig!

Springtime Septic Tank Blues

Ah the scents of spring.

The Sea weeps

One of our young parishioners was killed last night in a car related tragedy. Please offer prayers for the repose of the soul of Jaclyn Saksefski and also for her family.

Visitation is this Tuesday April 3rd, 6-8pm at Scott Ward and the funeral will be the following day April 4th, 4:00pm here at SPX.