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Sunburned But Happy

This morning when I got up and saw myself in the mirror, a very sunburned face was staring back at me.

Three days in the sun will do that to a person.

Now, now.  Don’t go wagging your finger at me.  I know I should have put on sunscreen, but I HATE the feeling of the stuff on my face.

Friday, after touring the college, we headed over to Melbourne, where Chicky’s team would be playing its first game.  I’m so glad I didn’t know at the time, but if they lost, they were out of the state playoffs.

I donned a pair of longer “mom” blue-jean shorts and headed out to watch, camera in hand.  The game was tight, both teams equally matched.  I could feel my legs burning, literally, as my stomach began churning with nervousness.  The team wound up coming on top, 1-0!

It would play on Sunday; whereas, the other team was sent home.

Sunday, my nervousness was present…ten-fold, as was the sunburn.  I was smart that morning and purchased sunscreen, which I applied liberally to my legs.  The funny thing was that I was wearing a pair of shorter “non-mom” shorts (as Chicky commented), so you could see a section of white, where the sun had not touched my skin the day before.  Below the line were my red legs.  Kind of embarrassing, but ok.  Whatever.  I sprayed down my arms, legs, and neck and began taking pictures as soon as the first whistle blew.

Once again, it was a tight game.  Our girls came out playing a very sloppy game. Even Chicky wasn’t quite “on,” much to our concern.  I don’t know if it was nerves or the heat.  The other team scored first, looking like the defending state champions that they were.

If the other team wound up on top at the end, they would certainly deserve it.

Now, I don’t know what happened during halftime, but when the ref blew the whistle for the second half to begin, our girls came out like nobody’s business.  You could tell…they had decided to play some soccer.

And that’s what the girls did.  They started playing like a team, patiently passing to each other and finally, finally, finally scoring a goal!!  It was beautiful!!!  The parents cheered loudly and unashamedly.

But, there was still a lot of game to play.

Time for the water break.  The game was tied.  We really didn’t want the game to go into overtime.  We had done that last year…on the same field…two games in a row.  Do you remember my posts about it?

Yeah…not something we were looking forward to.

Right after the water break, one of our girls knocked in a bullet of a goal!  We were jumping up and down like crazy fools.  I had a hard time taking pictures because I wanted to watch the game.

We still had 20 minutes to play, though!  Still lots of game time.

And then, with about six or seven minutes left, one of our girls shot a goal that should not have, under ordinary circumstances, gone into the net.

But it did.

And once again, the parents went ballistic.  You could have heard us holler from the West coast!

We counted down the minutes until the final whistle blew.

The game was over, and Chicky’s team is now headed to the Final Four.

We made the long, seven-hour drive home, pulling into the driveway around 10:15pm.  We headed straight to bed and woke up to begin a brand-new week…all of us sporting sunburned faces that told on us.

It’s a story I’m proud to share.

Soccer Chick Visits Rollins College

A few weeks ago, Soccer Chick received an email from the women’s coach at Rollins College.  He had seen her play in the last State Cup round and was very interested.  He asked her to visit the college so they could talk.

Because we were traveling to south Florida for the Round of 16, we decided it would be a good time to throw in a visit to the college.

Rollins College is located in Winter Park, Florida.  It’s on the outskirts of Orlando…about a six-hour drive from home.  We began our journey after school on Thursday.

Now, first off, I have to make a few comments about hotels.

You know you’re spoiled when you walk into a hotel room and start critiquing it.  How many plugs does it have for us to recharge our cell phones, camera batteries, and iPods?  This one did not have near enough.  Someone would run out of juice the next day, and a fierce battle began.  Thanks, Mr., for booking El Cheapo Hotel.  This hotel was apparently acquired by the hotel next door, as there were two very different buildings.  The hotel’s restaurant was located in the center, and the waitresses reminded me of those from the 70’s…short dresses, white pantyhose…

To their credit, our waitress was AMAZING!  We were in a hurry, although we were polite enough not to act like it, and were served within ten minutes.  We had eaten and paid in fewer than twenty.

