It's beginning to look alot like Christmas

Despite the 85 degree December weather we've recently been experiencing here in Southern Cali, the temp has finally dropped and it now is beginning to feel more like Christmas time! The lights pave the neighborhoods, the trees are up, and fall decor has been traded in for snowmen and nativity scenes.

Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year. As much as I love summertime and the beach, I do also love to trade in my tanks and sandals for boots and scarves. I love all that this season brings: cuddling by fireplaces, hot chocolate, listening to Christmas music, cruising different neighborhoods to look at lights... the list goes on. But I'd have to say my favorite part of it all is the family gatherings. This past weekend we celebrated Christmas early with my mom's side of the family. My Tutu (Hawaiian word for Grandma) and my aunt prepared a delicious meal and we had a big festivity with our family and friends. It was a great time. My little cousins (I have 4 first cousins on my mom's side) are growing up so fast, so I enjoy soaking them up when we can. My tutu and Uncle Sam sang Hawaiian songs along with different Christmas songs. I cherish these memories we make each gathering. We had a great time!

A couple nights before that we also went out with some of our friends to the Mission Inn here in Riverside. They have an incredible display of Christmas lights every year and is so much fun to see. Later that night, we saw The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader---AWESOME MOVIE! I loved it! I'm a big C.S. Lewis fan and I thought they did an amazing job with this movie. The effects were awesome and I loved it! So I definitely recommend it!

Side Note: I dyed my hair darker! While I was home sick last week, I got bored one night and decided to buy a box and try something new. That's usually not like me at all (I think the NyQuil may have been getting to me, ha ha) but I went for it and I think it's a nice change for now.

Here are some pics from this past month:

Cuddling with tissues

As I lay here sick in bed, almost mute in my speaking ability due to this cough/cold, I was feeling like I wanted to do something productive without compromising my desperate need to rest and get well. Then it occurred to me that I should write a blog! So here I am. I realize I have not blogged in almost 2 months...Not even sure if this thing could even be considered a blog anymore- it's more like a "random sporadic summarized update" compared to the daily thoughts that blogs are intended to be. I will admit it, I am NOT a blogger. Although I wish to be and hope this can one day turn into a place where I can daily (or at least weekly) capture my thoughts in words and share with you whats been happening with "The Carrolls". Until I can come to that place of commitment and dedication, this is all I can give.

With that said, the past 2 months have literally flown by for us! Alot has happened including family gatherings, Thanksgiving, a trip to San Fran and most recently a trip to Florida for our annual PAO conference!  PAO (Pro Athletes Outreach) is an incredible Christian ministry geared towards athletes that we have been so blessed to be apart of the past 4 years (this was my third conference, Daniels fourth). It is such a blessing and a ministry I hold dear to my heart. We were able to hear from incredible speakers, engage in awesome spirit filled worship, and catch up with our dear baseball friends that live in all different parts of the country. Every year, walking away from this conference, we fill refreshed and anxious for the upcoming baseball season. Not only excited about baseball, but for what God has in store thru baseball and outside of baseball. Hearing some of the speakers this past week, reminded me that 'baseball' does not define us (although sometimes we can feel like it can)- but we want to ultimately be defined by Christ! Not only in baseball, but in all we do.

 I praise God that His mercies are made new for me everyday, when I truly don't deserve it. None of us do. Ephesians 2:4-5 "But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved." I love this verse and am humbled by it. It says that God is 'RICH' in mercy- which means He has an abundance of mercy He is willing to pour out on us when we surrender to Him.

So as I wrap this up (I got top ramen calling my name) I encourage you to be reminded and reflect with me today on God's RICH mercy and His precious grace.

Big Twenty-Two

I celebrated my 22nd birthday this past Friday and had such a blessed day! Daniel and I left Thursday for a weekend getaway to San Diego. Friday morning we attended our cousin Michael's graduation from bootcamp from the Marines (so proud of you Mikey!). After that we got some lunch and then treated ourselves to spa pedicures. I convinced Daniel to have one with me and I think he's going to officially be addicted! Later that night, we got to get dressed up and went on a 3 hour dinner cruise and had such a blast!

