Dad's Days...

I have been working on this post for quite some time, and was not quite sure if I was going to post it or not, but I figured if you are reading this, you already know me pretty well so why the heck wouldn't I share it:)

June is pretty much my Dad's month as it is the month of father's day and then the next week is his birthday. This year we decided not to do a big thing for either, as dad was not really up for it. So instead of presents or a party Jim and I went and visited him. As his present I decided to write him a letter telling him all the things I have ever wanted to say. Here just a few of the things I included that I am most grateful for:

Thank you for sending me to St. Thomas More. Some of my oldest and closest friends (and their families) are still a HUGE part of my life and I have known them for over 24 years now(I am only 29!). That formative education also made me eager to learn and has led to every success I have ever had, of this I am sure!

Thank your for being such a strong catholic role model for me. You never flaunt your religious background but you have always been a proud Irish Catholic and that is something I will always admire.

Thank for you for providing me with everything and anything I ever wanted or needed including: my education, my faith, unconditional love, a shoulder to cry on, a lap to sit in, a cheering section in the stands at all of my games, new cars when I broke mine, a wedding I will always cherish, a down payment on mine and Jim's house and so many other tangible and intangible things.

Thank you for showing me what a real marriage and commitment is. One that is based on faith, love, respect and hard work. I know that Jim and I will be ok because we have 4 of the best role models to base our own marriage on.

Thank you for your sense of humor-You have always been able to lighten the mood with your quick wit, and while I did not inherit it, I certainly appreciate it

Thank you for passing on your love of sports-I have impressed many people in my life with my knowledge of where people played college ball. And I believe my strong competitive side has helped me be successful in anything I have set my mind to or have a passion for.

Thank you for always believing in me and for teaching me to believe in myself. The excuse of "I'm a girl, so I can't do it" was never a reason for me to attempt something.

Thank your for listening to me and showing me that I have a voice and an important one, and when I choose to use it, that voice can have an impact.

For those of you who know my dad, you know all of these to be true and so much more. This list could go on and on, but some I want to keep between the two of us. So with that I will leave you with this cute little quote I found the other day:

The greatest gift I ever had
Came from God; I call him Dad!
~Author Unknown

Its never iffey...

...if its Griffey!

Ken Griffey, Jr. Has long been my hero, idol all around role model growing up. Not only because he is the greatest player to have ever graced the fields of Seattle (and one of the greatest ever in the game of baseball) but because of his class, humility, and attitude about the game of baseball. He grew up around the game and started as "The Kid" and will forever be known as one. Not just because he was his father's son but because when he was playing he did it with a pure joy and a youthfulness that can never be matched. When he walked onto the field with that million dollar smile, he was able to turn everyone watching him into a kid again as well. Watching him brought us back to a time in our childhood when we played for the bragging rights at the local sandlot, or in our backyards with our siblings and ghost runners. We all became the 12 yr old version of ourselves whenever he was up to bat or making a diving play in center field and he made us giddy with what he would do next. He transcended the game and the game will NEVER be the same without him.

Griffey played in an era of baseball which is now being tainted by steroids and money, but those two words can never and will never be linked to him. He did not play for greed, or to have his name in the record books, he played for love of the game. He left Seattle to be closer to his family, he came back to Seattle to say goodbye to his adopted family and the city that raised him. He did it the right way. He did not succumb to the temptations of the other superstars of his era. He wanted to play it clean and see where it could take him, and he wanted to be able to tell his children (and our children) you don't have to cheat to be good. All you need is god given talent and ability-and lord knows he had both.

I have had the unique chance to meet Griffey once. It is a day I will always remember. My brother, Terry, used to work in the clubhouse for the Mariners and after a game he got me a pass to come meet some of the players. As I made my way down I was a little worried that the players would be upset because they just got blown out and had not played well, at all. A lot of the players walked past us, some stayed in the locker room, but eventually out came Junior. I was too nervous to talk to him...I think I was worried he would blow me off and I did not want to shatter my image of him. My brother knew how much I wanted to meet him and get his autograph so he kinda walked up with us to his car (an awesome tricked out hummer) and said "hey Junior, my sister is here, would you mind signing a ball for her?" his response, "Sure!" I walked up to the window, shaking, and did not say a word until he spoke.
Griffey: "Hey-nice to meet you"
Me: "Ummm hi...can you sign my baseball?"
Griffey: "of course"-he then looks at the other players I had on it and says, "looks like you got quite a few people on here, make sure your brother gets the guys in the clubhouse for you"
Me: "ummm yeah ok, ill try" "thanks...good game!" and he kinda laughed and smiled and drove away.

