Last night Anita and I took the kids down to the park to play catch and swing the bat a little bit. It has been a long time since we’ve taken them to play catch and it’s been even longer since I’ve played softball (I miss it). We expected to have a little fun running around, messing around, and trying to learn/teach a few skills. I fully expected Kyle to pick it up (he tends to be the jock in the family)…but we were pleasantly surprised.

Every single one of our kids was able to pick up the bat and make good (if not great) contact with the ball. They took instruction and applied what they learned with positive results. And throwing the ball was no exception. Each one of them can throw and catch (to one degree or another). They’re naturals. It runs in the family blood I guess (on both sides of the family).

We had a great time together a a family and I’m starting to plan my retirement.  ;o)  We are planning on getting them signed up for t-ball/baseball/softball this next season. They’ll make their GGPa proud!! Watch out world!

A little warning as I start this blog post…it’s a rant on my part and I just hope I feel better when I’m done.

Lindsay is playing soccer for her school this year. She loves playing organized sports and she puts effort and heart into it. She’s good at volleyball and soccer. Her team…not so much. They’ve played three games so far this year and if my math is correct they have lost by a combined total of 30-2 (and no, I am not exaggerating). One of the games they lost they actually played two extra players for half of the game (their field is so small they play 9 players instead of 11). The last game they lost to a team with only 9 players…no subs.

And it’s not that the girls aren’t playing hard…they are giving it everything they’ve got. They want to win. They want to learn. Lindsay left the last game crying because she wants to win and get better. But it isn’t happening…and I know part of the reason why…coaching.

The word “coach” is a noun…as in: “One who instructs players in the fundamentals of a competitive sport and directs team strategy.” More importantly, it’s also a verb…as in: “To instruct, direct, or prompt”. Lindsay’s coach has the title of coach, but isn’t taking the verb part seriously. They don’t run drills, they don’t get basic instruction, they don’t get correction during the game. They don’t even get passion.

It’s hard to watch. I don’t want to be one of those parents…but that’s becoming increasingly more difficult with each game. I’ve offered to coach (or assist) in the past for her school and been turned down every time. I don’t claim to be a great coach, but I’d at least be active and help the girls learn along the way. I don’t even really care about the winning part as long as they are learning and getting better (which will often lead to winning a few games).

Frustrating…and not sure I actually do feel better…but I tried.  ;o)

Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and
pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord.
Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick,
and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins,
you will be forgiven.  Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so
that you may be healed.  The earnest prayer of a righteous person has
great power and produces wonderful results.
James 5:14-16. NLT

As most of you know, my sister-in-law Kim has cancer. She has been doing pretty well over the last year until just recently. And last night we got a call to let us know that she had been taken to the hospital. She had some abdominal pain that got bad enough they took her in. They did a scan in the ER and found two new tumors…on in her abdomen and a new on in her lungs (where the other tumors are).

It’s frustrating! We thought she was healed…at one point the tumors were gone and she was feeling well. Then over the past few months her cancer score has gone up and now this. It doesn’t make sense. It’s not fair. She has four beautiful kids…two of them are still babies. They need their mom. We need her.

So I have been praying. I confess that I am not much of a “healing prayer” kind of guy. I know God can and does heal…I’m just always wrestling with the fact that I don’t know His plans for our lives. Sometimes He heals. Sometimes He doesn’t. So I pray for healing, but I’m not always sure if I have the right faith. I know we’re commanded to pray and that prayer is powerful. So I pray and trust God.

I do know that God loves Kim more than I can imagine…more than anyone else does. I know He has a plan for her. I know she loves and trusts Him. Beyond that…doesn’t seem like I know much, but that’s enough. I am asking God to heal Kim once again…and trusting His heart and His plan even though it doesn’t make a bit of sense to me. I’m rambling a bit…but that’s okay…it’s cathartic and it’s how I’ve been praying. It’s how I think my prayers will go all day.

Will you pray too? Maybe you have the gift of healing prayer? Maybe you have the right kind of faith?

We can trust Him together…

Anita has now officially been gone for three days. I think most betting people had the over/under for me taking care of the kids without losing my mind at about 3 days…so the rest of this week will really tell tale, but so far we’ve managed just fine.

The house is in working order…even managed to vacuum, mop, and do some dishes. The kids haven’ been bored yet, but that’s because I’ve kept them so busy they haven’t had time to think much: The pool, movies (thank Beth!), a car race, fixing my brakes, and hanging out together. Again, next week will be the real test since I will be working from home and not able to do all the “fun stuff”.

They also haven’t missed Anita too badly yet. Skype has helped that a lot…and staying busy. This is one I know will change. The longer  she’s gone the worse it will get. The more bored they get. The more “mean” I get (a.k.a.: The less new I am). I miss her already and wonder how she does this “job” so well. It’s a lot of work…God Bless all those single mom’s out there. They are a miracle!

So…next week here we come…more to report as the week goes on. Pray for me…pray for Anita…but mostly pray for my kids.

If you are truly a child of the 80’s then you will be able to finish the song lyric (hint: “China”). This morning at 5:30 am Anita was picked up by our friends and her travel companions for an 11 day trip to China! Quite an adventure for a woman who has only been outside of the country once (and it hardly counted…Vancouver).

