Pickleball and Abundant Life

It was interesting playing in yesterday‘s tournament. Maybe because it was only women, maybe because it was the pressure of being in a tournament vs the casualness and freedom of rec play… I was so “careful” during the three games I played in. 

Whereas the night before when I played Round Robin with bunch of excellent 3.0’s, I killed it! I was aggressive, fearless and unrelentless. I did super hard serves and serves with top spin (a skill I have been working on and having incredible fun with). In comparison, yesterday felt so sedate. Very concentrated. My goofy smack-talking self was on the shelf and I was honed in. (I actually got very gently called out during a break by our ref for making a little bit too much noise on the court that could be considered a hindrance. Since God has been working on this in me a lot lately, I was so glad for the grace filled way that it was communicated.)

It was really an incredible group of ladies to play with and against. I was so proud of each of my ladies for bringing their absolute best to the game. Two ladies in specific had actually been worried about including themselves in the team, thinking that they would “bring us down”, until I assured them that winning would be a really nice surprise, but the goal was to play our best, and have a great time putting our skills to the test while having fun.

We only had two days that we were all available to drill together and get games in with each other, but intentionally spending time drilling (with some of the great ones Jed taught me) was so fruitful. To see these women come into their own, excel in their strengths and vastly improve on their weak spots in such a short amount of time was so freaking satisfying. I take zero credit except perhaps as being a cheerleader, but I felt like such a proud mama!

Felt incredibly poignant to be able to pass along so many great tips that Jed and my friend Andy at the club have imported to me in terms of mindset, drilling, resetting the slammers, positioning on the court, communication, taking time to breathe in between. 

Having a ref on the court was absolutely the best… (I think they were able to do it because they were only two games going on at any given time.) Because I always forget the score when exciting things happen on the court, it was great to have someone there who always knew exactly what the score was. Also, he was very helpful in calling close shots in or out. He also took the time in between games to encourage us to always take our time outs and time them to where they would be at our most advantageous moments. He was able to point out at the end of the tournament, how that had been game changes for a lot of of us, because it stopped the other team from their momentum.

Since there were only eight ladies playing, and they’re all incredibly “quality“ people not just great pickleball players. From the outset, it was clear that it was not just us versus them, but so much more; that we were eight women who really loved the game and were excited to increase their skills while playing some challenging games. 

One of the ladies, Aaron, very quietly, but passionately, pulled us all together right before the first match started so that both teams could pray together before the game. It was a super special moment. I’m getting teary eyed thinking about it because of what a gift this community has been to me as I’ve come back to life. I think that when I joined, I truly believed that I had forfeited all right to have friends because of how poorly I treated the dear ones in my life during the time I was depressed.

Now I can say with such joy that I have literally dozens of new friends, not just people I like playing with, but with people who I have shared bits of my story with who have shared bits of their story with me. People I would feel happy to spend time with outside of the club.

Michael has encouraged me to not forsake my old friends for the sake of these “shiny new friends”. I agree with him and am pursuing restoring relationships with those close ride-or-dies (until i died), and yet I am learning a lot about living in the grey rather than just black and white. I need to be careful with prioritizing my time between relationships/pickleball/home/work, but I truly believe that it can be “both/and“….a concept that was never really clear to me before.

Possible icing on the cake…The first place team is guaranteed an invite to National Championship in January (Dallas). We won silver, but there is a good chance that not all winning teams from across the country will accept the invitation to go. Our club manager told me that there’s a very good chance that our team will get an invitation if they do not get enough teams to fill their roster (There is another possible scenario that increases our chances of being invited as well.)

It is beautiful to me that at the beginning of the summer I just had a tiny goal of participating in a tournament. Look how far we’ve come! Yet one more tiny fearful, reluctant step taken way back in May when Noah & Beks said “hey, why don’t we try this club for a few weeks?” At the time, I looked at their website and thought I will never have time to do any of this. But from that very first day on, that we played there with the air conditioning and the fantastic surface that is so much nicer than concrete, and the always-available open play (once we got past the culture shock of figuring out what the heck that was), and the welcoming staff and super friendly community. 

