It's Fall Y'all

Fall is my favorite season! I love the change in weather. It's exciting to pull out a new wardrobe, or at least the three-quarter length sleeve shirts. Love the Saturday afternoon naps with the hubby watching and listening to college football. The cooler weather brings back memories when I remember growing up and the leaves changing, falling to the ground, and raking the leaves to make a huge pile to jump in. I actually did see a tree today with leaves turning colors and some leaves were even on the ground. Now if I could only see my family, that would be a perfect start to my favorite season.

Last fall was very memorable with a weekend trip to South Carolina for my high school reunion, a day trip to Strawberry Hill for their annual Fall Fun on the Farm, and to meet our nephew for the first time. First, the reunion was great to talk to friends that I keep up with on Facebook, but haven't seen most of them since high school. Next, our trip to Strawberry Hill is always one of my favorite things to do when I go home to South Carolina. Strawberry Hill is a farm that is family run by the Cooley family. They have a restaurant, ice cream parlor, fields fresh fruit and vegetables. Back in 2008 there was a big article about Strawberry Hill in Southern Living magazine.Finally, I can't believe it has been a year already since our first getting to meet our nephew. My brother and his wife adopted Baby Michael in August of 2010 and Mike and I were able to meet him for the first time in October 2010. It was great to meet him and I miss those sweet cheeks every day!

Looking forward to Thanksgiving this year to be able to spend it with my family, especially the niece and nephew!!!

It Really Happened!

For my birthday this year I told Mike I wanted to go to a Tampa Bay Rays Baseball game. He exceeded my request and we went to not one game, but two games for my birthday weekend. We had the best time, but was disappointed because I also really wanted a picture with Ben Zobrist. He play for the Rays and is real and open about his personal relationship with Christ. Getting a picture didn't happen, so I've been trying to figure out how and when it would be possible for me to get this picture. This was May. . .
and it's now August. . . .
Our friend and Pastor of Church Ministries from church, texted us and said that we we can be at church in the morning around 9am we could meet BEN ZOBRIST!! Really? Are you kidding? Let me see that text! Our friend knows that I LOVE the Rays, so he wanted to make sure it would be 75% sure that he would be there before telling me. Mike and I were there early, 8:30am. I didn't want to be late or miss anything. I brought my glove for him to sign, but I was told that it might not happen. I thought it's better to have it than to not have it.

Ben Zobrist was speaking at the Youth Conference and we were honored to be there. Then on August 28, our Pastor wrote
some notes about Ben Zobrist from the Youth Conference~thought they were worth sharing~Quotes from Ben Zobrist, "What we do out on the baseball field is based on how hard we work. We get out of it what we put into it. That is the law of works, but that is not the law of grace. Our salvation is based on grace, not law. We cannot get to heaven by working hard. Christ did the work on the cross for us and paid the price to get us to heaven." "From a young person's perspective what I do looks glamorous, But who we are is not based on what we do. Our hope is not in an ideal job, like baseball.. It is in Jesus Christ. Our identity should be in Christ, otherwise, when success is gone, we have nothing left. All the accolades and all the stuff you see on TV is really nothing. It will eventually wear off. Christ doesn't. Jesus Christ is who I am. I look to Him. He is my Lord and He is my Savior. My favorite verse is Galatians 2:20." (Remember Ben Zobrist is talking to today's youth!)

Question for Zobrist: How do you maintain your boundaries as a Christian? Response from Zobrist: The key is not where the boundary is necessarily, because I will naturally want to push the boundaries because of my sin nature. I must ask God to change my heart so I don't even get close to the boundary. We can be within our boundaries and our heart still not be right before God. It is really a heart issue. I want God to change my heart so that I want what He wants."

Question for Zobrist: What about the importance of godly role models? Response from Zobrist: True influence comes through Christ alone. The best way to influence others is to stay connected to The Vine (Christ). Rather than just try to influence others, if I do what God wants me to do I will have a godly influence on others. After all, the whole group may be moving in a wrong direction. But we do not need to fear what others think or do--we need to fear God alone.


It was great meeting Ben Zobrist and getting his autograph, but it was AMAZING to hear about his love for the Lord and how he tries to glorify God through baseball.

Better Late Than Never

I can't believe tomorrow will be September 1st and I'm just now blogging about my summer vacation!! This summer has flown by and getting back into the swing of things at school. I enjoyed seeing family and friends (and their children) while in South Carolina.

If you're like me and grew up in the same town your entire life (until college), lived in the same house since you were 3 years old, attended the same church since before you were born, went to the same Christian School kindergarten-12th grade, then you know what I'm talking about when I say second set of parents. It's your parent's friends because you play and hang out together a lot with their families. These second set of parents are dear to our hearts, the Malone's. Even now after college and being married for over twelve years, we have to arrange at least one meal together during every trip to South Carolina. I had soooo much fun with my friends and their children.

My sweet little friends, missing one-she was too shy to take a picture with everyone, so we got one just her and me. She was so proud she could sing the ABC's, so she sang them all through dinner!


Thanks to some friends of the baseball community, my entire family was able to attend a Greenville Drive minor league baseball game. We had great seats, drank lots of water, cheered the Drive to a victory, and sang Christmas carols!! It was a neat experience because the Drive was celebrating Christmas in July in 100 plus degree weather!!


I was so excited when I got the chance to laugh and giggle with my niece and nephew.


Then when I got back to Florida, I got more laughter and fun times with our other nephew.


I just love being with family. I just hate living so far apart, but look forward to our times together! More happy times are coming soon!!!!