The 7th Inning Stretch

Below: Mason steals home... and he's..... SAFE!

Below: Jackson just waiting for the chance to make a great play :) Or trying not to pass out in the sweltering heat.

For the last few months the boys have had a constant schedule of baseball, about a 4 night a week commitment. It's been crazy but there's nothing I love more than watching the boys play baseball and sitting at the beautiful green ball field, listening to the chatter, "hey batta batta!" and eating a snow cone. Isabella has been a great little cheerleader and loves to yell, "smack it out there!!!" (in her chipmunk voice) when the boys are up to bat.

Even Isaac got in on the action this year, playing tee ball. He did a great job despite the the game they lost 30-0 :)-- yeah, playing the team that won the TX State tee ball tournament last year was not a good day for us, and no, I'm not joking... it was a bloodbath. Isaac was one of the few players who knew what planet we were on ... but all of them, including Ike, were sometimes more interested in picking the grass or their noses, than in fielding the ball. It was frustrating and good for some belly laughs all at the same time.

Isaac was an awesome little 3rd baseman and did a great job fielding the ball and tagging kids out.

Running from game to practice to games and more practices has made me realize how tough it must be to be a single parent... I can't imagine doing all of the family management and trying to earn a living at the same time... unbelievable.

On another, yet related note, as we are turning the corner on Residency having completed 4 years of the 5 year program, I have found that time is slowing down... and the impact of Shane's insane work schedule is becoming more profound, the older the boys get. It's the seventh inning stretch --and I'm in a slump.

Shane worked from Friday night to Sunday night, at the E.R. in the Middleofnowhere, TX. It's a moonlighting gig to earn extra money to pay the bills and have a little extra for the kids activities. He worked like a slave all week long -- every kid in this town needed an appendectomy--in the middle of the night...and then he went to work another 48. Someday, not to go on with a pity party here, I want Shane to be home with his kids and not being screamed at, puked on, spit on, bled on, in some E.R. somewhere. It aint always peachy in Lewisland, and that's just the truth.

It's especially tough on the boys... Jackson went through a hitting slump in baseball (actually he was just hoping to get walked every time because he was afraid of striking out) and Shane was asking him if there was some kind of reward that he could give him to hit that ball. Jackson thought for a minute and then quietly said, "Do you think maybe you could take a day off of work?" This literally brought tears to my eyes to hear that - stab me with a knife and twist.

Yesterday, was the last straw. Shane called and told me that some guy came into the E.R. with a sprained ankle and was caught stealing money from 2 of the nurses... he had their purses shoved up his shirt. Shane, being the only Dr. and male person there because this E.R. is in Podunkville Texas, decided to totally go off yelling at this guy who he had cornered... I think he said something like, "*#@%?!... you don't steal from people who are trying to help you!" The guy was trying to get the heck out of Dodge so Shane pushed the emergency lockdown button... no one can get in or out... while the police were called.

I think sometimes in the heat of the moment we lose our critical thinking skills. This guy could have been armed and easily (I don't EVEN want to think of how easily) this guy could have seriously hurt Shane or the nurses. But Shane had a point to prove... no one was going to get away with stealing from his E.R... "Bad boys, bad boys whacha gonna do, whacha gonna do when the angry, sleep-deprived Dr. comes for you!" Apparently the guy was on parole, and went right back into the slammer.

I couldn't sleep after Shane told me this... All the money in the world isn't worth putting up with that. Yet, our police officers, military and many others put their lives on the line every day dealing with these kind of people. I don't know how their wives handle it, I really don't. They have all my respect and admiration.

I don't want him to work there anymore. But, there aren't a lot of options at this point. We're just lucky he has opportunities to work, because there are many who don't, and I need to remember that.

Until the slump ends I guess we'll just keep swinging... Only 1 more year!!!!!

My New Life

So inspired by this awesome lady.

Fun with a Tire and a Rope

Down on the Farm

One of the coolest things about Texas is there are a lot of really cool farms run by really down- to-earth, unassuming, good people. So I had the fun opportunity to go on a field trip with Isaac to Heritage Farms which is over 500 acres and run by 45 families who are all part of a Christian community. They build homes together, harvest corn, potatoes, and wheat together. It was like stepping back in time and being a part of life similar to our pioneer ancestors... only they had cell phones and mini-vans, and thankfully... flushing toilets.

Sometimes I think we could use a life more like this, where kids learn to work, and work hard, and at the same time, play hard. No nintendo or TV's on this farm :) Doesn't that sound refreshing?

First we saw a sheep herding demonstration. By a very cute, very obedient Border Collie.

Next the kids got to pet the animals... poor animals were pretty traumatized :)

They even got to hold a baby chick... Oh man I thought this little chick was going to be squished to death. Can't imagine what it must have been thinking being passed around to a bunch of sticky- handed kindergarteners who are a little TOO adoring when it comes to little, soft, feathery things. Thankfully the chick narrowly escaped death... only to be passed around another day.

