photo friday II

playing after the rain

finally off with the training wheels, such a big boy

mother's day minus one sleeping little boy

he loves golfing with papa

Spring Baseball

It's been a precious (can you use the word precious to describe baseball?  I think you can when they are 5 and 6) season.  I am treasuring up all of these moments of pee wee baseball and pondering them in my heart.  These boys, so serious about their baseball, but young enough that the dads step in when their shoe comes untied.  They love this game.  And their father couldn't be any more thrilled to have boys old enough to go in the backyard and play catch with.  Well, it's pretty fun for me too... I love seeing those boys and their daddy, out playing while I clean up dinner.  And I love me a game of catch once in awhile too.  Enjoy some photos of the season...

the pitcher, isn't he cute?

siblings cheering them on

our first baseman

where is his mother?  and why did she not tuck in his pocket?

on base

someone please tuck in his pocket.

shortstop (but no, he didn't make the catch)

baseball ready

favorite thing by far: batting

for him too

buddies

okay, and look how sweet samuel's ears stick out of his hat, could that be any cuter?

I just love this one.  notice the dirt on their pants from sliding.

and this one too!

daddies, their little boys, and the all-american sport.  love it.

photo friday, eight years later.

Back in the day, when Graham was a baby... when only a handful of us had a digital camera, I had a 1.0 megapixel digital camera on my video camera. I started a tradition called photo friday (I would call it foto friday, but those kind of mispelled alliterations really annoy me). Anyway, I emailed a photo or two of sweet baby Graham to some family and friends. I later printed out these blurry photos and put them in a book. Of course, none of the other boys had a photo friday book. It all went out the window when I had more than one child. This is my attempt to make it up to the other four boys. Let's see how long this tradition lasts. I am hoping that these photos can capture a sampling of what the week was like for our family. Check back next Friday for more.

a long time coming and #38

Sometimes I look at pictures like this of my boys and wonder where they all came from. Though I remember each one's birth vividly, it's all a blur now. It's all a blur. I don't want it to be. I want to remember the moments. I am hoping this is my avenue to write some of these moments down.

I hope this blog is something somebody will want to read, so if you are here, thanks for stopping by!

It only seems appropriate, it being the eve of my wonderful husband's 38th birthday, that the very first post should be about him. Can I just say I really don't know how I scored a guy like Chris Wolfe? I really don't. I didn't grow up dating, really at all. I went on some isolated dates here and there in college. It was the joke with some girls on my floor that I was the queen of first dates, but rarely was I asked for a second. Umm, I guess one could conclude that I was doing something wrong. And I am sure I did do everything wrong. I always was extremely nervous on dates. But with Chris it was different. If you ever have found yourself in a conversation with Chris, you will walk away realizing that you talked about yourself 90% of the time, because that is just how good he is at asking questions. That is exactly what happened when we first met, and blessedly, he saw past my very rusty dating skills, and plowed forward in the relationship.

And here we are, 9.5 years married, 5 kids later. I couldn't be more thrilled with my choice, or should I say, his choice of me. When I say he is my best friend, it is not a cliche'. We really do stay up until 12 or 1 every night and chit chat like little junior high girls. We really do tell each other the details of each others' days. Here is what I love most about him today:

1. Right now, he has 5 boys at the Texas Rangers game. 3 of ours and 2 of someone else's. The great part is that he is loving it. He loves to do fun dad things. He does not grow weary of it. And in the meantime, I get a quiet evening at home with the little one's in bed.

2. Today we had lunch with some long time mentors of his, a couple that has known him since college (that's 16 years if you do that math). I love that he keeps relationships. I love that he has these wonderful folks in his life, because now I get to have them in mine. I also love it because when he needs good advice, he has peeps to call. He is not an island.

3. He is young at heart. Although he is all grown up now, and has a grown up job, I chuckled as I drove his truck today. If you opened it up, you may just think he lives there. It's FULL of fast food wrappers, random trash, cups from restaurants, AND lots of reformed doctrine cds and sermons and very important government files. Such contradictions. Occasionally it annoys me, but mostly, it makes me laugh.

4. He is my biggest fan. He is the one who wants me to start this blog. He tells me almost daily how much he values what I do in our family. He is understanding when I've had a bad day, but won't let me have a pity party if I have too many of those in a row. He really sharpens me while being my greatest cheerleader.

5. And last but not least, he takes his role of husband and father very seriously. He wants to do this thing right. And I get to reap the benefit of that. You reap what you sow. And I am glad that I get to partake in some of what he sows.

Happy Birthday, Chris! As you can tell, I love you!