The hotel we stayed in Friday night was much, much different.  It’s a Residence Inn.  Every room is a suite with a full kitchen, king-size bed, and living quarters…pull-out bed, comfy chair, and desk.  What a difference!  The Mr. is henceforth banned from making hotel reservations as the latter one was made by Soccer Chick’s team manager (a woman, no less).

Ok…back to the point of this post.  Chicky’s visit to the college.

We drove down Park Avenue, which runs straight into the college.  What a quaint area!  Park Avenue is a brick street, lined with shops and cafes.  You can do some serious shopping only blocks from the school!  There was a beautiful park across the street from the shops.  It reminded me of the times of old…lampposts, large, open grassy area…the perfect place for summer concerts.

Then, we saw the college entrance.  As we passed through, the first thing we saw was the soccer field, located on our left.

Can you believe it?  The soccer field!!!!  Soccer fields are usually stuck way in the back of schools with little signage to point the way.  Here it was, the central part of the school!!

Oh yeah, a very good first impression.

We drove around for awhile, looking for the athletic center.  The Mr. is directionally-challenged, so we went in circles.  We finally located the building and had him drop us off while he searched for parking.

We had a long meeting with the soccer coach.  I’ve gotta say that he did a great job…asking Chicky very specific questions about what she was looking for in a college, what she expected from her soccer career in college, and a host of other things she had probably not given much consideration to before.  And then he told us how he saw Chicky fitting into his program.  He made us feel like she was sought after for a very specific reason, and he made her feel wanted.  That was the best part.  I guess that’s what recruiting is about…making sure you’re a good fit.

The assistant coach, a very likable gal, took us around campus.  Here are some pictures I snapped along the way…

Lake Virginia - Rollins has several water sports that compete on this lake, which provides a scenic backdrop for many dorm buildings

The view from the top floor of one dorm building. You can see the high rises of Orlando in the distance.

We ate lunch at the main cafeteria.  Now, this was not your typical cafeteria food.  It was absolutely divine!  I ate Pasta Fagiole.  Chicky had some kind of fancy salad, while the guys ate some Italian concoction.  There was seafood, all kinds of meats, subs…you name it, it was there.

Several of the girls on the team ate lunch with us, so we got to pick their brains…ask pointed questions…and watch the overall dynamics.  They all seemed to genuinely like one another as well as the assistant coach, who was still with us.

After lunch, Chicky attended class with the team captain.  This was where I got nervous for her.  She tends to be very shy when meeting new people, which makes this recruiting process very difficult.  She clams up, so people don’t get to see her very vibrant personality.

While she was in class, we went to the bookstore.  I could totally see myself decked out in Rollins gear…sitting during a game and cheering her on.  I restrained myself.  She’s not there yet.

After class, Chicky attended a technical drills testing session.  Yay!  We got to sit in the stands and watch.

Here are some pictures of what it would (or will) look like from my seating, should she decide to play there…

Before we left, Chicky asked us to purchase a t-shirt for her from the bookstore.  Ahhh…me thinks this is a good sign.

Time will tell.

On the Road Again

The family is on the road again.

We took Friday off from school and work to pay a visit to a college.  I took pictures and want to share, but I’m too tired right now.  I’ll try to get them posted tomorrow because I’m sure you’ll enjoy them.

We’re in our hotel room, full from a dinner at Carrabbas, vegging out in front of the boob tube.

Chicky’s soccer team is playing in the Round of 16.  A busy weekend!

So, I’ll catch you up tomorrow.

Oh, one last thing.

Mary, the lady I posted about a couple of days ago, passed away this afternoon.  Although I’m glad she’s in heaven right now, no longer suffering from the cancer that ravaged her body, I am very sad.  The kitchen will seem very empty around Christmas.

A Hair-Raising Start to the Day

Weekdays in the AuburnChick home do not exactly flow smoothly…all of the time…despite the routine we’ve established.  Try to throw one extra thing in, and chaos reigns.

Know what I’m talking about?

I’m sure you have no idea as your lives probably run according to clockwork.

Yeah right…and I look like Heidi Klum.

