My Perpetual Birdie Flipper

This weekend Alex's Diamonds team wasn't playing. But this team was... And she likes to pick up with them. She had a great time with them and played in two games on Saturday morning, getting this beautiful hit that resulted in a triple. A stand up triple.

After the game she and Ashlyn laid around in the parking lot listening to their Ipods and texting their friends.

In the second game there was a walk. An attempted steal. And an ugly slide. A very ugly slide. The ugliest of slides.

After the game, after the coach had talked to them, she came to me with tears in her eyes and said she couldn't move her finger. Sure enough, she couldn't. What is it about her that makes her wait til after the game to tell me. Or after school. Or after batting practice. Apparently no one but me can be told that there are injuries needing attention.

After the game we made our way to the hospital - which wasn't easy. We were following the hospital signs that took us directly through a Memorial Day car show\parade. (Good thing she wasn't having a heart attack with all the detours we had to take). Then, we sat in the waiting room eating candy, sharing with a little girl who had hit her head, watching a drug seeker trying to get a new prescription, a heroine addict, and an old man and lady who couldn't hear it thunder. Literally. Apparently she had busted her ear drum and she couldn't hear ANYTHING but then neither could her husband. Alex's friend Ashlyn and her mom went with us to the emergency room. While the girls were being humored by watching this gentleman and his wife "whisper" to each other loud enough for everyone in the parade to hear, and we were lecturing them about the hazards of illegal drug use, the hard of hearing older gentleman took his leg off. Both girls almost fell out of their seat! I'm not sayin there is anything wrong with taking your leg off in public but I am sayin that it could traumatize unsuspecting teenage girls.

Finally we saw the doctor who diagnosed an avulsion fracture of her finger and we left at the same time the busted eardrum lady did. She was leaving against medical advice because her husband couldn't wait in the waiting room that long because "he had lost his leg." We could hear that much through the door of our exam room. Alex and I decided that's why you probably shouldn't take them off in public...

You can't make this stuff up.

Anyway, no, the tape isn't too tight her finger is just that much bigger at the knuckle. And now when she drinks something or holds something with that hand, her middle finger is sticking straight up.

Everything looks better with pretty, newly painted pink fingernails... Even when you are being flipped a birdie!

8th Grade Recognition

Al's 8th grade recognition was last night at her middle school. She was so excited! She thought it was going to be so fun and she would get recognized, and all eyes would be on her, and probably a ray of sunshine would burst through the ceiling and just radiate around her. She was so disappointed! We were herded onto the gym floor with all the other 8th grade athletes and their names and activities were read through a very staticy, gym distorted sound system. Because it was in alphabetic order, we were the first ones. Al soon became bored and about halfway through the line of 8th graders, she said, "This isn't as fun as I thought it would be. Can I leave?" She wanted to leave halfway through it - just walk off the gym floor and leave her daddy and I standing there alone.

Since volleyball season doesn't start for a few more weeks we only have softball pictures so far. And volleyball pictures are sooooo hard to get. It's hard to get good pictures in a gym.

Alex had a rough start to the season this year. In a scrimmage game before the season started, she pulled her quadriceps muscle. She had to play one game with it pulled, limping on and off the mound, and not being able to run. We/she went to physical therapy the next day and before school every morning that week for electrostimulation and stretching/strengthening exercises. It took a few games to get back to normal but once it was better she was on a roll.

They ended up winning the end of the season tournament, playing the same very strong team three times and winning two of those three times.

What an honor it was for her to get to play with this team. They played the season like it's supposed to be played. They improved every time they went on the field with their best games being in the tournament. They won the final tournament game 2-1 and had to play every batter like it was the game winning batter. I have never been more proud of a group of girls who individually did their best, which made their team the best. They never took for granted that they were going to win any game. They knew to win they would have to play hard - they truly earned every win they got.

Alex got the game ball, which is on the shelf in her room. She has many trophies and medals from softball but that game ball means a lot to her - she knows it represents a lot of hard work and one of her better games on the mound.

What do you do after winning the championship?

The worm! On home plate.

End of the Year Softball Party

We were finally able to get our end of the year softball party in. We had a cookout at our house with a fire, a little volleyball, and lots of food.

Along with their trophy, their coach gave them an action shot photo from one of their games.

No one ever wants to be the speaker in front of the group to give the coach her gift, but Harley was eager get up and do the talking for the girls. She did a good job presenting "Jamie" with her gift.

Alex, Lindsey, and Baylee (the 7th graders that were at the party).

