All good things must come to an end.

(photo credit to my Sissy)

This photo Is the perfect reflection of how I feel this morning. You can't see my tears.

But what you can see is a Mama so proud. Not just proud of my #50. Proud of all of them. Like they are my very own.

 I'm not sad because they lost.

I mean, yes, like Mason said...you always wish you could go one more round. But...

Come on. The played Hoover. It's like saying you fought Mahamad Ali. Or that you swam with Michael Phelps.

They played AT Regions Park. Under the lights.

They made it to round 2, when half of the nation was at home. Wishing they would have.

This year alone:
They buried a teammate
Battled numerous injuries
Lost several starters to injuries
Attend the funeral of their Coach's father, as a team
BEAT OXFORD
And made it to Round 2 in the state playoffs. Something no Pell City Team has done in YEARS!!!


But most of all, they found that brotherhood that many men before them have found in this sport, and that's why it's the game it is.

As a girl, I never really "got it". And even when Mason came in that freshman year and said he wanted to go out for Spring Training. I fought it.He wanted to play, his Daddy wanted him to play, and I wanted him to stay home and cuddle with me...and not get hurt ;)

I'm so glad I lost that battle.

These are my boys.

MY BOYS.

And I'm not sad because they lost.

I'm sad because this chapter of our life has closed. And I won't have them every day. To love and hug.

I might not have a house fulla boys on Saturday mornings to feed.

I won't have Fridays full of psycho chaos. Chaos that I love.

So. I'm thankful for this picture. Of me. So proud of my boys.

And I guess my biggest question is...now what?!

Oh yeah...basketball starts Monday:)

Passing the torch...

 I could almost get teary-eyed looking at this photo.

This was taken at Graduation, 2012.

Graduation when the sweet Brady was graduating, and my dear friend, and fellow Panther Mom, Wendy, would be sending her sweet guy off on a new adventure.

What a great, fine young man she has in Brady, and in his big brother, Brett.

Throughout the past several years, I have looked to Wendy for advice. For words of wisdom. For sweet encouragement, or just for a little bit of glitter, as she too knows what it is like to live in a house of 3 guys, lots of stinky clothes, girlfriends taking away their time, many many trips to the grocery store to restock, but lots of hugs and snuggles too.

I can't even count the times that I have listened to every piece of advice she has to offer, listened so intently, because I knew she had already traveled the path I was wrangling my way through at the time.

I have cried many tears to her, and she has been so gut-straight honest.

And so, it brings me to this.

These Panther earrings.

She brought them to me at graduation, the official night that Mason becomes a Senior, and she "passed the torch" to me.

Oh, my goodness. Even now, it just put a lump in my belly!

The pressure!

She passed these to me, as I still have several years to go in the Panther Stands.

Oh, sweet Wendy. I treasure them so, and I thank you for loving me as much as you have in these past years. I can only hope that my two sweet guys turn out half as wonderful as yours.
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So, I knew that I had to wear them to the games, so I added the Panther to my necklace!

And I am so very much in love with it! I can't wait to sport it at every game!

Ready for Homecoming!

Well, it's that time of year, building floats, and decorating cars, crazy dress-up days at school, and lots of Black and Gold everywhere!

And, at our house, it's no different....we are ready to go watch this guy....and the Pell City Panthers take on Huffman Friday night. Hoping for another mark in the W column!

Go Panthers!