Well, last night, Rooster decided he HAD to have his hair cut before going out of town for the weekend.  Of course, he tells me this at 9:15pm.  I make my kids go to bed at 9:00 on week nights, so there was no way he was getting it cut right then.

For most of Rooster’s 14+ years, I have been his hairdresser.  He has the Mr.’s hair…thick and course.  I use a Wahl cutter…the kind with various guides that allows you to cut hair at different lengths.  It’s super easy and fast…musts for active boys.

I reluctantly told Rooster that IF he got up by 5:30, I would cut it before school.

Eeeps…whatever was I thinking.  I am known to hit my snooze button six times (10 minutes apart).  This commitment would require me to actually get up when the alarm went off.

Ugh.

Rooster got everything set up and was ready for me.  As I turned on the gadget, I noticed that it sounded funny.  I have a good ear for these things and kept inspecting it.  The kids, in their all-knowing way, insisted that it was fine.

Ok then.  We proceeded.

I made three pass throughs, beginning with the center of his forehead and working around one side…when I started looking at it again.  It still didn’t seem right.

So I shook it a bit to see if I could get the blades to move properly.

And then I hit the side of it with my hand.

Wrong move.

The thing stopped working.

Uh oh.

I hit it a few more times.

Nothing.

I tried unplugging it and then plugging it back in, even hitting the little button that’s in the middle of the plug (you know…the thing that pops out and makes your outlets stop working).

Still nothing.

Soccer Chick had been straightening her hair, and as I glanced at her over Rooster’s head, I saw her start laughing…the reality of the situation putting a sparkle in her eye.

She knew we were in trouble.

Rooster was not happy.  He’s not a morning person, typically waking up in a bad mood that can take a couple of hours to dissipate.

I assured him that I would not send him to school with half of his hair cut…that the Mr. would run him to a stylist as soon as one opened.

Meanwhile, I hit that cutter one last time, and it started working!

We breathed a sigh of relief, and I resumed my work.

And then it stopped again, with half of his head to go.

I shooked it and slapped it…and got it working again.

This was how we spent a solid 30 minutes, praying we would make it through.

We did.  Afterward, we put the cutter away…permanently in the trash can.  I’ll be visiting my local Walmart or Target to get another one.

What a way to start the day.

Just another morning in the AuburnChick home.

A Prayer Request

Sorry to be so “chatty” tonight, but I felt the need to post one more thing.

I’d like to ask you to pray for someone special in my family’s life.  Her name is Mary, and for the last 40 or so years, she has worked faithfully as the Mr.’s grandmother’s maid.  If you’re from the South, then you understand what I’m talking about.

She started her work when the Mr.’s mom was in college.  Mary walked behind her as they made the short trek to church on Mr.’s mom’s wedding day, carefully carrying the gown’s train so it wouldn’t get mussed up en-route.

Over the years, Mary half-raised most of the Mr.’s cousins…boys that were quite the handful.  I know, because I attended school with two of them.  They once locked themselves in the bathroom with a package of matches.  Mary did everything in her power to coax those boys out before finally calling their dad.  Oh yeah, she tried to prevent a butt-whooping, but their stubbornness got in the way.

When the Mr. and I started dating, Mary welcomed me to the family with open arms.  She was, after all, family.  True to Southern tradition, that woman could cook up a storm!  Veal cutlets, dove, quail…all delicious!  My favorite thing she made, though, was Caramel Cake.  If she knew I was coming for lunch, she always had this cake prepared for me.

After the Mr.’s grandfather passed away a few years ago, Mary became an integral part of the support system that enveloped the Mr.’s grandmother.  She nursed her back to health after grueling back surgery, making sure she exercised properly and took her medication as prescribed.  More than anything, Mary was the company that Mama D needed during the initial time of adjustment of living alone.

Mary…always quietly serving, preferring to stay in the background while others enjoyed the hospitality she worked so hard to prepare for.

And now she’s dying.

The Mr. took a road trip tonight to visit her in the hospital, where she’s heavily sedated.  I didn’t go with him, but I can only imagine the tears he must have shed as he spoke what will probably be his final words to her.