Another season come and gone

We're back! Yes, we are still alive despite our lack of blogging. It has now been over a month since my last entry- that last entry being a very exciting one for us! In my last blog, I was ecstatic to announce that Daniel was heading home to California to finish the baseball season with the Mavericks. That's a call up we've been waiting for and anticipating for awhile now, so it was so exciting to see him in a Maverick uniform again (he played there for awhile in 2008); more then that though it was just exciting to have my husband home again. It was a very fun last few weeks of baseball for us. Thank you to all of you who came out to support and cheer Daniel on those last games. The last game was particularly exciting for us because Daniel hit his 10th homerun of the season (Praise God!).

 The baseball season is now over and we are so thankful and blown away by God's grace this 2010 season. It was very fruitful both on and off the field and we finally made it through an entire season with no broken bones!! We did face two stints on the DL, but nothing major. The 2008 and 2009 seasons were pretty tough going through the injuries we went through. These athletes can face an extreme amount of pressure at times and to see Daniel's drive and perseverance through the diversities he's faced so far in baseball makes me so beyond proud! I believe God has a plan for our lives and I believe He has special plans for Daniel in baseball.  But more than anything, I want us to always live in the will of our Lord. It's easy to lose track of our priorities when thinking of baseball. Of course we would love to reach the goal of making the big leagues someday and I believe my husband has the ability to get there. But  I don't want us to ever lose sight that all we do is for the glory of our God; not for our own glory. His timing is perfect and He places us where He wants, when He wants. I constantly find me needing to remind myself that the organization Daniel plays for is not in control, but God is! He has the ultimate say on our life and in where baseball takes us. Being in this career has challenged our faith on many levels, but I praise God for the lessons we have learned so far and are still learning.

It is nice to be back home again close to family and friends. First chance we got, Daniel wanted to hit the beach so we did and he loved it! We're enjoying the offseason and are looking forward to relax and slow down for the next 5 months. I'll try to blog along the way. Big shoutout to all our Clinton friends and family too- we miss you guys and are so thankful for your support and encouragement this year!

California Here We Come

So much has happened within the past few weeks and since the last time I have blogged. Due to the fact that I am on here so late, am tired and feel my writing skills lack creativity at the moment,I will try to quickly sum it up as best I can:

#1: I am back home in California. I left Iowa 2 weeks ago. Daniel and I decided it would be best for me to get home to Cali before the season ended so I could look for a job and get things together for us for the offseason.

#2: After a discouraging first week of job hunting, turning in resumes and applications, I am now an employee of the Hampton Inn Moreno Valley Hotel! Praise God! I start this upcoming week.

#3:Daniel went on the 7 day DL last week after stealing second base and jamming his shoulder. It wasn't a bad injury, he had full mobility but was just sore. He is feeling great now!

And now on to the BEST NEWS (#4): DANIEL IS COMING HOME TO CALIFORNIA TOMORROW TO FINISH THE BASEBALL SEASON OFF WITH THE HIGH DESERT MAVERICKS!!!

I am SO EXCITED! He called me about an hour ago and his flight leaves early in the morning. Even better, he is flying into the airport 30 minutes from where we live, so I get to pick him up from the airport!!! Words can not describe how ecstatic I am! What a sweet blessing this is! Just today, I was feeling bummed out and missing/wanting my hubby home. Here I was, thinking I wouldn't be able to see him for a few more weeks,to get news that I will actually get to see him TOMORROW! What an answered prayer! Praise God for His wonderful unexpected blessings!

Thank you all SO MUCH for the prayers and support! We love you guys!

2008 to 2010

We got back late Monday night from a 3 day roadtrip to Appleton,Wisconsin against the Timberrattlers. Appleton is where it all began for us. Daniel started with the Wisconsin Timberrattlers in 2008 when they were the Seattle Mariner's affiliate. It is where Daniel played that first season after we got married. Being there brought back alot of memories for me, along with mixed emotions...

We experienced alot of highs and lows that 2008 season. We were so excited when Daniel reached his goal of making the Class Low-A team (The Wisconsin Timberrattlers). The season started out on a high, Daniel was hitting .339 in 56 at bats with 10 stolen bases in his first 15 games (I can brag, I'm the wife). While on a road trip in South Bend, Indiana after going 3 for 4 that day (there I go bragging again) Daniel was hit by the pitch. And that quick, he broke his hand and would miss the next 2 months while it healed. As soon as the Mariner's and doctor's felt Daniel was well enough to play again, they sent him to Arizona to get some at bats in. We decided I would go along with him to AZ because we figured it would be a good opportunity for us to see our family. Leaving our belongings and car behind in Wisconsin, we headed to Arizona. After getting some games in Arizona, the Mariner's informed Daniel that we would not returning to Wisconsin, but instead, California, the next level up!

