Day 4 - Listen

I like watching baseball, playoff baseball in particular. Live at the ballpark is my favorite, but watching from home on TV is also fun for me. Even better than the watching, though, is the listening.

We are fortunate in DC to have a FANTASTIC pair of radio people - Charlie (Slowes) and Dave (Jagler). They really bring the game to life with details and then an array of facts and baseball trivia and interesting tidbits to fill in all the in between. 

I let the girls listen when they go to bed if there's a game on. We listen when we're in the car. And I keep the radio up and the TV down when the Nats are on TV here. Charlie and Dave are my favorite baseball companions. 

Late last season, the Nats did a giveaway of a radio lanyard. This clever thing is a lanyard with a small radio built into a reversible single headphone. The wonder of this is that with it, while you are live at the ballpark, you can put Charlie and Dave right in your ear, no delay. It lets you get the detail you missed when watching. It lets you hear what's going on when you can't quite figure it out from the stands (he was ejected? why? ) I also use it when I want to tune out the chatter from some folks sitting around me. 

I listen to Charlie and Dave almost every night of the season when I am not at the ballpark. This year I have LOVED being able to listen to them while I am live there also. 

I got my hands on a few extras - one for each of the girls. A used it while we were at the Wild Card game this week and said it helped her track stuff better as well. Big win all around for the added gift of listening to the radio live at the ballpark.

Day 3 - Problem

Today's prompt is PROBLEM.  And I have a problem ... I am drawing a blank here. Interesting. I usually reason so hard and through so many permutations when trying to think through solutions that I wear myself to the point of exhaustion.

Today - the opposite. My brain is off. Perhaps that's too many late nights in a row (thanks playoff baseball - YAY and too much homework on practice nights for the girls - BOO). 

I am amused - it's been a long time since I felt like there was NOTHING happening in my brain. Sure sign I need to go to bed.

Although - another positive of my lack of topical thought here, I guess, is that there aren't any major pressing problems in my inner brain circle tonight. That should make a restful night in a few minutes. (CHEERING!!!).

So, with that I'll say - glad I made the effort to throw a few non important words on the page tonight to keep the streak going. That will help me want to write tomorrow. And keep me on track for all 31 days.

Goodnight friends.

Day 2 - Gift

Last night was a baseball game here in DC. My favorite team playing in a one game winner-take-all Wild Card game.

with our friend K, (left) before the game

Baseball as I've often written is my safe space. When I need to reset my brain (redirect, actually) or when I need to do some hard thinking, I do it best at the ballpark.

None of that was happening last night. The whole night was super intense. At least for me. My youngest got to come along with me. Oldest had a game with her varsity team and she made the right (if hard) choice to stay with the team. 

the view from our seats as the Nationals celebrated their win

We trekked down to the ballpark, smooshed in our little Subaru outback with friends. We watched the ebb and flow of the game. The horror of the early home runs against us. The glee of the home run as we tried to come back. The middle innings of good pitching and NO HITTING.  And then as we were down to our final 5 outs, the tide turned. You can read about it and listen to the radio call. 

And after it had turned, and the crowd roared all through it - the loudest I've ever heard my ballpark in person, and after the last fly ball was caught, we exhaled. And we screamed. We cheered and high-fived with strangers. A playoff win. A move forward to the next round.

a bunch of my in real life Nats friends, cheering with the win! 

And the gift of celebrating it with real life friends and stranger but family fan friends. There is little that compares to a playoff win. And the joy that comes when you share it? A gift of a memory to last a lifetime.

Day 1 - Why

Well, this is an appropriate prompt to start with! Why write? Why share my words from my head with friends (or even random internet strangers)? 

For me, sometimes I write (when I make the time) to help make sense of the jumble of thoughts in my brain. Sometimes it is to record some things we did so that I can share with my family (see the unfinished spring break posts) and friends so that I don't repeat myself, or so that far away friends can see and share in our adventures. Or so that I don't forget a memory that I later want to share with the kids. 