Please pray that she won’t have to suffer…that God takes her gently in the night as a reward for her faithful service here on earth.  She truly was an angel in disguise, and when she’s gone, she will be terribly missed.

Please pray for the Mr. as he’s known her his entire life.  She cleaned the wildlife he killed on hunts…prepared the birds exactly as he liked them.  He frequently drove her home after her work was completed.  She never drove a car, that I’m aware of.  In fact, she probably didn’t even own one.  She was very poor and gave most of what she did earn to others.

Please pray for Mama D as yet another void will open in her life.  Their relationship had evolved from one of employer/employee to one of friendship, whether Mama D will admit it or not.  Remember…traditional South and all.

Thanks you guys!

Rooting for the Underdog

I’m sure that most of you have probably already seen this, but I wanted to share it, just the same…in case you’re like Rooster, who had not seen it until I had it running on my computer tonight.

To say that the voice doesn’t not match the “package” is an understatement.  However, perhaps that’s the coolest thing about it!

I found myself fighting tears by the end.  I was emotionally drawn in by the purity of her voice as well as the shock and wonder on the faces of all (including Simon Cowell) as the performance played out.

That God packaged this delightful, musical instrument in the body of a 40-something year-old, unmarried and ordinary-looking woman…

Wow!

Transparency

I just got back from my Wednesday night Bible study.  I do so enjoy these evenings, even if, quite honestly, there are days when I’d rather be lazy and sit at home.  Now that Chicky drives, it can be difficult to extricate myself from the couch cushions.  Yeah, it’s nice to have a child who drives.

God is so good, though, and always rewards my obedience and desire to learn more about Him.

Tonight, we continued our two-week discussion of The Shack.  We discussed the typical arguments made by other reviewers.  How theologically correct is it?  Can it lead people astray by less-than-clear dialogue?

What I love about our group is the range of perspectives and life experiences we all bring to the table.  I always walk away from these get-togethers with a fresh outlook.

Tonight, we got into a discussion about how people are turned off by “Christianity” and the church.  Often, this comes as a result of so-called “Christians” and their duplicity and seeming “goodness.”

Maybe you’ve encountered people who seemed to have their act completely together…always sporting a smile and an air of “all is right with the world.”  This may have made you feel like you didn’t belong in church because you weren’t good enough.

How can we combat this?  The ladies in my group agreed that Christians need to be transparent…show our vulnerability.  We shouldn’t be afraid about admitting that maybe our day is kind of crappy (we didn’t use this exact word), and no, everything is not hunky-dory.

By not elevating ourselves above the rest of the world, we acknowledge that we are just as bad off as everyone else.  We lose our jobs, and we worry about paying the bills.  We argue with our kids, and we might even – gasp – raise our voices and yell hysterically at them.  And yes, we yell at traffic and the slow drivers ahead of us (some people should not be issued licenses).

We’re human.

By living our lives as an open book, we make ourselves approachable, which creates opportunities for relationships to develop…which can ultimately lead to a presentation of the gospel.

It is my prayer that my blog…my public diary, is as transparent as if I were talking to you face-to-face.  I pray that as you see my life unfold here (and I don’t hold much back), it will ultimately point the way back to God.  I am not perfect, and I don’t lead an idyll life.  Yes, I have been richly blessed, and I thank the Lord every day for this undeserved graciousness.  But even in the midst of the struggles I face, everything ultimately boils down to the fact that I DO have a relationship with the Lord, and it’s because of that relationship that I’m still able to praise God at the end of each day.

It is my sincerest desire that if you don’t currently attend church or have strayed, you will return.  Or maybe you’ll just start by opening a Bible and reading a few verses every night.

We do not have to be perfect to come to God.  In fact, it’s because of our imperfection that we CAN and MUST come to Him.  He’s not going to thumb his nose at you.  In fact, He’ll welcome you with open arms.  Nor will the people at church thumb their noses at you…not if it’s a Christ-centered church.  They, too, will welcome you with open arms.

Where’s the Fire?

Sometimes I think someone must have painted a big X on my back…as if to say, “Let’s get life to hand her a funny.  She can handle it!”

