Spring Break, much needed

The countdown to spring break begins right after the kids go back to school in January after the Christmas break.  It's different than it used to be, this year we actually had 3 spring breaks under the roof.  Chrissie had a week and she and Michael got to come for a few days of her break.  That was great because it had been so long since we had time with them.  Stephen and Jessica had a different week.  Jess was in and out enjoying her time off and Stephen actually got a few days of his away from baseball to come home.  These days I'm grateful for what I get.  John finally had his last week.  He got the first part of the week at home then we headed to Columbia for a tournament in Blythewood.  This year we actually got to spend our spring break tournament time in the city as a team and it was so much better than going back and forth.  We won the tournament, go TBREDS, and John got tournament MVP, go John...a great week!
Vacations are sweet, even mini ones.  Being away with our baseball family is great.  Vacation is all about being with family and getting away from the day to day.  I had more than a few people say to me they bet we couldn't vacation without talking ministry stuff...well we did it.  Trust me, we have plenty of other stuff to make conversation over...life is big. I can talk Jesus and the scriptures all day but shop talk sometimes has to cease for a time.   I don't know how some do it without an outlet. It's a must for us.  For us to be able to get away with our friends and just be one of the ball players parents, is super sweet.  They let us be us and we love them for it.  Dinners with them without work talk and laughing our heads off at stuff that probably others wouldn't see as funny and tear up as we think about all the years these boys have played together and the memories that go along with that...that's hard to beat stuff and a change of pace we long for.  For most of us, it's more than just a game. It's years of memories and friendships and bonding.  Caring for each other through losses, not game losses, but life losses...deaths in the family, sickness in the family, hurts along life's way.  Watching the boys grow up so much and in so many ways.  Seeing the older ones take to the younger ones and the younger ones learning and looking up to the older ones.  I don't know, maybe this isn't true everywhere on every team with everyone but it's definitely been true for us.  They are an outlet we love and need.  And our boys have learned MUCH from playing a team sport that I pray stays with them through life.

A few pics...enjoy...