We we're excited, yet weary coming off an injury. We left from Arizona straight to California for Daniel to join the High Desert Mavericks. Knowing we had to figure out a way to get all our things out of Wisconsin, we took advantage of the All-Star break that took place a week and a half after we got to Cali. We decided during that time, that we would fly to Wisconsin, pack everything up in the car as quick as we could and drive back to California during those few days that we had off. Then, as soon as we arrived to Wisconsin, plans changed quickly. The Mariner's called and told Daniel they wanted him in Arizona TOMORROW! We quickly packed everything up, stuffed our car to it's full capacity, left our keys with the Clubee to be shipped back to California and we're back on another plane within 24 hours.

While in California, Daniel really struggled to pick up his hitting. He was still feeling an immense pain in the wrist below the hand he had broken. After being there for a little over a month, I got a call from Daniel on a Sunday. I remember it clear as day. I was having lunch with Daniel's parents after Daniel had left for the field when my phone rang... Daniel had informed me that the Mariner's were sending him back to Wisconsin. I was devastated. We had just got our car back to Cali, moved & unpacked into a house we we're renting with another couple from the team and I was loving being back home close to family and friends. I knew there was no way I was going to be able to move back out to Wisconsin and finish off the season with Daniel. We had already got rid of our apartment out there and had already spent way too much on moving expenses that year, so I knew I was going to have to stay behind in Cali. It amazes me how the Lord always meets us where we are at, when we need it. As I was driving to Daniel's game that day, I was listening to our local Christian radio station, the lady on the radio was talking about how her and her husband had to be apart during the summer and the verse she shared was Isaiah 40:29-"God gives POWER to the WEAK and STRENTGH to the POWERLESS." I was blown away on how perfect that verse was for me in that very moment. There I was, powerless, knowing my husband was going to leave and that I couldn't go with him nor know when I would see him again, but what a peace in knowing that God would give me the STRENGTH I needed to get through it. That night, Daniel got home from his game at 11:00 and he had to leave at 2:00 in the morning to catch his flight. So we had 4 hours to pack up and say our goodbyes. I was able to visit Daniel a couple times before the season ended. After the baseball season ended, the M's sent Daniel to Seattle for an MRI. Turned out, he had 2 broken bones in his wrist that they hadn't caught before, which explained all the pain he had been feeling.

Being back in Wisconsin, I did alot of reminiscing. It was tough being there, knowing that this is our third time in this league. (Everyone who reads this should already know, but Daniel broke his thumb last season-so we faced another injury season, that's another story). Being in Appleton this past week, stirred mixed emotions for me. At times, I felt discouraged knowing that we are still in this league, but other times I felt full of praise thinking back on what the Lord has shown us since we've been there last. It made me realize that even though we may not have alot to show for on paper for baseball the last 2 seasons, the Lord has taught us so much and we have grown so much in the last 2 years. Two years ago, when I would sit in those Appleton stadium seats and watch Daniel, baseball was our world. At times, maybe even our idol. Sitting back there this time, two years later, having gone thru the things we have gone thru in baseball, I have so much more of a peace at where the Lord takes us in baseball, whether I like it or not, or whether it makes sense to me or not. Because no matter what it is, He will be there with us each step of the way. Going through the injuries and having baseball taken away from us at those times was so humbling. We have grown so much through them and I know we still have alot of growing to do, but I praise God that "HIS GRACE is sufficient for us"!

Michigan Trip

We got back this past Monday from a 6 day road trip to Michigan. We don't have our car out here in Iowa this season, so I wasn't sure if I would be able to make the trip up to Michigan. But the Lord provided (once again!) and I was able to hitch a ride from one of the pitcher's parents who were planning on going. They were visiting their son from Montana and had their camper trailer attached the their truck. They also brought their dog and cat along, so we had a full car. It took us about 8 hours to get to Midland. We drove thru the night, so I mostly slept. Midland was a blast and the stadium was awesome. Daniel hit a homerun while we were there too, so that was exciting!