Occasionally I write because I am bored and need to refocus on something. Or because I've been meaning to call and catch up with someone but due to time zones and crazy schedules, it is ALWAYS the wrong time to call them. My bestie lives in Seattle.  I don't need to wake her at 4:12a just to ask how her kids are adapting to new schools. She would answer, every time I call, but that is hardly an emergency. So instead I write an email.

And sometimes I write here because it helps me keep a commitment or dust off some rusty skills that may need to be re-engaged. Maybe there's something I need to let out that I can't even put my finger on yet.  Or maybe I just need to see if I cam muster up the energy to make this a regular habit again. I was on a roll for a while and then for 2 years --- ZILCH. And I have missed the writing. And I have missed hanging out with the FMF community on Thursday nights. Life got in the way. 

As fall arrives this year, and I think about what 2019 has brought so far, it's brought a lot of new connections, but also a reminder that there are some old connections I have been missing more than I realized.  So thanks, Kate, for this chance to oil the rusty joints and reach back out to the FMF fun. Glad to be back.  And glad to see the why can still drive me to action.

31 Days of Five Minute Friday

Dusting off the keys again. And wading into the 31 days writing challenge again.  Not sure how it will go, but maybe it will get me back into a writing groove.  (Maybe I will finish the spring break 2017 posts.... )   We shall see.

Anyway, this year, I am joining Kate and the Five Minute Friday crowd, for 31 days of Five Minute Friday posts.  5 minutes a day - of whatever comes to mind on the topic presented.  This will be the landing page, where all the posts of this exercise can be found.  I've tried it 2 or 3 times before, and I seldom make it past day 10, but I have some energy and motivation this time to try and get to the end. Once I get there, it's wedding day!  (for my brother, not me).  So we can conclude, have a fun weekend and then maybe I will circle back and share the amazingness of welcoming Michelle to our family.

See below for the planned adventure of this month. And come join us on any day you like.  Cheers to a new month of fun with some of my favorite on line writing pals.

----------------
Day 1 - Why
Day 2 - Gift
Day 3 - Problem
Day 4 - Listen
Day 5 - Other
Day 6 - Notice
Day 7 - Same
Day 8 - Gather
Day 9 - Join
Day 10 - Scored
Day 11 - Deep
Day 12 - First
Day 13 - Reach
Day 14 - Voice
Day 15 - Open
Day 16 - Avoid
Day 17 - Consistent
Day 18 - Active
Day 19 - Strong
Day 20 - Tell
Day 21 - Person
Day 22 - Sense
Day 23 - Need
Day 24 - Different
Day 25 - Wait
Day 26 - Accept
Day 27 - Better
Day 28 - Rest
Day 29 - Practice
Day 30 - Memory
Day 31 - Enjoy

Day 6: YOU

(posting late. Playing catch up tonight).

Dear friends,
YOU are such an integral part of my life. You who love me through hard days and you who hug me when I think I might fall apart. You who laugh with me when things are silly ... or ridiculous. You who love on my kids and welcome them into your hearts. You who call me when I never remember to call you first. You who reach out when you think I've been quiet too long. You who defend me when you think someone is doing something to me that shouldn't be done. You who watch games with me, or movies with me, or do puzzles with me. You who take me out for moms' night out and you who take the kids to give me a mom's night out. You who stop and pray for me and you who ask how you can pray and you who pray for me without even knowing what to pray for. You who send letters and emails and postcards and books. You who make time even when you don't have extra time to give. You who road trip and bus trip and train trip to celebrate events big or small. You who support charity walks and runs year after year. Some of you support with your checkbook and some of you support with your tweets and all of you support with your encouraging words and your hearts and I am thankful for each and every one of you.

I speak often of how it takes a village to raise a kid (or two) but it also takes a village to support a grown up, and I am thankful to have each of you in that village with me.  My world is a better place because of you.

***********

This post is a part of 31 Days of Five Minute Fridays. You can see all posts in the series here. 

