Last Ballgame as a 7 Year Old!!

While Hayden was getting ready to go the park tonight to play ball, I reminded him that he needed to have lots of fun but play some serious baseball because as games go this would be his last one as a 7 year old. He looked at me so funny at first and then being Hayden wanted to know if I had told him when he played his last game as a 6 year old. Well nope I sure did not. In fact if his birthday was not so darn close I probably would not have even thought about it. But that birthday is sooooo close. He left it all out there on the field tonight which was too fun to watch. He had a couple of lapses in concentration baserunning but hey he is just 7!!! He made the first fielding out of the game playing second base, scored the first and last runs of the game. (Okay technically the last run did not count but he looked so good sliding into home, this Momma is counting in the memory book). He even got a line drive (which his Momma did not get a photo of ...well...because he so often drops those ....oops not supposed to tell that, huh?) and had a big fit when he had to go play right field. Hmmm, gotta work on that. In fact, recognizing that his Momma might not have been too proud of that little tantrum, he said on the way home, "Mommie (this is what we say when we know we are REALLY in trouble), I should never think I am too good to play right field and I should be more a team player, right?" Ya think?

As for batting....he went 4 for 4 - (maybe two of them were errors but...well he IS 7 and they were hard hit balls so yep 4 for 4) - three singles and a triple.

So I think that as his 7th year winds down -- he did just want he wanted to do ...he went out had fun and played some good baseball.

Tomorrow I am taking him to make some last photos as my 7 year old baby...

State Champs

Because I have been so far behind in blogging, I have not done anything on here about Hayden making the All Star team for his baseball league. He was SO excited to have done so. He loved that he would be playing with kids who really, really wanted to play baseball. The best part was that he got to keep playing baseball for a few more weeks. He did not get as much playing time as he would like to have gotten. He also did not get to play the position he would have chosen. But in true Hayden fashion, wherever he got put on the field, he gave it his all. He might not be an outfielder by nature or talent, but he sure tried hard and made some good plays when he was out there. He even got a few force outs from right field to 1st base (which made his Mommie do the happy dance with no real sense of embarrassment - ha).

This past weekend the kids played in State Tournament in Sheridan. Now, if you have told me when they first started playing that they had a chance to win the tournament, I would have told you that you were just plumb goofy!!! They started Saturday off terribly and got it handed to them. However, after that sloppy start, these boys played some incredible baseball.

(This picture just cracks me up. Hayden is just looking at that little boy like "what are you doing? I'm on the bag!")

In the Championship game, they played the Sheridan team. It was just what a championship game should be -- close and well played. Maumelle came up in the bottom of the last inning tied with Sheridan. Hayden was the 4th kid in line to bat. (I was looking for a bathroom to hide in - shame on me). My kiddo, however, was ecstatic. "If I hit the ball Mom and someone scores, it will be a walk-off win") He WANTED to be that kid. It was not in God's plans for it to be Hayden this time though. The first two batters got on and then the head coach's kid came up to bat. With two strikes, Justin hit a ball toward the right side of the field which scored the little boy on second. I worried that Hayden would be down about that but what did I see? I saw Hayden get to Blake first, throw off his helmet and start giving hugs. He then ran to Justin to give him hugs. It did not matter at that point who hit the ball, they won and he was thrilled to be part of a team that did so. (Now, later on the way home he wanted to know why it could not have been him and openly admitted he was jealous that he was not the one. However, he has the best Poppaw in the world and when they talked Poppaw assured him that had Justin not hit in the winning run, Poppaw was absolutely certain Hayden would have hit in the winning run. In Hayden's world, what Poppaw says it true no matter what!!)

I would not be telling the whole story or the truth if I did not say that this was a rough All Star season. It is hard to watch your kiddo lose some confidence by not playing as often as maybe he should have and definitely as much as he would have liked. It was a learning experience all the way around. Hayden handled it far better than his parents. (Not surprised, huh?) He is such a good kid with such a big heart. There were tears but for the most part he was the biggest cheerleader and encourager for his teammates even when not playing. I truly believe he has learned that from his "heroes" whom he has seen not always get the playing time they deserve and for each one of you that helped him learn that at such a young age, this Momma says Thanks a Million Times over!!

End of Second Grade

Wow! I am not sure how it happened but Hayden has finished second grade. Shouldn't he be like 3 maybe 4 years old? Where in the world does time go? We had a great time the end of the school year. Lots and lots of activities filled the days.