Along with this lifestyle you really have to be ready to "roll with the punches" because you never know what's going to come up. Before getting married, anyone who knew me, knows I was the biggest planner! So much so, that when Daniel and I got engaged, I made a "pros" and "cons" list (the "pros" definitely outweighing any "cons") and had a 'budget list' to show anyone who thought we shouldn't get married young, that we had no reason not to. I was pretty compulsive about organization and having every detail planned out. First week of spring training after we had got married, I quickly learned you can't plan for too much and to always have a plan B, because the unexpected happens quite often in baseball. So I have pretty much completely almost 'let go' and have learned to go with the flow!

So while we were in Midland, Michigan, we didn't realize it before, but I'd be stuck in Midland an extra night after Daniel's team left for the next series in Lansing. The people I rode up with were camping out and decided it'd be best to leave the next morning,which made way more sense for them instead of having the drive thru the night. Daniel's team left after the last game of the series to head to Lansing. Well God is sooo good and amazes me how He always works out the details in my life when I have no idea what I'm going to do. While I was in Midland, I met this wonderful family of a ballplayer that was visiting from California to watch their son/brother play on the Great Lake Loons (the opposing team). They were amazing and we instantly hit it off. They were so sweet to let me crash with them in their hotel that night I was 'homeless'. I love how baseball has allowed us to meet such wonderful people! They were such a blessing!

Anyways, we headed to Lansing the next day and had a great time there as well. Michigan was a blast and I'm so thankful I was able to go.

More fun news, Daniel and I were able to share in our host family's son's wedding a couple weeks ago. It was an afternoon wedding and I'm so happy Daniel was able to go with me. I'm usually solo at weddings, so it was a treat to have him there. I also helped out with the rehearsal dinner the night before and worked with some incredible woman.

Other side note, a nice man from Clinton has been letting us use his old 85 Ford truck. This thing is a beast and you have to pump the gas peddle a few times before turning the key and starting it (fun stuff, but hey it gets us from A to B and we are so grateful!). But the truck broke down on us a couple weeks ago, so we we're left bumming rides from whoever we could. I'm happy to report that it is now fixed and back to life! :)

Baseball Season 2010

Here are some pictures so far from this 2010 season:

These are some of the girlfriends/wives of the players

With out host mom Debe and host brother Aaron at the drive inn theatres

Daniel and Grandma Beck

Host Fam- The Fullans (Debe,Jim, and Aaron)

Me & Grandma Beck

Me & Nijeska (another player's wife). She's from Venezuela and only speaks Spanish.

 So I've been working on my Spanish.

Daniel got to sit with me on the 4th of July after the game to watch fireworks :)

"And it's outta here"

Sorry for the delay in blogging. We have been keeping pretty busy over here in Iowa and I have found little time to get on here to give you all an update. We have been on a couple road trips since my last blog...one to Peoria and another to Kane County in Illinois. We also had a few days off during the All-Star break, which was a blast. We spent some time with my grandma and family in Illinois. It was about a 2 1/2 hour drive for us. We also went to a drive-inn theatre with our host family. Whom by the way, have been such a sweet blessing from the Lord in our lives. Daniel and I lived with them for a portion of the 2009 baseball season, but this year we've really been able to spend more time with them, they have really become family to us. Baseball is so neat in that way that it takes us to towns and places we'd never go and allows us to meet such wonderful people. The whole community out here in Iowa has left such a sweet impression on my heart. I have gotten to know a great group of season ticket holders over at the Lumberking stadium and have really enjoyed getting to know the people out here.

Anyways, things have been going well. Daniel hit a homerun in his last game out in Kane County (I added the video below, sorry it's a little shaky-I got excited, haha). Praise God! Also, there's an awesome guy out here in Clinton who has also become a good friend to Daniel and I that records and uploads alot of videos of the players out here. You can check it out by searching 'Daniel Carroll' on Youtube.

I have been loving being out here with Daniel again. The Lord has been showing me alot to be 'content' in where He has us in baseball. So often, it's easy to get caught up in the 'ups' and 'downs' of baseball, but I find so much peace in knowing we can find stability in Christ! I'm sure I've shared that before, but I can't help but to be excited about that!