Day 5: SILENCE

I watched an entire baseball game trying to decide what to post tonight. It was a ridiculous (in the best way) game. Pitchers' duel in a winner take all wild card game. (San Francisco Giants v New York Mets for you non baseball friends) The ballpark was rocking. All night long. Loud and rowdy. Cheering non stop. Much to cheer about (if you like low ... er zero ... scoring games).  And then ... top of the 9th ... Familia comes in for the Mets. I won't give you the play by play because lots of terrific baseball writers will give you that. But a couple of guys get on base for San Francisco. and then ... Conor Gillaspie (who? exactly). HOME RUN. And then ... crickets.  The ballpark that had been so loud it felt like I could hear it out my window (NYC to DC) ... deathly silent. All the air sucked out of everyone's lungs. Sure, there were still 3 outs for NY to get their chance to come back. But every Mets fan in that ballpark felt the win slip away. Their star pitcher matched the pitcher from SF for so many innings. Their bullpen was holding them even. Zeroes in the run column for both teams.  And then a series of (unfortunate events). And one pitch. And WHAM.

New York Mets: into the off season. Silent until Spring Training.  As for me, and my girls: we have baseball on Friday! Let's go Nats.


*****
This post is a part of the series 31 Days of Five Minute Fridays. You can find all the other posts in the series here.

Taste (Day 18)

Tuesday night I went out for BBQ here in Eden Prairie. Cute little place called Baker’s Ribs. I’m away from home all week, and eating alone most nights, so I was looking for comfort food. I found it in a way I didn’t even expect. I had ribs, and they came with 2 sides. I got potato salad (yummy) and the carrot salad. (you know, trying to do SOMETHING healthy when eating out every night and needing comfort food. Carrots, yeah, that might work.

Turns out their carrot salad is the same recipe (or close enough that I could not tell the difference really) as my mom’s marinated carrots. We used to have them in the summer at home and I always loved them. I think the recipe originated with my Nana. So Tuesday night, when I was far from home, far from my kids, all alone in a strange city, and admittedly feeling a whole lot sad, the surprise of the taste from home was my jackpot find of the week. 

Thanks, Baker’s for being a spot of home when I needed it most. The ribs cured my hunger and the carrots saved my heart.

PS you can read all 31 days here

 

Long (Day 17)

It’s been a long time (relative to this 31 days effort) since I have written. Can’t blame it on a rut or being in a funk, or just being busy. I didn’t make time. There always IS time if you make it. So now I am really in day 30 of this month, and while I may not do half a month of writing in 2 days, I might get close, since I am on the road this week. And now baseball is over for the year so there is nothing to consume my evenings.

I’ve been thinking – long is all relative to perspective. A baseball season is long – 162 games over 6 months – compared to football (18 games over 18 weeks? <- don’t shoot me if the reference is wrong. I don’t know for sure and I didn’t look it up!) But in comparison to life, 6 months can be just a blip on the radar.  For my 6yo, 6 months can seem like FOREVER. Who am I kidding – 6 minutes on time out for her can seem like FOREVER.  But for me, 6 months isn’t so long. When my ex first left, the first 6 months dragged on. For what seemed like a lifetime – I wasn’t sure how I’d emotionally survive one day to the next, but now that I am about 6 years down the road – I look back at the past 6 months and it has flown. One baseball season.

I’ve made new friends, strengthened some other relationships, healed a few that were rocky, and made a whole pile of memories along the way. From the opening day road trip to the last 18 innings at home, the 6 months seems to have flown. So, as we enter the long off season, I am thankful that this part lasts not so long. It’s only until February when we get pitchers and catchers. Looming long off today, but one day closer every day, until the new season, ripe with hope and dreams, lays out ahead of us. Ready for another 6 months of fun.

PS you can read all 31 days here

Adjust (Day 16)

I thought I could make a change overnight - to adjust to a new pattern quickly.

I did OK for a few days, but old habits die hard. They say 21 (or maybe 30) days to a new habit. And if you fall off the wagon just pick up and start again. It took me 30 years, but I have finally mostly kicked the bad habit of biting my fingernails - trying to keep them polished in some fashion seems to have helped a lot.

