Two parents, three kids, and three baseball teams

 It's finally happened. Erik and I have been outnumbered by the number of children we have in baseball. That means carpooling is a thing and I am SO grateful for all the friends who have jumped on board the wagon of helping tote around the Wegener kids. 

It's crazy how much a good friend can lift your spirit. Every time I drop a kid off so they can be brought to practice, I drive away thankful. 

Not everyone has friends like I do... and that stinks. Friendship is something that is vital to humanity. It is the core of what we need as humans. We need others in whom we can trust and look to for laughter, input, and adventure. We learn from each other. I wish everyone could have beautiful friendships like the ones I'm so grateful to have!

Which brings me back to baseball and three things I've learned.

1. I've learned that it is incredibly beautiful to let other people shine. Brielle is a rising baseball 8U star, as proven by her multiple triples and doubles and tonight newest additions: her first homer and two catches at first base where it sounds like she was practically in the splits, scooping up the balls that were heading her way. I appreciate how her older brothers are learning to embrace what she is doing well. I appreciate how fun it is to watch her excel. 

2. Teach your kids to prioritize helping others AND how to be flexible. Jase has had to do that since he's been asked to help fill in for older baseball teams who needed help. He wears a black jersey normally... but he became his brother's twin once and a friend's brother another time... and both times, he set aside nerves and stepped up to the plate and did amazing things to help out teams who needed help. (He fit in much easier with 13U as a 12YO. 15U was hard!)

 

3. I love watching the kiddos find their thing and learn to grow and excel at it. Both boys are catchers, and have grown in their abilities this season. Brayden has gotten more time at catcher and really stepped up to be a "wall" at the plate. Jase has had less time in the catcher position and has started to grow in his abilities in other places on the field (in addition to being a catcher). Brielle still plays all the positions, but wouldn't that be fun if she loves catching like her brothers (and my dad!). 

That's all for now. Unless you want to watch a little of Brielle playing ball with an amazing slide... https://www.youtube.com/shorts/zM2wr4zpPTI

learn to be courageous

Sometimes courage takes time.

Take, for example, my little 1.5 year old.

She doesn't like her winter boots. Not sure why. As far as I know, they fit her fine, but maybe I'm missing something. When we go out, I put her boots on away from the pink cowboy boots she wants to wear instead. (Not a smart move when you are walking in snow and on ice!)

When I set her down in the snow, she barely lets her feet touch and just wants to be held.

Sometimes I feel like that too... I don't want to move. I just want to be.

Yesterday, the boys went outside to play ice hockey with our neighbors, and Brielle and I just sat on a chair and watched the boys play for the first part of the 45 minutes we were there... but then, toward the end, she started to get down and stand in the snow. Then, she moved around a bit right around next to me. Eventually, she tried out the ice (with me right behind). Her boots moved ever so slowly. Eventually she made it across the ice rink and her steps slowly become bigger and bigger as she became more and more comfortable.

I think that's the way it is with us. We don't have to be courageous on the first step. We can sit and think about the possibilities. We can sit and think through what we would like to do. Eventually, we can try it, move forward, and test out the ice. Slowly, but surely, as we let God help us be courageous, He will help us move faster and faster in the right direction until we are both moving forward... and doing it with a smile on our face.

"Be strong. Take courage. Don’t be intimidated. Don’t give them a second thought because God, your God, is striding ahead of you. He’s right there with you. He won’t let you down; he won’t leave you.
 -Deuteronomy 31:6 Msg.

So today, be courageous. It doesn't need to be a big step. It may just be a little one, or maybe you are making a plan as to how you will move forward tomorrow... but do it. Courage is worth it.

Here is our younger two, after Brie finally made it onto the ice. 

thankful for family fun

We visited family this weekend and ended up eating out at a Chinese buffet last night. The end of it took a little longer than normal because we all ate frozen yogurt in cones. Well, it was Brielle's first time with a cone and she decided that she should eat the frozen yogurt with the sharp end of a skewer! It took forever! Here she is: 

We finally showed her that she could eat the cone itself.... In fact, in order to leave, I had to take away her filled cone and replace it with an empty cone so we could leave without too much fuss! 

Yesterday, I heard Pastor Jim talk about the dangers of bitterness and how thankfulness is the antidote to staying bitter and stuck in the past. Thankfulness is something I try to add to my life often. Today, I am thankful for this season of life. Every season has its ups and downs. Generally, my goal is to focus more on the ups than the downs, and that helps me make it through. I'm thankful today for a fun little girl who eats ice cream with a skewer and won't take a different utensil when offered. 

I'm thankful for my oldest, who was a rainbow baby. He's growing to be such a big boy, caring and thoughtful. We left my mother-in-law's this weekend and he took the time to leave behind a good-bye present for her. So kind!

I'm thankful for my youngest boy, who is so full of creativity. Always keeps me on my toes with what he thinks of next. And I'm thankful for my husband who said, "Yes" to hanging out with me for this lifetime. I'm extra thankful that even though he has had many health problems over the years including anxiety, he wasn't anxious last night and didn't have to leave the restaurant early! Even though he didn't feel the best throughout the day, he was able to stay until the very end and get ice cream with everyone while we watched Brielle take forever eating her own. Yay!

Life isn't easy, but it is well worth it when we have wonderful people by our side... and taking the time to be grateful for them fills my heart.

BTW, this must have been what the boys learned in church this past weekend, for they walked out with bracelets that said (and they keep saying), "Oh give thanks to the Lord!"

He is good and His love does endure forever.

What are you thankful for today?