One of the things kids learn early working on a farm is all about the birds and the bees. On the hay ride, one of the kids asked the tour guide ... "Where do baby horses come from?" When he tried to skirt the issue saying that they bred lots of horses on the farm. She said, "yeah, but really, how do they get out of their mom's bodies?" "Uhhhhh....."

It was so fun to spend the day with Isaac, just the two of us.

Birthday Season

Spring is birthday season at our house... Isaac in March and Mason and Jackson in April. I missed posting Isaac's birthday pictures, I'm not sure why, I think I lost the camera or something... Anyway didn't have a friend party this year because he has had a friend party for the last two and it was time to take a breather.

Sometimes we just need to make it nice and easy and do the family thing. I didn't put much thought into this horrible looking cake (just used what we already had in the house), but Isaac loved it anyway :) We got the boys out of school early and took Isaac for a birthday lunch. Followed by a nerf gun battle in the back yard with Shane who had a rare day off. It was so fun to watch them all out there battling, in the middle of a school day.

Isaac also got a bike and Shane spent the rest of the afternoon running up and down the street holding the seat. If you've ever tried to teach a child how to ride a bike you know how back breaking it can be...

Finally Shane got smart and tried a different approach to teach Isaac balance. It was actually really effective... but kind of frightening for Shane. I think this is the same expression my parents had when they were teaching me how to drive a car.

Inevitably there were a few crashes... but Isaac was tough and finally persevered... a very Exciting moment for all of us.

Happy Birthday Isaac! You are a hilarious, sweet, entertaining, wonderful kid.

Jackson's and Mason's Birthday

Mason and Jackson's birthday was kind of a bust for them because we went to Dallas that weekend for a wedding. Thank goodness for Aunt Sarah and Uncle Tim who saved the day and made the boys their own little birthday cakes! They are so thoughtful!

The boys also spent time with their cousins, Lewis and Stanley. Two of the cutest kids ever.

So last weekend we threw them a birthday party... they haven't had one for 2 years, so we figured it was time to invite friends.

This is a great group of boys. Just really good kids.

Food... roasting hot dogs over the fire pit. The boys loved that!

Shane and Isaac

Jackson (in the cap) with his friend Jordan

the lopsided baseball cake that I made...

opening presents...

Happy Birthday Mason and Jackson! I can't believe you're 9... really, I just can't. It makes me sad to see you growing up so quickly and turning into young men. But nothing has given me more joy. You are fantastic kids, always there to help me out. Trying your best to make good choices. I am proud of you!

The tour de Texas

We had a nice Easter weekend... it was a little busy because my parents came out to see us and when we have company we go, go, go!

My parents got here on Wednesday night and on Thursday we took the kids to see "How to train your Dragon" The kids loved it...to me, it was just okay. I think I need to take a breather from kid movies because the more I see, the less I enjoy them. Or maybe it's just the smell of the theatre that I don't enjoy, not sure.

A few weeks earlier though, we took the kids to see "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" I read the books with the kids so it was kinda fun to see it play out on the big screen... but as always, the book is far better. Shane and I laughed our heads off in parts when everyone else in the theatre was dead silent. I guess we're still working on developing a mature sense of humor... or maybe we just relate well with geeks... either way, I think we embarrassed the kids.

Anyway, the next day we visited the Texas Rangers museum... on account of the fact that the children's museum was closed. It was actually really fun for the boys who were really into the guns and the dressing up. Literally the whole place was Cowboy heaven... the boys loved it. If you want to enjoy some authentic Texas history, this is the place for you.

Cute little outlaws...

Saturday it was off to the Alamo. We took a trip down there a few years earlier and it was mighty underwhelming, especially for kids. I was expecting to see some huge fortress... in reality, on the outside, and inside it doesn't look like much. But, the story of the Alamo is so moving, and central to Texas history, and the history enthusiast in me, loves stuff like that.

Here's a picture from our last trip that really captures the excitement of the children at the Alamo.

The night before we went to the Alamo, Jackson wrote in his journal, "Tomorrow we are going to the Alamo. Grandma and Grandpa thinks it's going to be fun. " Then he drew a picture of us all at the Alamo... the adults have smiles and the kids have frowns on their faces. That cracked me up. Poor kids would rather spend all day at home playing video games or running around at Chuck-E Cheese (gag). Lucky for the kids we hit the Alamo on the right day and there were tons of kid-friendly activities that the boys loved, involving guns, branding irons and such.

Isaac looks a little too comfortable with this wooden gun...

Below: The newest recruits of Santa Ana's Army...

We also went on a boat ride along the famous San Antonio River Walk, which is basically a river that runs through a bunch of commercial properties, restaurants, hotels, malls. etc. It was really beautiful and really enjoyable for all.

Me and my beautiful Mom... man, I look tired.

Mom and Dad on the river...

Jackson and Mason, such good boys. :)