I thought that Write 31 Days might get me in a better writing habit. It hasn't really, yet, but there have been a few spurts, so I see some slow progress. Maybe it has been enough to adjust me back into the Five Minute Friday ON FRIDAY plan. Regardless, it;s been a good test - to see what I have in these fingers; in this brain - waiting to get out on the screen. And it's also provided some great discussions with the kids. And provided a distraction in the days of baseball absence. WHile I am not always writing, there has been A LOT to read.

Perhaps even enough to carry me through all the way until pitchers and catchers report.

PS read all 31 days here

Life (Day 15)

The next installment in 31 days of Five Minute Fridays. You can see everyone who is participating here. You can see my other posts in this series  here.

LIFE

I used to wonder why people would say "get a life" to me. Happened a lot as a sarcastic teenager remark, I think. It used to hurt my feelings, too. I would think "what a dope. I have a life. Can't you see that?!"

But really, looking back now, maybe they couldn't. Teenagers (and some adults for that matter) can't (or won't) look beyond what they know. What they like. So, to them, my days spent reading books or with the band, or (now) at ball games or the library ... these look dull. Time wasting. And isn't the point of life, to so many people, to be living it up? Fun, fancy, furious pace... ambitious. Perhaps at the expense of relaxing, enjoying, soaking it up. Or perhaps spent trying to achieve someone else's vision of fun.

Instead of finding your own way; finding what works for you. A few years later, I am finally comfortable with the life I have. No longer striving to be the perfect image of what someone else wants. But rather listening to my heart about what makes sense for me. For my family.

And ... that's why you'll most likely find me at the ballpark, or at the library, or exploring something new with my kiddos - so they can learn what works for them.

Away (Day 14)

As baseball season goes away (SOB, SOB, SNIFFLE!) for the year, the girls and I decided we could make our list of the top 10 (or a few more than that) things we each enjoyed about the season. That will give  us something to remember this off season until it's time to start next year.

S's list
1. Tyler Clippard bobblehead day
2. birthday cupcakes from Fluffy Thoughts
3. watching Asdrubal Cabrera hit a home run
4. Watching Bryce Harper's helmet fly off when he is running
5. Eating nachos
6. Seeing mom's Nats friends at the Red Porch
7. Watching Denard Span catch a ball up in the air jumping toward the wall (Spanning!)
8. When we were the East Division Champions! (Thanks mom for showing us the celebration the next day)
9. Watching baseball games on TV
10. Running the bases on Sundays after the games
11. When Screech was messing around with the Diamondbacks players in his snakeskin boots
12. Watching Ian Desmond play ball


A's list
1. getting my Jordan Zimmermann bobblehead in my birthday sack from the Nats
2. getting my bear named Buffalo (for Wilson Ramos)
3. Watching the Nats players hitting doubles
4. Getting a Wilson Ramos bobblehead
5. Teaching the Phillie Phanatic stuff from my Uncle that it needs to be "Nats fans"
6. That Jayson Werth has the same birthday as me
7. That Teddy was winning President's Races a lot
8. baseball poptarts with the Cleveland Indians symbol that reminds me of Asdrubal Cabrera's old team (we are glad we have him mom!)
9. sitting with Miss Jennifer
10. the Rally Elmo - both at the park and at Bobby Van's
11. screaming "Let's Go NATS!!" from our "pocket of 3 seats"

Mommy's list
1.  Opening day in NYC road trip
2. Gentleman Jerry Blevins dress-up night. Never thought I'd wear a little black dress to the ball park, but it was just right
3. Countless afternoons and evenings at the Red Porch with Nats twitter friends
4. the grins on the girls' faces with all the fun pictures from the day we were on the field
5. watching batting practice from the field
6. Game 2 of the NLDS (all 18 innings) with my dad and my brother
7. Game 1 of the NLDS - taking the kids out of school for their very first playoff game
8. meeting Adam LaRoche and Brad Ziegler through the Act of Valor finalist presentation
9. Road trip to Pittsburgh for Memorial Day weekend
10. Working with Ian  Desmond on the EndNF campaign in the month of May

***THE BEST MOMENT***: Witnessing Jordan Zimmermann's no hitter in person

It's been a baseball season full of fantastic memories. We are ready for next year!