After the party was over, a few of the players started leaving but their coach was hanging around a little longer. One of the moms took this opportunity to slip away with three of the girls, (I won't mention any names Alex, Loran, and Harley), and went to the coaches house to roll her yard. Now, if you are not from the South, you may not know what I'm talking about but rolling is when you take rolls of toilet paper to someone's yard and very decoratively place it in the trees and on the bushes in their yard. It occurs very often around Halloween. And the weeks leading up to Halloween. And a few weeks after Halloween. You don't really get mad when your yard gets rolled, it is really a gesture of affection. It was almost an embarrassment when I was growing up if your yard didn't get rolled. Now, if you aren't from the South and this is a foreign practice to you, you may get upset, and you may call the police. Then, you will find that they don't REALLY take these calls seriously. We teach this artform to our kids at an early age. My kids first yard was probably when they were about 5 and 7. There are a few techniques that must be taught. That is one tradition my kids look forward to every year. Do you have a favorite Halloween tradition?

Okay, I digress, not only did they roll her yard, they wanted to go back when she went home so that they could see her see it. Then, they got out of the car, showed her which parts were their handiwork, snapped a few pictures that I don't have access to, and left her with the mess. All in fun, right "Jamie"?

Team Synergy

Team Synergy Tournament 2

Team Synergy had their second tournament this weekend. There were a few more teams in this tournament and it was a bit more competitive. There were two close games, almost identical situations, that the girls were able to fight through and win. They once again were top seed in their bracket and breezed through the first tournament game. They played four games on Saturday and won them all. It was a VERY cold and windy Saturday. During the last game, I noticed that Alex was standing with her hand in her pocket and didn't appear to be "ready" at all. Then, when I looked around I noticed all the girls were standing with their hand in their pocket. Why? They had Hot Hands in their pockets (hand warmers that hunters use) and kept their hand in their pocket until the last minute.

Sunday afternoon, though, was a much prettier day. The wind was still a little cool but the difference a little sunshine makes is amazing.

A personal accomplishment for Alex on Sunday was that she didn't strike out all day. She was able to hit the ball on all the pitchers she faced on Sunday. They weren't always the best hits but that is definitely an improvement.

She pitched one game on Saturday and one game on Sunday, both were wins. Her team is a great defensive team, which makes the pitchers job much easier.

They lost their first game on Sunday and a couple of the girls just knew it was because they were laying out of church and hadn't done a devotion that morning. So, out came the Bibles - in the dugout. Ain't that the coolest thing. They had a little meeting in the dugout - no adults involved. What good girls we have!

Our second game on Sunday proved to be a very intense game. These moms started out on the back row wrapped up in blankets - now look at 'em.

After seven games in two days, Team Synergy had another second place finish. Who won first place? The SAME TEAM that won first place in our first tournament. One day, we will get 'em!

The girls got SEAA State 2nd place trophies.

This is a hard working team that never gives up.

And they have lots of fun, too.

Team Synergy

Alex is now playing on a new softball team, Team Synergy. They had their first tournament over the weekend, which turned into a one day tournament because of a rainout on Saturday. We had to be at the ball park at 7:30 a.m. Sunday morning for an 8:30 game.

Coach David and Coach Shane - the brains behind the operation.

The girls had only practiced together twice and not all of them were present at those practices so yesterday was the first time they had all been together. The coaches experimented with where they would best benefit the team and they got a taste of several different positions.

Alex played some in the outfield.

She pitched almost three whole games.



She played a little first base.


Kind of reminds you of the carnival - "Round and round she goes, where she stops, nobody knows." The thing that makes this team so great is that they can all play a lot of different positions. A team full of utility players - can't get any better than that!


They played five games and had a few pep talks in between.

This is after Alex's best hit of the day, which was a double with 2 RBI's.

They beat this team, which sent them home. I will have to admit that it was a nice win. This team toted around a huge speaker and played LOUD music in between their games and even in between their innings. Everyone at the ball park yesterday could hear their music.

Team Synergy ended up in 2nd place. They received a trophy and each girl received a medal.

Not too shabby for a group of girls that have practiced together twice...

Go TEAM SYNERGY!!

County Softball Tournament

Last week was the County softball tournament. The girls had a game every day after school (on the week of benchmark exams - ughh!!) until they were beaten on Thursday night, which gave them a third place finish. Only two of them showed up on Friday night to accept the trophy with Coach Morrow.

After the team trophies were given out, they announced the All Tournament Team. I am not sure how the All Tournament Team is chosen but there are nine girls chosen, their name is called, and they are given medals.

This is Maddie, one of Alex's good friends and church buddy, too.

Then there was Alex! Yay!!

Here is the whole All Tournament Team. Gosh, aren't they pretty girls? That is a requirement to play softball, ya know...

More Than One Way to Cross a Fence

The quickest way to get to the dugout is definitely not AROUND the fence. It's OVER the fence. And there are several ways to do this.

There is the full steam ahead approach like #4 and #3.

One flips to the left and the other flips to the right but both are quite skilled and quick about it.

Then, there is the more lady-like approach, the approach used by #5. One leg across and slide on over.

While #5 is trying to get that leg across #2 takes the head first approach.

#3 and #4 have stuck their landing and #2 is diving into the grass head first.

#5 finally got her leg up there and #2, I think, is stuck. Upside down.

#2 has finally managed her dismount. Not pretty, but she is across.

Finally.