This year would have not been as special as it was without Mrs. Faith. She IS amazing. Goodness, we are going to miss seeing her in the hallway at school. (Who will I call or e-mail with my rants about Hay's busyness? HA)

This picture sums up how Hayden feels about her having moved away.

To you my big 3rd grader, I love you with my whole heart. But please remember even as you grow up, you will ALWAYS be my baby!

Happy Anniversary!!!

There once was a boy and a girl. They lived not so far from each other in a small county in North Central Arkansas. As God was watching them grow and become adults, He realized what a great couple they would be.

That boy and girl became a couple and married 50 years ago - July 2nd!

As life went on, they became parents to two girls who love them so very much. The youngest girl blessed them with their first grandchild. Oh my, how much happiness this brought to both of them. They thought life was totally complete.

Then they got the sprinkles on the cake by way of two more grands within 8 months of each other!!! Wow, did life get wonderful. Blessings flowed from God in more ways than anyone could imagine.

To you Mom and Dad, I tell you that there are no parents or Mommaws or Poppaws loved any more in this world than the two of you! You are quite simply the best.

For marrying each other and traveling this journey together, your whole family thanks you from the bottom of our hearts!!!

Another Incredible Day

My precious fella and I just had a great day all the way around today!! He and I just enjoyed the outdoors and doing "stuff". Most of this "stuff" centered around baseball but that's okay too. Whatcha gonna do when your kiddo thinks that baseball is the best activity in the world? As a kid, I don't think being outside in the heat was my idea of the greatest time ever....things have sure changed as an adult for me. I think Hayden was God's way of getting me up and moving. :-)
As soon as I got back from getting my toes painted - (tan because Hayden thought that would look great - his first choice was blue ---yikes -- maybe I will get him interested in red or pink sometime), my biggie boy got a shower -- did not really want to do so BUT he did have baseball practice the night before and he was somewhat filthy!!! Then we headed to the park. There were not a lot of people there - so that made it even more enjoyable!!
While we were at the park, Hayden wanted to practice batting. I, of course, cannot pitch to him overhand so we just had to improvise. As we were practicing, a "walker" came by and told Hayden how good he was doing and how lucky he was that Mom was out there practicing with him. He thanked her and then wanted to know if it was not like that for everybody that their Mommas played with them and practiced with them. (Good thing the kiddo did not ask for a gift card at Toys R Us at the time, I probably would have immediately gone and gotten one since he thought this was the norm ... it just melted my heart). I wish it was that way for all kids but I'm just so thankful that God has blessed us in ways that make it possible for my kiddo!!
After we played at the park, Hay and I went to the baseball complex and watched his best bud Ethan play baseball. Hayden got to keep the scoreboard and he liked that immensely except when he noticed other kids playing on the playground and he needed to go do that for a while too. :-) When Ethan's game was over, he and Hayden played out at the complex pretending to have another game. Those two are just too much!!
Finally it was time to return home and check on Daddy. He has a terrible cold. We gave him lots of peace and quiet yesterday which was great for him. Hayden had pizza for supper, watched another baseball game on television and then retired to sleep! Whew, makes me tired thinking about it!

Party at the Frosty Palace

On Saturday, we all went to Miss Scarlett's birthday party. Her momma outdid herself yet again. The party was Grease themed and the kids hung out at the Frosty Palace. :-) How cute is my little greaser?Here is the birthday girl heading down to check things out at the party.....
Hayden and Ethan did LOTS of dancing which was so fun to watch but this cracked me up. They did the "fight" scenes too. It was hysterical - all the acting going on.This photo is not good. I tried to enlarge it. I was taking it behind the Momma of the sweet little girl in this photo. Hayden could not stand too close because....this is Ethan's girl! (But aren't they too cute?)Here is the birthday girl. Isn't she just precious? She and Hayden would make a great Sandy and Danny.

Blessed!

I am so very blessed this Mother's Day as I have been the previous 7 Mother's Days! God blessed me in ways unimaginable when He allowed me to be this kid's mommy, momma, mom! I love being a momma. It is the greatest thing in the world.

I am also blessed to have the world's best Momma! She is amazing. Through all I put her through (and man was there a lot), she loved me and stayed right there for when I fell (which she knew I would). On top of being an amazing Momma, she is an INCREDIBLE Mommaw. I know three kids who could not have asked for a better one given any choice in the matter.

Happy Mother's Day! Hope everyone's was as blessed as mine.