Another year has come and gone. . .
Thirty-eight is a simple number. Two less than forty. Three-tens and eight-ones. Even, not odd. In my perspective, thirty-eight represents: * Nearly twenty years since I first met the love of my life. * Ten years past the birth of William and eight past the birth of Benjamin. * Three away from celebrating our fifteenth wedding anniversary. I am certainly a number person. I count random things doing mundane tasks. I prefer even numbers over odd - just take a look at the belt in the grocery store. Two by two. The picture below was taken on the evening of my thirty-eighth birthday. The boys were being silly with balloons and we were getting to enjoy some homemade cake- vanilla with chocolate icing, my favorite. Steve snapped a quick picture. The picture shows miniature hearts reflecting from the light on the candles. #nofilter Surrounded by love and laughter, the beginning of a new year.
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"3 up 3 down" was the text message I received from Steve. Ben was the starting pitcher for game one for the U8 KAU Allstars team. He pitched fifteen pitches his first inning, striking three players out. He was on his game, yet remained humble and respectful.
He is a different kind of kid. He has such a natural athletic ability, yet is really not aware of the innate talent he has. He is fast, and agile; something that helps him in both baseball and wrestling. We have heard from his wrestling coaches that they enjoy coaching him because he 'listens and acts on their directives.' It is amazing to watch your eight year old be in the throws of a tough match, listening to his coaches, and performing the moves they are calling. Yet when he wins a trophy or medal, he wants to give it to his brother. His spirit is sweet with a little bit of fire. My hope is that he remains humble, yet proud. I hope he continues to face challenges willingly and without fear. Win or lose, I hope he does so with grace and respect for himself and others. At the end of the day, it isn't really about winning. It is about what we learned in the process and how that learning will shape our future. Benjamin got a call on Sunday afternoon. He was informed that he had been selected to be part of the 2015 U8 AllStars team for District 28, representing KAU Little League. His hard work paid off and we couldn't be more proud. I have vivid memories of using a pitchfork to move mulch in the drizzling rain. It was a miserable experience to be honest: I was in high school, working side-by-side with my younger brother. However, it was one that I remember, as we reference it quite often. This was family bonding. So the tradition continues. . . We worked in 90 degree weather with high humidity. All four of us nearly all day. We dug out a new walkway, moved 5 tons of stone (yes, 10,000 pounds), laid a stone walkway, and much more. While still a work in progress, I am loving our efforts. We will be adding some greenery once our new roof goes on. |
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AuthorTraci, a wife, mother of two boys, Special Education teacher, and sole proprietor of Eco Alternatives LLC. Archives
September 2021
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