10 Tips To Kill Time When Stuck at Walmart During a Freak Storm

We just got back into Clinton after our 3 day road trip with the team to Beloit, Wisconsin. There were 3 other girls that made the trip as well, so I finally got some carpool buddies! It was a great trip and Daniel finished off the last game of the first half HOT! He went 3 for 5 with 2 Doubles, 2 RBIS, and a basehit! Praise the Lord! I am just so proud of him. I see him work so hard out there everyday and it's such a sweet blessing to see him doing well.
Anyways, one thing we've learned thru experience in the past seasons of being out here in the Midwest is that the following statement is a solid fact: Expect the unexpected when it comes to the weather!

After getting to the hotel in Beloit on Friday, Daniel and I decided we would go for a walk to the local Walmart that was a few minutes away. The sun was out and shining at the time and it was a perfect opportunity to get our blood moving again after being cooped up in the bus/car for the past couple hours. So we got to Walmart, walked around, grabbed a couple things we needed and proceeded to the checkout. As soon as the cashier rang us through. "BOOOOOOM", a loud thunder rattled the walls and we heard a complete downpour of rain pounding the ceiling above us!!! We walked towards the exit to check it out and it was complete chaos! Wind blowing, rain pouring, lighting, and thunder! Looked like clips of a hurricane scene we had seen on TV and this is not an exaggeration (okay, maybe it wasn't hurricane status-but it was intense). It came hard and quick! We we're left with little options and knew it'd be crazy for us to try to walk back to the hotel in this kind of weather. So we were stranded.

So here is the exclusive:

              

"Daniel &Chelsea's 10 Tips to Kill Time When Stuck at Walmart During a Freak Storm":

                                                    
                                              Tip #1: Balance a pineapple on your head

                                                            Tip #2: Juggle Potatoes

Tip#3: Workout

Tip#4: Try on a Mu-Mu

Tip#5: Hang out with Justin Beiber

Tip#6: Have a sword fight (while putting the camera on self timer)

Tip#7: Ride a bike (more like 'pose' with it b/c they're locked up)

Tip#8: Knit

Tip#9: Take a nap

Tip#10: Take pictures on a bench

We were thankfully rescued by our sweet friends Hawkins and Samantha! And was back in time for Daniel to catch the bus to the field. The storm eventually passed and we were able to get some good weather for a great weekend of baseball in Beloit, Wisconsin.

The Thrill of Traveling

I write from IOWA today! Lots to blog, I finally made it out here this passed Monday, but sure had a journey trying to get out here; I'll start with that. Bear with me....

Monday morning started out perfect. Set my alarm clock to wake me up at 3:30 am. Although I barely slept at all due to the anticipation of finally getting to see my husband after 6 long weeks apart. Had all my bags packed and my mom, dad, tutu (Hawaiian word for grandma)and I headed out to SNA airport. We decided to leave early in hopes to have a nice breakfast somewhere before my flight. But as soon as we got in the car, I realized my headsets weren't in my iPod case. After my million check-list making sure I had everything, I fell short on the headphones. I asked my dad if I could run into the super Walmart near our house real quick, because I was not ready to make those flights without my music and didn't want to spend a ridiculous amount of money on headphones at the airport. So I ran into Walmart headed towards the electronics to quickly pick up some headsets. Turns out, all the headsets were locked up and I needed to find an employee to unlock it for me. After asking multiple employees, all in which didn't have the key, about 10 minutes had passed. That turned into 13 minutes as I continued waiting once I was told they were on it. I'd say about 15 minutes into it, I was finally able to retrieve the headsets! It took way too long, but headsets in hand and I was ready to go!

Unfortunately this ended up cutting into our breakfast time, so I had to settle for a McDonalds McMuffin in exchange for the pancake stack I had been anticipating from Ihop. Finally pulled up to the airport, said my goodbyes and I was on my way.
I walked up to the ticket counter, dreading putting my suitcase on that scale, but to my surprise, my bag was only 2 pounds over so I was able to throw a couple things into my carry on. As I went thru security, I noticed the belt had stopped and my bag was under inspection. Two men looked through the security monitor examining my bag as I stood there jacketless, shoeless thinking what could possibly be the hold up. They then called for back up as my mysterious carry on bag continued to hold up the line. I was pulled aside, given the talk, and then was searched. Turns out I had a bottle of hairspray in a pocket in my bag that I had completely forgotten to check. Must had been there from a previous trip. So that was tossed and I was finally free to go.