------
You can read all 31 days here.

Work (Day 13)

I wanted to skip this post. I love my job, but prefer not to think about work outside of my regular working hours. (Who am I kidding, I wanted to skip this anyway because I am - my own fault - behind and trying to reach day 16 in time to write tonight with the group)

So instead, I will tell you WHY I like my job. I am a project manager. So I get to organize things, corral people, point them in the direction of a common goal, and cheer (loudly and sometimes celebrate with cookies or fun dip!) when we reach the end. In short, I get to be bossy in a nice way and throw parties. It works for me :)

I have a super team of folks that make me laugh and teach me a lot. It's an environment that encourages learning and helping people improve. We serve a wide variety of clients. We serve a vast array of internal product & service teams. I learn something new every day. I laugh most days - some days a great deal. I occasionally want to pull my hair out, but I do that at home, too.

I'm thankful to work in a place where people care about each other as people, not just as co-workers. The team asks about my kids - and my baseball team. They share personal stories and they all give generously of their time outside work to help make the world a better place. I am so fortunate to like my job and the people I work with. This makes getting up each morning so much easier! (However, loving my job does not at all mean I don't look forward to Friday!)

STOP.

You can read all 31 days here.

Rest (Day 12)

REST.

There's a reason we have days of rest. I would do well to remember to use them for recovery. For down time. For time to stop and think. All too often I use that time to play catch up - to do all the things I never got to, or put aside because something more urgent seemed to present itself.

But really, I feel so much better when I actually rest. Sit down with a book, or my journal, or with a craft project that I find relaxing. That down time restores my attitude. It makes me less cross. It helps my patience bucket stay full.

When things were at their worst in the midst of the separation and divorce, rest was at the very, very bottom of my priority list. Because with resting came time to think. To feel. To hear the very loud silence. I solved for not being able to deal with the pain and loneliness and sadness by keeping myself busy. And then I could collapse into bed at night and fall asleep without my mind racing - the what ifs, the could haves, the what nexts? 

I am so thankful that time has healed a lot of that. Forgiveness has helped. And now the resting - the thinking time - isn't so scary. I don't have to avoid it any more.  It has returned to the welcome time of rejuvenating - to help me be a better me.

STOP.

You can read all 31 days here.

Teach (Day 11)

TEACH

I shared this story on Twitter in short form, but now I can give it 5 whole minutes. You never know what you've actually taught your children until you see them apply it. I am teaching my girls to be baseball fans - well, Nats fans specifically! - and they have learned a lot, as we've seen throughout this season.

Example one: I was coughing the other day. I swallowed something and you know the phrase.. ." it went down the wrong pipe." However, this happened.
S: mom, are you ok?
me: yes, it just went down the wrong
<S interrupting>
S: mom, there IS NO WRONG PIPE!
<we both dissolve into heaps of laughter>

why on earth would we even have that interaction? because of this Nats celebration.

Example two: we went to the American History Museum on Saturday afternoon. The street pole banners celebrating the Nationals advancing into the postseason were still up. (and they say "We're in") A looked up and said, "oh, mama. That is sad. We aren't in anymore."

They're not as invested as I am ... yet ... but I am delighted to see that I really am Raising Nats Fans :)

STOP.

You can see all of my Write 31 days posts here.

Care (Day 10)

It's the actual Five Minute Friday (of course late. Nothing new to see here). This month it's in a series of 31 days of Five Minute Fridays. Find all of those posts at Kate's place. You can find all mine here.  

CARE.

The thing I've learned in the past 6 years is that just because you care about something doesn't mean someone else will care about the same thing. No matter how hard you wish they will get engaged. No matter how desperately you plead with them. Even if they used to care about it. You can only choose for you. And they can only choose for them. And if you used to be on the same page with caring about something and now you are not, there is nothing that hurts more than being on the caring side, watching the one you love stare you straight in the eye and tell you they don't care anymore. 
Except perhaps when you ask them why and they give you some made up false sounding reason, or better yet a list of "things you could fix that will make them care again" ... and then you learn the truth. That all the reasons were lies, and the real reason is your worst nightmare. 

