My Browneyed Girl(s)!

Hello All!!
I'm a proud Mama tonight, so I hope you'll indulge me in a little bragging!  Annie-Laurie had her first football game tonight!  No....she's not playing!  I think I may have already mentioned that she's working as a student trainer for the MS State football team...and I actually saw her on TV tonight!  I think she was on for a full couple of seconds!  Thank goodness for TiVo!  I watched her several times!!  I'm sure I've never watched the sidelines more than I've watched a football game, and I couldn't have been prouder if she'd actually been out on the field tackling and scoring!  I'm SOOO anxious to watch her live!!  MS State DID win, by the way....quite handily!

I returned yesterday from my quick trip to Park Hills for my mom's birthday (she's a Browneyed Girl, too!).  I didn't look back before I started writing this, but I'm afraid that I shared her age in a previous blog.  I don't think that she's particularly sensitive about her age, but she honestly could easily pass for 15 years younger!  I truly hope that I can look almost as young and beautiful as she does when I'm 60!!  (She's a few years older than 60, by the way!!)  I'm shocked, as are all people who know me best, that I was actually able to keep a secret and pull off the surprise.  She was DEFINITELY surprised, and we enjoyed a little party with several of my parents' close friends and one of my friends from high school.  It was one of those quick, impromptu things....mostly because I'm a TERRIBLE planner.  But I've found that impromptu things are often the most fun....mostly because I AM a TERRIBLE planner!!  :)

We intended to go to Saxony's first soccer game on Monday, but I got mixed up about game time. (It HAS been said that I could mess up a one-car parade.....I won't mention names).  I'd looked so forward to that game, but I know there will be others, and it actually probably all worked out for the best.  The trip to Cape proved to be an emotional day for us, as it was my parents' first trip back there since Chad's funeral.  The game may have been a little 'too much'.  Things DO so often work out exactly as they're supposed to!

On our way to Cape, we stopped at Saxony High School so that I could hug Chad's sweet girlfriend, Lauren.  She had Chad's yearbook, in which there was a tribute page to him.  What a very sweet gesture!  Whoever was involved in putting that page together did a fantastic job, and we truly are appreciative!!

I want to take a few lines to acknowledge my friend Roy Merideth for the lovely words that he shared in his blog, The Recovering Principal.  Each time I re-read them, I'm more and more humbled.  My only response is that I've known from the very beginning of this journey that God intends to use this tragedy to reveal his goodness.  I'm proud to be a small part of that.

I hope that all of you have had a great week!  Remember to give your kids an extra hug!

Love to All!
Julie

P.S.  Thanks for indulging me!!