Came late to the party, but now I'm staying

I like someone else to go through all the first revs of a product. Why, well it's easy to explain:  Maybe we are very budget friendly bargain shoppers, maybe we like to hear the excitement of others echoing through the world, maybe we are slow to embrace the next best thing.  I like to think of it as all of the above, but it's not that we hate technology... I'm sure you haven't guessed it by now, but I'm a new "bells and whistles" phone user. I just got a phone that I am learning to use that will text, web...oh and make phone calls.

I told Scott it's now a "need".  Recently at Jacob's party, we went to a corn maze. The problem was, the maze was too muddy and they had closed it. So I was scrambling for something else for them to do.  We were already there and the guys were looking forward to it.  Scott suggested I look up another location on my phone. Wowwie wow, wow! I found one and then I looked up a pizza buffet near by.  Another triumph for this mom.  Can't wait to continue becoming a super hero mom thru the uses of the phone. (which used to be used for calling and texting, this cracks me up).

Golf: tee plus three

Magic Soda machine, nothing to do with golf.

Scott goes for the putt

Sperry all ready to get crack'n

Scott in action, whoa that's manly!

Carter for the wind up

Carter just as a pro in mid-shot

Follow thru and lets it fly

Extra bonus points for a dad who makes time and takes time with our kids

At the start of summer, Carter had golf lessons for 1 week.  He loved it and his class included a golf pass on the par 3 course for himself and his family for the rest of the season.  Scott and Carter would meet at the course several times a month and sometimes Jacob would go, sometimes Sperry.  I was the "driver for drop off".  I love hearing all the adventures that they go on with Scott.

The best part of the story is the golf clubs we scored during the garage sales early summer.  I got Carter a great bag, shoes (which were my size), nice set of clubs for about $30.  Scott decided to go unattended (which won't happen again) to find him some clubs during the big neighborhood sale day.  He came home with a retro 80's ugly bag that has bright fushia and a teal colors on it.  The clubs are just as old and normally I'm not a snob, but this stuff that probably came out the year before they upgraded the style from the '60s is stuff that I can't bring myself to use.  My plan: break out the clubs in the summer neighborhood garage sale, try to recoupe a fraction of my money and get some clubs that are at least made within the last 20 years.

Jacob, turning 13 gotta be easier than surgery

 This is a story about a boy who loved football, who experienced delays, and who continued to move yardage to get what he wanted.

#60 is in blue on the far right side

Jacob, #60 far right in blue

There are so many reasons to love your Local Jacob. Today is his birthday we love him so much. Recently, I've learned a lot from him while watching him go through delays and more delays...

 Jacob loves football.  He's tough, a great athlete, and we found he's a quick healer and very patient. Last year he was ready to play his first year of tackle football. He trained hard during a month long training camp. By the time the season was starting, our family moved and Jacob had to wait another year to play.  This year would be different. We were all moved in, signed up, and ready to go.  During the practices before the season began, Jacob landed on his hand and we thought his finger was sprained. He insisted it didn't hurt and we put it in a finger splint and waited for the swelling to go down.  Well, it's a good thing I'm not a Dr. because when we got an xray 9 days later, he suffered a broken bone and it was misaligned and would not heal properly without surgery. 

Jacob #60 in the middle of the mix (blue jersey)

#60 Sargent right in the middle

During his surgery, a 2" pin was placed inside his finger to help hold the bone together while it healed. There was a nice cast in a "crossing guard orange" helped to further protect it. A few weeks of recovery and the pin was removed, the cast was cut off, and we were off to physical therapy.  Each week, Jacob continued to go to football practice and took on the "water boy" task with a smile.  The Doctors always remarked at how quickly Jacob healed and that he must have had a high tolerance to pain because he was off any meds one day after the surgery.

At the end of the football season, his Doctor and physical therapist were still encouraging him to sit out the remainder of the games. But, Scott and I thought that he had recovered well enough to play.  The last two games, he was able to participate and one play got a tackle as he tried for yardage with a quarterback sneak pass.

I learned a lesson from this wonderful young man. Sometimes goals have obstacles that come in unexpected ways.  Sometimes you have to keep patiently trying and keep a positive attitude when you'd rather be playing than passing out water. Sometimes...after all the waiting, you are able to participate in the game and it makes all the waiting and pain worth it.  And your mom and dad cheer you on from the sidelines with unmistakable proud smiles.  Happy birthday Jacob. We love you, we are proud of who you are and the gifts you have been blessed with.  You are an amazing teenager. (note to self: teen boys don't like shirts and sweaters for their birthday presents. If you do this you will be met with the same expression they give you when they open a Christmas present of socks or underwear.)