Today should have been an ordinary day.

I got up, showered and made myself up, just in case the school called me for a job (which it did), and headed out to work…my day’s plans shot down with the ring of the phone.

Not a problem…I can adapt.  And I did.

I had third period Planning, which ran directly into lunch.  Nice!  I had two hours and five minutes to do what I wanted.  I left school and went hunting for Bernat Softee Chunky.  I need a few yards to finish my top-secret project.

Let me tell you…I booked it.  Oh, I drove safely, but once I parked the car, I broke out in a mad dash to get through the stores as fast as I could.  I nearly took out a few people in the process.  I failed in my quest to locate the yarn…wouldn’t you know it.  It was the one time, after all, that I had armed myself with coupons for every store.  Do you think I would have found the yarn if I hadn’t had them?  I think so.

Whatever.

I did treat myself to Spinach and Artichoke Dip from my favorite restaurant, which is (coincidentally) located right beside the last store I visited.

AuburnChick whistles innocently…although the fact that she has said restaurant on her speed dial, nullifies the air of innocence.

Anyhoo…I got back with plenty of time to call my friend, Rabbit, who offered to go shopping at her Michael’s and pick up the yarn for me.   What a great friend!

Last period proceeded smoothly enough.  The kids finished their work early, so I let them play cards. The principal’s voice came on the PA system to announce various election results.  Chicky won her race for Senior class secretary.  Woo Hoo!

Then, with one minute until the final bell rang, the kids lined up at the doors (two because it’s a portable).  With 30 seconds left, the fire alarm went off.

What in the world?  Who would be dumb enough to schedule a fire alarm so close to the bell?

As I looked around, the kids had disappeared.  No sense staying.  The day was over.

Except for one student.

He returned and frantically told me he had bumped up against the fire alarm and set it off.  He tried to turn it off.

“Hon, you can’t turn it off once it’s been turned on.”

Great.

It was MY class that set off the alarm that could be heard all over school.

I quickly asked the student his name before he ran out the door, and I called the office to let them know it had been an accident.  Then, I got in my car and started driving home.  Chicky called and asked me to go back and pick up Rooster.  She had a meeting after school.

As I got ready to do so, I saw two firetrucks…lights flashing and sirens blaring…barreling down the street toward the school.

Oh no.

Surely they weren’t going to the school.  I kept watch in my rearview mirror as I looked for a place to do a U-turn.  It was hard to tell where they were going…traffic was starting to back up.

As I pulled into the school parking lot (I live right next to the school), I saw the firetrucks parked in the car loop, and firemen getting out of the trucks, clad in their firefighting gear.

Oh boy.  This was getting worse by the minute.

Rooster saw me and got in the car.  I quickly told him what happened.

“Mama,” he said patiently, “That kid had to have pulled the alarm.  You can’t make it go off by bumping it.”

Oh no.

I decided I had better talk to an administrator in the office.  On my way, I approached the fireman who appeared to be in charge.  I explained what happened, and he took down my name.

Great.

Then, I went to the office, where we pulled up my class roll.  I couldn’t exactly remember the student’s name, but I quickly recognized it once I saw it on the computer.  One of the AP’s was there, filling out a report, asking who had been in the classroom.

I sheepishly pointed to myself.

Great.

He told me that it’s a 3rd degree felony, and that the kid will probably get 10 days of suspension.

Lovely.

He assured me that I wasn’t in trouble.  I had been watching the class.  The door had been in my line of sight.  The kid probably pulled it when I turned around for a moment.

What a way to end the day.  I kind of wish it had been someone else, but I’m not surprised it was me.

One more story for the blog.

Think I’ll go eat chocolate.

I Ran Out of Yarn!

Ok…well, not completely, as I still have my stash.  The world has not come to an end…yet.

BUT, I did run out of yarn for my current project!  And I only have one small part and three rounds of another part to go before I start seaming!!

Ugh.

I am not a happy camper.  This yarn is not sold by local stores.  My friend, Rabbitrescuer, was gracious enough to send me the skein I used.