6 years later, I finally don't care so much. But I have not yet hit the point where I don't care - where it doesn't hurt. Maybe someday that wound will be entirely healed. For now, I am thankful that it hurts less every day, and that both grace and forgiveness despite the hurt - have carried me every day.

STOP.

Join (Day 9)

JOIN

It's been a rough week. Highs and lows in baseball followed by a GIANT  HUGE void. Worse than the All Star Break. On those days we don't expect baseball. We miss it but we know there is more to come. Tonight is empty because a maybe game wasn't needed. Sigh.

And so we begin the process of healing. Of reminiscing. Of looking forward to the new season. (Counting to pitchers and catchers!!)

I am so thankful for my "weird Nats twitter friends" who have turned into real life friends. (Not any less weird, mind you - but neither am I!) This weekend we are joining together to celebrate the 2014 Nationals and look forward to the 2015 season. With new and old friends. From far and near.  Joys are multiplied when we celebrate together. Sadness is divided ... or at least shared well on other shoulders.

So I will see you, Nats twitter, on Saturday night. With my kiddos. Plenty of hugs (and a few piggybacks) to go around!

STOP.

PS You can read all 31 days here

Say (Day 8)

The word of the day is:
SAY

Last night the Nationals' playoff journey ended. As a fan, it was heartbreaking. As a mom of fans, it hurt all over again today when I had to explain to the girls that the ride for this season was over. There have been a lot of people with a whole lot to say after the game / series. Lots of armchair managing and even, much to my dismay, a significant amount of player bashing. (TERRIBLE).

So with my five minutes today, I will exceed the time limit and give you my thoughts on not only the end of the season for my Nats.

I am a fan. An avid fan. A long time fan. But I don't know a lickety-split-bit about how to manage a baseball team and/or a game. I don't. I do know that we didn't hit well (.300 is good. .200 is icky. I think we hit .164-ish for the series. That's not good.) Without hitting - and therefore run scoring (hits do not always lead to runs, but no hits definitely means no runs...) it's going to be very, very hard to win games. Despite the "dead bats" we *STILL* almost won this thing. 3 one-run games.  So *blah-blah-blah* criticize the manager for pitching matchups (or lack thereof) or whathaveyou - you will not hear that from me. This team played their hearts out. They did NOT WANT to lose. Today they are sad. They have finished a LONG, LONG season - and sooner than they wanted - so I won't second guess what happened. Instead, I will say thanks for the ride, guys. You have brought me amazing baseball this year.

I got to see a 10 game win streak. I got to see walk-off after walk-off, never the same way twice. I saw my first ever no hitter in person. I may never see that again. In my whole life.

I was lucky enough to get playoff tickets and to take my girls to a playoff game. I took my dad and my brother to the next game and sat through all 18 innings ...6 hours and 23 minutes.. of a 2-1 game. In the cold. In the wind. In all the crazy. Because that is baseball and I love it. It was a record-breaking game and I was there. I will always have those stories.

And then I stayed up late to watch. To see us scrape out runs on errors by the Giants. And then I stayed up to watch last night. When it didn't go how we wanted. But to the very last man - to the very last out, this team fought, and fought hard, to keep the season alive. They came back from all sorts of deficits all season long. They overcame injuries to the regular guys. They welcomed new guys mid season and they fit right in and kept playing. For 166 games this team gave me everything and I am so thankful to have been there and to have shared it with my kids.

THANK YOU, NATS, FOR GIVING ME YOUR ALL. Thank you for being a team of good guys - who my kids can follow. Thank you for taking the time to meet the fans. Thank you for stopping, for shaking hands a million times. Thank you for smiling for one more picture, even when it feels like your cheeks might explode - the way you make us all feel like we are your number one fan.