Such generous, extravagant underserved merit. 🥹

Yet another place where my Father in heaven is lovingly saying to me, “Look, my precious daughter, at this abundant life I have given you because you said yes.” 😭😭😭

Glory to Jesus.

"Bloobs-On-It!"

Yep, that's what JJ used to call them.

We just love bluebonnet season in Texas. Betcha didn't know that it's practically a law around here that in springtime at the peak of Bluebonnet Season, you need to take your kids and plunk them right in the middle of a field of these beauties and take at least one roll of film of them sitting there trying to smile, trying to be good sports, trying not to notice the bee that buzzes close by and lands right next to your left elbow.

And that's AFTER you've waited 15 minutes for the other family to finish taking their roll of pictures, hoping they haven't smashed down all the flowers, feeling certain that screaming baby is going to have to be photo-shopped out of the picture later, with a smiley-cooing-happy photo pasted in its place.

But actually, this year we lucked out and found a huge patch right behind our house, not too trampled down, and after two weeks of driving by thinking, "I've gotta get out there before they're gone", we finally "scootered" down there and got some wonderful shots. Phew, eluded the Bloobs-on-it police once more....at least until next spring!

My New Valances!

Voila - the fruit of the last couple weeks' work...love being creative!!!

Blast from the Past

This photo was taken after Dee's last day at elementary school. After a triumphant march around the school hall, with all the parents and younger grade kids clapping and cheering (known as the "4th Grade Clap-Out"), Dee joined a select few in the principal's office to announce the official countdown to the end of the school year, shouting out the last seconds over the loudspeaker. What a great way to end five wonderful years at a great school! Papa and I clapped with the rest of the parents and I, along with many other parents, shed a few tears ... watching Dee and her classmates, some of whom she'd been buddies with since kindergarten, say farewell to a major part of their childhood!

Sniff, sniff, it's been almost a year and I still feel very sentimental!

Rabbit of Saville

By far, the funniest Looney Tune EVER!

Makes me crack up every single time.....(sorry, you gotta sit through a brief ad before the toon starts!)

http://looneytunes.warnerbros.com/web/toons/toons_classics.jsp?check=1&id=toons_classics_rabbitofseville&adsite=site%3Dlooneytunes.com

Grand Tetons

Wow, they meant it when they called these mountains "grand". Add to that description "marvelous", "magnificent", "awe-inspiring" (or as our British friends would say: "oar-inspiring"!)

Someday, I hope to take a photo this beautiful! Usually, I look through my viewfinder and THINK my picture will be gorgeous like this, only to get the photo back (months later, because I am the Queen of Procrastination when it comes to taking film in for developing) and it's just blah. Somehow, my mom always manages to get the lighting, shadows, contrasts, etc. perfect!

Or maybe I only get the perfect ones and she has 40 rolls of "blah" pictures sitting at home on her shelf!

All I Want for Spring Break is a Good Night's Sleep!

It's night number 3 with my new "machine", the Resmed S8 with detachable humidifier. Who would have thought something that looks like a science experiment gone wrong would make such a difference! A month or so ago, I decided to take advantage of having a good insurance plan and take care of my so-called snoring problem. (I never had a problem with it, anyway!!!) Anyway, after a couple of excruciatingly long doctor's visits and two very uncomfortable overnight sleep studies - both of which involved having a tube inserted through my nose and pushed down just inside my throat - yuuuuuuuuuuucccccccccccccccccckkkkkkkk - I was finally rewarded with my very own portable CPAP machine, complete with head gear, "nose pillows" system, and "elephant trunk" hose. It even came with a cute carryall bag for portability!

I know it's early days yet, but so far I can say that I've gotten two very good nights of sleep and I've had the most productive weekend with less tiredness than I've had in at least a year. All I can say is, YAHOO and I really hope it continues to be as effective!