“Opening Day” 2012

Of course, Baylor has been practicing since January and playing for a few weeks now, but today officially begins Spring Baseball Jones Style 2012.
Silas is playing machine pitch and is on a team with some of our favorite people. His coaches are friends (Jon Stephenson and Josh Gregory) and we get to be on the same team with our buddies Grant and Rhett Morgan. The throwback jersey seems a little bright, but he gets comments on it wherever he goes. Silas is really growing into a good player. I am thankful that he enjoys it so much. Just recently he caught a pop fly in the outfield. It makes all the ball marks on my walls and ceilings worth it!!!!Callan gets to be on the Yankee’s again with his longtime coach (Jesse Lee). I really hope something clicks with Callan this season because he has all the knowledge and power a boy could ask for in baseball, but he is a little scared of the ball. It kills me to watch him because I don’t know how to help him get past this mental aspect. He could really be GREAT he just has to decide he wants to be.We are totally okay with him choosing another interest, but it has to be his choice and right now he still thinks it is baseball.Baylor’s team, as of his last away tourney in Florence, Alabama is currently ranked 9th in the Nation among 11U Majors Teams. To say we are proud of his team and our son is an understatement. He has been through a lot with his former team falling apart, but has learned so much about “when God closes a door, it is because He is waiting with a (MUCH BETTER) window open”. This first baseman has proved to be a show off in his position. His team is a great encouragement and we are proud to be a part of these families.

Precious Child

I recently finished a book written by a mother who adopted their daughter from Guatemala. The book was a look into adoption in Guatemala right around the time we adopted. Eliza  Some of the people she mentioned were a part of our adoption, and we had a lot in common in that her daughter is also of Mayan decent. The author of the book had the opportunity (or really was forced into it) to move to Antigua to foster her daughter during a portion of their adoption. That was not something we could have done both because of cost and because of the 3 precious children I had at home, but I remember some families from our agency doing it and I had a tinge of jealousy over it. To be able to bond and spend each day with your child is a big deal in adoption.

The book was heartbreaking in a way. It told part of the ugly side of adoption in a world where corruption and money rule. Where people consider adoption a business and do not focus on the life of the child or that of the families. My experience with my agency was nothing but positive (other than the hold up we had that was not their fault), and I know that my daughter’s adoption was not only legal but also ethical. However, I also know that not everyone had the same experience.

A part of the book broke my heart. The author did a search for her child’s birthmother. They were able to meet and share a meal. Her child’s birthmother got to know that the child they shared was loved beyond measure. Even in later years they got a chance to meet and walk hand in hand. I want so bad for Eliza’s birth mother to know how much she is loved. That she is amazing and beautiful and cherished. I want her to know that she has a blessed life and is a blessing to others. I want to take some pictures and just put them in the mail to her. I think I might do that too, even though the address I was given was not really an address at all. Just a chance that it might make it to her so she can see our beautiful daughter.

 

Legends

 

Spring Baseball for Baylor started in February… and he was more than ready. I love watching Baylor play ball. It was a blessing to be able to go to his first tourney in Atlanta… sibling free. Callan stayed with his buddy Jesse for his birthday and Nommie and Gandie took on the other kiddos for the weekend. The boys played hard, and they played well. Our final matchup was against a team from Miami that is ranked #1 in the Nation. We did not play well against them (it was hard to focus and the kids were not used to the “show” that was going on, nor were they used to being “televised” ), but we fared just as well or better than the 2 teams that had to face them after us. In fact our performance left the team with an honorable mention on the travel select site ranking us high in national rankings.

KOTK Spring Performance

Mrs. Terri has been doing a great job with Music at KOTK. The kids did a little performance for the parents one morning. There was one cute duck up there on the stage that I could have just squeezed to pieces.

He had some precious quacking and some Skiddle-a rinky-dink-a-dinking.

Eliza was not to be outdone and sang loud and proud. The first song took a cute walk to the beach.

The kids also loved shrinking when they “neglected their Bible”.

Animal Day in Pre K

Eliza pulled out her favorite hat for dress like an animal day. I think she makes the cutest Jaguar ever.

Silas turns 7!

Not to be left out of the sleepover business, Silas only wanted to paint pottery (like he saw his sister do just a few weeks back) and have his 2 BFF’s spend the night. These boys could have played all day long with not an adult in site. Brent and I could have totally gone out on the town and these  boys never would have known. They were in their own world.

We had a few hours of play before we went to the world of pottery (Where of course I forgot my camera). It was like I was not even there while they were painting and they were so sweet to each other encouraging each other and telling each other how good a job they were doing.

I love how they still think imaginative play is fun. They got out all the Imaginext toys and held a war.

 

After the fun of painting pottery and a stop at Sweet CiCi’s we came back home for more fun just hanging.It was so sweet to watch Silas open his gifts with the boys commentary.A sign that the baseball cards were a hit… a smile so big he had to bite his lip.

This handwritten card from Micah was a hoot… I loved watching Silas read it while Micah giggled away.Top it off with a little game time and the boys were good to go. Other than a faulty blow up mattress, the boys slept well and did not get up too early. (YAY!!)

Clay Time

I finally figured out how to get pics off of my phone and thought I would add them in…