Many of you give of your free time to help others. And while the fans don't always see what you do, the people you help see it every single day. For them, you make the difference between a good day and a bad day - between a day with a smile and a day without.  You support the community, the military, kids in need, single moms, and so many more groups.

To the Nationals organization - the front office and the behind the scenes folks - thank you for memories we never even could have imagined. Teddy delivering a cake ... scoreboard messages ... adding new slogans to the walls and new content to the in-game Nats HD screen (rally Elmo; walkup songs; Happy Gio; etc). To all the folks at Nats Park who make the games happen every single day all summer long. To every one of you who answered a question, waved to my girls, helped us in a concession line, kept the bathrooms clean and the paper towels full. For those who helped when we needed to get more tickets or change things around. To Maribel who brought A her birthday surprise sack. You all make our appreciation of baseball, and our game-day experience what it is. And I am proud to say that at Nats park, you are top notch.

Thank you especially for honoring our troops - my favorite part of every single Nats game is the cap-wave when we can welcome home our military. I stand, I clap, I cheer, and I cry. I watch our players stop and clap, too. Thank you for doing that. Every single game. Please don't ever stop.

To the Nationals players, the staff, and the organization: Thank you for another unforgettable season. Enjoy the time off ... and let's start the countdown to pitchers and catchers :-)

That's all I have to say about that.

I will save my amazing-baseball-summer-journey that goes beyond the Nats for another post.

A few pictures from throughout the season below. Not in any particular order.

PS read all 31 days here

with "MASN Dan" - Dan Kolko sideline reporter

with Bryce Harper at season-ticket-holder day

Adam LaRoche camo day

Teddy!!!

Danny "Espi"nosa

piggybacks!

with Screech, on the field!

with Dad and Jeff.  This is before the first pitch of NLDS game 2 - the 2-for-1 game.

ABE! It was a hot summer day!!

Opening day in Citi Field, NYC. That day was COLD.

witnessing history in person

GIO!!!

with Doug Fister

with the Buffalo ... Wilson Ramos

from our season seats. "The selfie shelf"

yes, indeed, we did a 14th inning stretch too.

Go (Day 7)

Woo hoo. Posting on the right day! How about that? (let's see if I can keep it up. Not holding my breath. But at least this is progress).

GO

I suspect I will shout and/or tweet the word "go" somewhere in the neighborhood of 200 times in the next several hours. (No, I will not count. Priorities!). The Washington  Nationals are in the playoffs. It is an elimination game tonight. And I will be watching! Normally when it is a late game, I try to be a little restrained. Sleeping kids and all.

Tonight the kids are in bed, but our local flagship station is on their radios. And while I think they will fall asleep at some point, I fully anticipate one (or both) of them might wake back up to listen a little longer. And they will shout just like I will.

These girls are being raised baseball fans just like I was. I am thankful I've been fortunate enough to take them to a bunch of games this year. And that this adventure includes a playoff game. And that if we win tonight (LETS GO NATS!) we can do another playoff game together.

So from here, and from the rooms down the hall, the chants of "Let's Go Nats" will be loud and proud three times over tonight. Cheering on our guys for at least one more October game. We believe!

STOP.


You can read the rest of the 31 days posts here.

Know (Day 6)

Binge post 2 of 3. 1 hour exactly until the game starts. *KEEP GOING JEN* (end pep talk)

KNOW

A asked me today: "Mom, how do you KNOW that 8 + 8 = 16?  You don't think it. S doesn't either. You just know it. How's that work?"

well... you learn it first. You practice it. And then after you practice and practice until it is stuck in your brain, then you know.

"Mom, how long does that take?"

depends. some things we learn fast. Some things make quick sense. Some things stick in our brain because we thing they are funny or interesting. And some things we take longer to learn so we don't know them as fast.

"Mom, oh! I get it. Like the songs we sing a lot... I know them. But then we get a new song on the radio and I don't know that yet. So I hafta listen close to the words. And sometimes they are crazy."

yep. Just like that.

"Mom, cool. That's fun. OK, let's finish this math. I want to get to the radio so I can know something else."

STOP.

PS You can see all the 31 days of (now not following a theme) posts here.