You see...what had happened was...

Let me set the scene....

It was a dark and stormy night.........

Ok. Ok.
Tuesday morning, 5:30am. Dark as soot up here where I live! Pouring down rain.

And, the best part.....I'm VERY stubborn. I know I know. Shocker!!

So, my mom was gonna drop me off at the airport, on my way to Walt Disney World for work.

So...I decided to use the side porch (that we never use because the steps are awful)

Yes. You can already see where this is headed...

Anyways, I digress.

It was raining. Like. Pouring. I was in a hurry. So I decided to only make ONE trip to the car.

So. I grabbed my suitcase, my carrying bag, and out the door I went.

Step one, step two, and set my suitcase on the ground and BAM!!!!

No step three!

I just stepped straight down to the ground and my ankle went as far under me as possible.

I screamed like a little girl that just meet Justin Beiber!!!!

So loud that mason, who was upstairs, in the bathroom getting ready, heard me and came running outside.

Needless to say, I screamed, cried, regrouped grabbed an ankle brace and dashed out the door.
Throbbing.
Like a beast.

As soon as we landed I called my doc (who is awesome, btw)

(foot...about 3 hours after the "incident")

He assured me it wasn't broken.
Take care of business, wrap it tight, lots of ibuprofen, Ice, and stay off of it.....

Um....has he never been to Walt Disney World?!?!

Ok. So 862 miles of walking, later :)

(the next morning)

And in every single pic we took, I have this crazy, my-leg-doesnt-need-to-touch-the-ground thing going on.



I went to see him as soon as we got back home.

Just before going to the doc...

And now....the boot!

GRRR....

Nah, I didn't do this...but it was fun to pose for a photo opp :)

Good cereal...free movies! What's not to love?!

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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:)

a 20 minute recap.....

And so it all comes down to this.

A 20 minute recap of the entire football season.

And truthfully, the season isn't over yet, but we wanted the video ready for Senior Dinner, so, here it is.

I will add the events of today (Senior Day) and then the playoff games, and then it will be complete.

However, the funny thing is......

It's just so symbolic of time, and our lives.

How much we invest in every day, and how much we worry about the "small stuff" when truly, this is a 20 minute recap that begins with Picture Day, back in June.

June!

And here we are 5 months later....and all of the workouts, early mornings, hot afternoons, late Friday nights, painful Saturday mornings.

Yes, all of that...5 months, recapped in 20 minutes.

And so, yes, it is true what God tells us in His word.

Life is but a vapor.

And, as I watch the video, I am thankful.

Thankful for every second I got to spend with these boys.

Thankful for bandaids.
Thankful for Ibuprofen.
Thankful for the boys that wanted my lotion because they were "ashy"
Thankful that they know I love them to bits.

Yes, and even thankful for that blessed football program...and all of the blood, sweat, and tears ;)

I wouldn't trade a second of my "vapor" for these times.

Truly. The best days of our lives.

You have to teach them how...

Ok, so, I am participating again in the October, Photo-A-Day challenge, and well, I am glad I am.

Because I snapped this, this morning, I had just dashed in from my morning run, and we were about to dash right back out the door.

And Scott was putting the "finishing touches" on Chap for the day.

You see, it's picture day.

And, Chap is also in a "Men of Distinction" group at school. So, they dress up once a week. And, today, is that day.

So, Chap has been working on his TIE-ing skills :)

---------
And here's where the lesson comes in.

Scott always works on turning things into "teaching moments".
And he is very verbal about the fact that our kids have to be "taught" the simple skills in life.
Like, how to shake a man's hand.

You just aren't born knowing how to give a firm, solid, manly handshake.
As a matter of fact, at my age..ahem...I still don't know that skill. Why? Because I wasn't taught that skill..because I didn't need it.

you get me?

So, I digress.

Scott does a great job, and I am continually thankful for his role as a "teacher" to our boys. Teaching them life-skills to be men.

So, this morning, as they were getting ready, I think the best part about this, is the way that Chap is so focused and watching his Daddy, and maybe, I just wanna think that he was soaking it all in. Ya know?

-------
Now, if I could just get Scott to teach them how to wash dishes.....oh wait...I think I need to teach him first :)

Chronicles of Senior Year---one month down!

School started one month ago today! I can't believe it has already been a month.

In JUST ONE MONTH--
We have had the football Jamboree, and 3 season games.
(we are up 2-1, by the way!)

All of those have included a breakfast that morning.
One pep rally.

We have been to an Honors College banquet for the University of Alabama!!

He received his admission letter to the University of Alabama.

He received his first scholarship offer (praise the Lord!)

We have ordered his "traditional" invitations, all of his Senior Class of 2013 garb :)

We have submitted one scholarship application.

and what else?


And meanwhile, Chap has started running Cross Country. He has had two meets and another coming up this weekend.

He's had a few basketball practices in the the mix.

And he was the famous Emmit, the Panther at the first season Home Game!

All in all, we have had quite a busy 30 days, and wow! Time does zoom!

Please. Please. Let us stop...long enough to enjoy it!

I wrote love on my arm....

The sad truth is, as a sixth grader, suicide hurt me.

The thought that my Papa didn't feel like I loved him enough...to stick around. It hurt me so deep.

As an adult, I know is wasn't *me* that he was running from, and I know it wasn't *me* that didn't love him enough. But, somehow, it still makes me think, that maybe he just needed a little more love.

Or he just needed a reminder, that whatever it was, that was hurting him so deep in his heart, he could get through it. And in a day or so, he would be glad he didn't give up.

But, sadly. He did give up.

He lost his will to fight.

He let go.

And, he ended his own life. And today, that still hurts my heart.

I wish he could've met my kids. I wish they could've loved him.

I wish they could've sat on his porch,in that lawn chair, and enjoyed that big back yard with him.

I wish they could've held his hand like I did.

I wish they could've seen his endless stash of Izod clothes and socks.

Oh the izod socks.

So many things that suicide took away from us all.

So, today. I write love on my arms.

And I am posting it here, and twitter, and facebook.

And I hope that if someone that I love sees this, it will BURN this image into their heart, so that when you think you want to give up. You won't do it.