This was all of a two minute exchange and one I'm sure had zero effect on him, as he had done the same thing a million times. But to me, a young girl, standing in front of her hero, it is something I will never forget. Sure the ball is probably worth something as it has Edgar, and Wilson, and a few others on it but for me its worth so much more than money. By him taking that two minutes I have a story and a ball I can pass down to the next generations. He easily could have said hey you know not today it was a bad game, but he didn't and for the that I will always have the greatest respect and appreciation for him.

I'm not ashamed to admit I shed a few tears yesterday watching his old highlights, and hearing past teammates talk about him. I know some of you may not understand my admiration of this person, and that's ok, but for me-it really is the end of an era...the kid is gone, the game will never be the same, and its time to grow up.

Thanks for everything Junior, we'll see ya in Cooperstown!

My bucket list...

Not sure why but lately I have been thinking about things I want to accomplish/do before I die. Morbid I know but still, its something that's been on my mind recently. Some I've partially done, others will take a lot of effort (and money) to complete, some are superficial, some are simple and easy, some are silly and some are ambiguous but I figured it best to start somewhere and to start writing them down before I forget. I did notice some themes to my list; most consist of sports or travel. Hmmm, I wonder where that came from :)


swim with dolphins
whale watch
take a cruise
visit every state
see a baseball game at every mlb park
see at least one game of every pro sport in person (mlb,nhl,nba,nfl,golf,mls,tennis)
go to a European soccer game
go to a world cup
go to an all star game
catch a foul ball or a HR ball
go to a movie premiere
travel Australia/New Zealand
sky dive (still not 100% on this one)
visit every country in Europe
make a significant difference in someones life
find something I am truly passionate about and do it to the best of my ability
do something to better some one else's life
do something to impact or help the world/or a large group of people
have a child
have a successful,healthy, long-lasting marriage
see the cougs win a national title in person
see the national landmarks in the USA
write "something" that gets published
fly in a hot air balloon
see the northern lights
get my masters degree
go snorkeling
fly first class
fly in a helicopter
learn to golf
take a cooking class
take a dance class
live completely debt free
live in another country for at least 6 months
St. Patrick's day in Butte Montana
St. Patrick's day in Ireland
retire to Pullman, WA
visit every continent
try surfing at least once
visit the zoo/aquarium in the cities i visit (Jim hates this goal)
go to the San Diego zoo
go to sea world
be a godparent
be someones confirmation sponsor
go whitewater rafting
Be a chaperon on one of Jim's school trips
coach a child's sport
volunteer
win at least $500 on something.
go para sailing
see Garth Brooks in concert again
sit front row at a concert
do one random act of kindness a month
go to Mardi Gras in New Orleans
Go to an Olympic event(s)
sit in a suite at an event
go to a world series

Whew! I've got to get my butt in gear; but compiling the above list got me thinking about all of the great things I have already completed on my life list thus far:

toured the Vatican
backpacked through Europe
been to mass with the Pope
tour the Louvre
traveled Ireland
seen O'Donovans castle in Ireland
seen the Eiffel Tower
bungee jumped (actually it was a canyon jump but I'm counting it!)
seen the Swiss Alps
swam in the Mediterranean
graduated college
hiked the 5 trails of Cinque Terre, Italy
got married
travel cross country by car (twice)
watched ken Griffy Jr hit a home run in person, met him, and got an autograph
toured the sistine chaple
seen a game played at Notre Dame Stadium (Cougs vs ND)
seen the cougs play in a rose bowl
gone to a March Madness game (times 8)
watched the changing of the guard in London
Got a tattoo (two actually)
got a piercing (ears and eyebrow)
traveled by car,plane,train and bus
bought a house
seen Niagara Falls
lived in Alaska for a summer
lived in Virginia for a summer
climb a Mt (Mt. Vesuvius-part of it anyway)
horse back ride in Ireland
seen a baseball spring training game
camped in Yellowstone
visited Washington D.C and all its monuments
swam in both the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans
visited 27 out of the 50 states so far

I am quite the lucky girl at the age of 28 to have already done and seen so much! So who wants to help knock some of these out before my 30th birthday?!?

Mother's Day...