She and five other members of our church Praise Team are heading to China to lead worship for two Sundays at the Beijing International Christian Fellowship, an ex-patriot church of about 6,000 people that is allowed to worship on Chinese soil. They will also be doing some sight-seeing (i.e.: Great Wall and Forbidden City) and visiting a couple of orphanages. It’s a great opportunity for Anita and she is following God’s leading…and what a big step it is! They have an 18 hour flight before hitting the ground running on Saturday and Sunday.

I’m way excited for her. Now…11 days playing “Mr. Mom”? Doesn’t sound too bad…should be a lot of fun…but a lot of people think I’m crazy!  We’re going to have a lot of fun together, but we will all miss mom a lot. Kyle is already saying he misses her…I’ll just have to keep them so busy they don’t have time to think about it.

Anita will have all kinds of pictures and stories when she gets back…so stay tuned…

Two days ago Logan came home with two decent sized scrapes after falling on his bike…one on his right arm and one on his right leg. We bandaged him up and not another complaint. Yesterday he was a normal 9 year old boy…playing, riding his bike, working on and then riding his go-kart, swimming, etc. Not a single complaint.

Until 2:00 this morning. He woke up complaining that his arm hurt. Two Advil later…no affect. So this morning I took him to the ER and sure enough…a small fracture on his right elbow. He couldn’t have been more excited! He got a temporary cast and his first “war wound” (he’ll figure out just how much “fun” it ends up being). He gets the permanent cast later this week (and I get to deal with the effects while mom is in China for 11 days).

Here’s the pic…

Our annual trek to Como, CO was a huge success this year (as usual). However, when we started out I wasn’t so sure that was going to be the case. At the end of fall last year it was obvious our pop-up trailer needed new tires. So we got new tires from Wal-Mart (a move that will prove to be our ruin) and figured we were all set. We headed out with three other couples bright and early on Friday morning.

We didn’t make it to Santa Fe and C-470 before one of the new tires on the trailer blew. I’ll save you all the nitty-gritty details, but turns out that Wal-Mart had given us the wrong weigh-class tire so we spent 4 hours driving around and waiting for Discount to set us up. We finally made it to camp 4 hours later than we had hoped )thanks in part to some traffic issues on 285)…but we did make it…and we had a blast!

Five families…10 adults…14 kids. Camping in God’s country and having a blast. No big fights (adults or kids) and the weather couldn’t have been any better. This is truly one of the greatest places on earth to spend a weekend with family and friends. Here are some pics to prove it…

Roasting S’mores the First Night

You have to play poker…right? (And yes, Anita won)

The kids wanted in on the action too

The crew fixing one of the Beaver dams on the property

Logan “chillaxing” in the shade

Lindsay eating a little snack of Antelope and Potatoes

I think Kyle needs a shorter BB Gun?

The ATV was a highlight for the kids (no, he didn’t drive it)

Warming up in the morning

Corrina and Raquel

Greg, Paul, and Trent

Shawn (aka “The Great Fisherman)…yes, there are fish in that pond (that’s the pind we fixed last year!)

The moon was incredibly bright all weekend

Showing off the camera skills…oh yeah!

This past week, Logan and I spent two and half days at Magness Adventure Camp for Cub Scouts. We had an absolute blast! Logan is now a Webelo…so we even got to sleep up on the Mesa in a tent with the other Webelos. The night hike they had planned was called on account of rain and wind but it was still fun.

Every day was full of activities perfect for keeping a young boy from getting bored (and keeping his Dad sore). o fewer than either times, Logan declared: “This is the best day of my life!” We had fun…and we did it together. I am looking forward to next year’s camp.

Here are all the pics…

We’re Ready to Roll!

The Entrance to the Camp

Catching Some Sleep Before We Get Started

The Morning Flag Ceremony

The Ice Cream Social

Our Tent for the First Night

Campfire Skits at the end of the first day

The Compass Course on Day 2

Looks fierce…doesn’t he?

Testing The Catapult…it works great!

My Favorite Pic!

He’s Out for the Count

The Mesa Camp Ground (Day 3)

He Looks Official

Archery…stay behind that line!

He loves shooting BB Guns

Swimming at the Lake. We also took the boats out earlier in the day.

A Chance to Cool Off from the Hot Weather

The view from the Mesa of Magness Adventure Camp

My precious wife (see Proverbs 31) is 29 years old again today!! And we are off to spend a quiet weekend together (sans children) to celebrate and just get away. She has earned it more than anyone…putting up with me, three kids, and school over the past 18+ months.

19 years ago she actually said “yes” to a crazy kids who got up the nerve to ask her to marry him. Sometimes you just get lucky!!

I love you Anita…I couldn’t imagine a better wife or mother! Happy Birthday!

My Favorite Picture!

Twelve years ago today…it happened. Anita told me our baby girls was on her way. I was about to officially become a father.

Twelve years ago today…Lindsay Kay Baumgartner was born.

And life has never been the same! I can hardly believe my little baby girl has grown up so fast! And it has been so fun watching her grow and develop and become the young woman she is today…full of great humor, biting sarcasm (where did she get that?), intelligence, and a love for God. She stole my heart 12 years ago and never gave it back.

Happy Birthday Lindsay!!

Look how much she’s grown…

  
Her Baby Picture

 
One of My Favorite Pics of Us Together

  
Lindsay Today

My Two Favorite Lindsay Moments…

Sand Dunes Crash

Sky Coaster