I’ve put out a couple of SOS calls on Ravelry.  I hope someone responds quickly.

Meanwhile, I don’t have a project on my needles!  What’s a girl to do?

Get out the laptop at midnight, of course, and start looking through Ravelry.

I’m giving serious consideration to making my first shawl.  I have two skeins of Malabrigo Lace that one of the ladies in the West Coast Oddball group sent me for my birthday.  It’s calling out to me, much like the sirens called out to the sailors of old.

Do you have any favorite patterns you’d like to share?

I’m desperate.  We’re going out of town on Thursday afternoon, and I simply MUST have something going by then.  I mean, can you imagine me, in a car for eight or nine hours, with no knitting to keep me occupied?  I might actually talk to the family!  Or worse…I might sing along to the radio.

My kids beg you…submit your ideas…and quickly…before their ears fall off from Mama talk.

Hmmm…this could be the ultimate revenge for the last few years of teenage angst they’ve thrown upon me…

Naw…I want to salvage what teensy bit of sanity I have left.

MUST

FIND

PATTERN

The Law and Love

I wanted to follow up on yesterday’s “Hosanna” post.

Barb commented that love should be what draws us to the cross.  I have to say that I agree; however, I believe, and the Bible teaches, that the Law is what makes known sin (Romans 7:7).  Only then, can one understand the magnitude of the gift, born of love, that God provided.

To quote Ray Comfort, in his book School of Biblical Evangelism (pgs 13-14):

The Bible says in Psalm 19:7, “The law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul.” Scripture makes it very clear that it is the Law that actually converts the soul.  To illustrate the function of God’s Law, let’s look for a moment at civil law.  Imagine if I said to you, “I’ve got some good news for you:  someone has just paid a $25,000 speeding fine on your behalf.”  You’d probably react by saying, “What are you talking about? That’s not good news-it doesn’t make sense.  I don’t have a $25,000 speeding fine.”  My good news wouldn’t be good news to you; it would seem foolishness.  But more than that, it would be offensive to you, because I’m insinuating you’ve broken the law when you don’t think you have.

However, if I put it this way, it may make more sense:  “While you were out today, the law clocked you going 55 miles an hour through an area set aside for a blind children’s convention.  There were ten clear warning signs stating that fifteen miles an hour was the maximum speed, but you went straight through at 55 miles an hour.  What you did was extremely dangerous; there’s a $25,000 fine.  The law was about to take its course, when someone you don’t even know stepped in and paid the fine for you.  You are very fortunate.”

Can you see that telling you precisely what you’ve done wrong first actually enables the good news to make sense?  If I don’t clearly bring understanding that you’ve violated the law, then the good news will seem foolishness and offensive.  But once you understand that you’ve broken the law, then that good news will become good news indeed.

Several years ago, I became convicted that perhaps my conversion, as well as that of my children (they “asked Jesus into their hearts” at a young age) was false.  How could my children, at the tender age of five or six, truly comprehend the nature of sin?  Sure, they knew when they’d misbehaved, but to understand it according to God’s Word…that’s a totally different kind of knowledge.

Only God knows their hearts, and I pray constantly for them as well as others I come into contact with.

I desperately want people to understand the nature of the grace that God bestowed upon us when Jesus took our place on the cross.  To do that, they must be convicted of their sin.  We are not good people.  We have sin in our hearts from the moment we’re born.  You don’t have to teach children to misbehave.  They do it naturally.  You don’t have to teach people how to sin.  We do it naturally.  Sin has a consequence.  The Jews knew this…way before Jesus fulfilled the prophecy.  God demanded payment…even back then.  They brought forth their sacrifices to atone for their sins.  Even back then, before the death of the Savior, blood had to be exacted as payment.

The sacrificial slaughter of animals was a precursor to the One who would ultimately stand in place of all of mankind.  The Jews looked forward to the Savior that WAS to come, and we look backward to the Savior who DID come.

An amazing gift, born of love, but given because of the Law that will be used as the measuring stick.  We are all guilty.  We will ALL be held accountable

I am so glad I don’t have to pay the price.

Hosanna!