I am not a mom but hopefully someday I will be and my hope when that day comes is that I can be half of the mom to my kids as my mom has been to me and the rest of my siblings. I tried to look up the definition of a mother today and I got a lot of non sense. It is one of those words where you cant describe it you have to witness it first hand. I have had the pleasure of having the most remarkable role model on what it is to be a mother for the past 28 years and gotten some close up lessons the past few months from her. So for mothers day here is my definition of what a mother should be and what my mom has always been!



Selfless

loving

strict

patient

kind

tough

loyal

protective

supportive

forgiving

strong

fun

imaginative

extraordinary

motivating

understanding

wise

powerful

religious

trusting

open minded

compassionate

educated

safe

driven

hard working

energized

competitive

heartfelt

amazing

unconditional




Thank you mom for always being there for me and for showing me all of these traits on a daily basis. You are an amazing woman and I am lucky to be able to call you mom. I love you!

Growing up...

This month has been quite the roller coaster, and life has basically hit me in the face with "you are now an adult" and I've had to deal with a lot of issues I never really wanted to. Some I may not have dealt with in the most adult ways~a few tears, some pouting, denial, etc. But others I have handled in a way I was not sure I would have been capable of just a few years ago, I've stepped up, made tough decisions, and taken on more responsibilities.

Its funny, when I think of myself, in my head, I still see this college aged girl who has no cares in the world, life is easy, and I have no real worries besides how to or who is paying my bar tab that night. Life has a way of waking you up from that illusion whether you want to or not. Sometimes its your friends getting married, getting divorced, or having kids. Sometimes its your parents asking for your opinions on big life decisions, your older siblings depending on you to tell them the truth or its yourself paying your mortgage, medical bills, and car payments.

I have had a few friends who have had babies recently, and my initial reaction is always, "god I am so not ready for that" or "really? Are we old enough to have a kid" but then when I sit back and think about it, I realize I am a lot more capable than I usually give myself credit for. Now, don't get me wrong I am not going out and having a baby tomorrow. Not even close actually! I still want to go out with my friends on weekends, I still want to go to cougar football games in Pullman on a Saturday, I still want to pick up and travel when the urge sets in. But if this month has taught me anything its that when I/we are ready we'll be able to do it, and I'm not as scared as I once was (still a little scared though). Little by little I am growing up.



PS: Jim if you are reading this go ahead and BREATHE! I'm not on the baby track, yet...maybe just thinking about lining up for it;)

Shhh-don't tell Jim...

With Jim's summer break looming on the horizon (its probably more far off for him to think about than it is for me) I have been starting my yearly mental honey-do list for him to take on. Now don't get me wrong I do try to help him as much as possible and I accomplished everything on my list last summer so its not a one-way street. But the reality is he does have the summer off and there is more time for him to get the big things done that I cant do on just the weekends (and he's got muscles, which usually come in handy for our projects). Also, don't feel too sorry for him as he gets to golf as much as he wants during the summer and, for the most part, I don't say anything about that...so its a fair trade off at least in my opinion, he may think otherwise :)

This summer has a lot of BIG projects looming-some we have been putting off for awhile now and others have crept up in my head in recent weeks. I'm not sure if we will get to or even have the money for all of them but here is the list I have come up with thus far:

*finish the back patio (started the last week of summer last year)
*redo our roof
*build a front porch/or fix the front steps (whichever is cheaper)
*reorganize,paint,decorate master bedroom
*decorate 2nd bedroom
*finish downstairs bedroom
*clean/organize laundry room
*clean/organize/decorate office
*get carpets professionally cleaned
*look into kitchen upgrades

Now like I said not all of these are Jim's jobs. For the most part the ones inside will be mine and the ones outside will be his (with the help of good friends and brothers who also have summers off). Also a lot of it will be a process throughout the summer as we save up money to start and complete each task. Some will inevitably be pushed back to later in the year when there is more money, time, and patience and some will be moved forward as needs for certain things arise. Things like a working roof and an entrance to our house that is not crumbling at our feet are my highest priority but also the priciest so I guess we will just see how everything pans out. My goal now that I have written this all out for everyone to see will be to keep you all up to date on the progress we make along the way. And show how much of this list we actually get thru by the start of football season in August.

Team Magdalene...

Please consider donating to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation to help find a cure and so my neice, Magdalene, can live a longer life!
http://www.cff.org/Great_Strides/dsp_DonationPage.cfm?walkid=6811&idUser=368149

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