The first flight was perfect. I landed for my layover in DFW, ticket in hand and ready to hop off to quickly check the gate number for my next flight to Moline. As my eyes scrolled down the list of destinations, I came to Moline only to be disappointed by the words CANCELLED scrolled across it! I was clueless on the reason and what I would be doing. All I knew is that I was determined to get to Daniel someway or another Monday. After waiting in the long line of fellow disappointed and irritated American Airline flyers, I finally reached the counter to find out my options. There weren't many. She told me she had nothing flying into Chicago or Iowa City and that they would put me in a hotel for the night and fly me into Moline tomorrow evening. No thank you! I continued to ask if there was anything else at all and was so relieved to hear the words "we actually have a flight flying into Peoria, leaving DFW at 7:30 tonight". "I'll take it!" It was one of the last tickets, so I was thrilled I didn't have to stay the night, but not so thrilled that I had about 4.5 hours to kill at the airport. Peoria was also about an extra hour of a drive for Daniel to come get me, but worth it instead of us having to wait a whole extra day.
Finally boarded the flight and made it safely to Peoria. I had butterflies as I walked towards to baggage claim and was met by my handsome husband! The crazy day was all worth it at that moment!

So I have been completely enjoying my time out here in Iowa. We are back with the Fullans, our wonderful host family that we stayed with last year. They make us feel so at home and really do feel like family to us. We are so grateful the Lord brought them into our lives. We were also worried about our car situation while I'm out here because we decided it'd be too hard to bring our car out here again and a wonderful family, the Collachias, is letting us use their car! It's been such a blessing! The community and people out here are incredible and we feel so extremely blessed! God is so great for ALWAYS working out the details! :)

Well, Daniel's game was suppose to start at 2:00 today but has been delayed due to rain. He just texted me saying it's back on for 5:00 (which is in about 15 minutes), so I need to wrap this up. Thanks again to all our prayer warriors out there! I'll try to post again soon.

Oh, and Daniel hit a HR the other day!!!! Super exciting!!!

Hope you all are having a blessed day!

Hebrews 13:15 "Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name."

Stranded At Sea

Yesterday my family and I made the 4 hour trip to Nevada to spend the day at Lake Mead. We ended up leaving around 2:30 in the morning because my Dad wanted to be able to get out there early so we could get the most out of our day trip. The day started out great. We got some really good boating in. My sister and I got to tube, she fell off twice while I held on for life! There was no way I was letting go and getting in the fish infested water. It's just a phobia of mine, which I know I need to overcome. I'm not even quite sure when this phobia started because I remember when I was younger I was fearless of the water. Thinking back... I think it may have been when I was 10 years old. I went to a summer camp in Hawaii called 'Explorations'; in which Hawaiian children are taught about our culture, etc. We get to do alot of hands on trips and one of them was making a human fish net (the way Hawaiians used to do it) and I don't know; I'm thinking something happened then. Maybe I got bit? Or maybe the slimy feeling of the fish on my feet and legs freaked me out? Not too sure. But I kind of remember this crazy phobia of mine starting sometime after that.

Anyways, now that you got that background story on me, back to our day at Lake Mead. The sun was beaming and the temp was hot. I don't mind the heat at all though. I actually prefer it. I get cold pretty easy, so 107 degrees doesn't bother me too much. While my parents and sister complained about it, I soaked it up. Maybe a little too much because I feel like I look like I just stepped out of a tribe in the Amazon, I got dark! So as we boated around and enjoyed the scenery, we got kind of caught up in it and really lost our sense of time and wasn't paying too much attention to how long we had been out on the lake for. We started out with a full tank of gas in the morning and figured it'd be enough for the day. When we realized we we're starting to run low, we knew it was time to start heading back to the dock. Thinking we knew where we were going, we began to make our way 'back'. This lake is pretty huge (way bigger then our usual day trips to Lake Perris in which we pretty much just ride laps around). We turned into a cove which we thought we had docked from, only to find out it was just a cove... we began to ask boaters how to get back to Boulder Harbor and was directed to keep heading South. After seeing it in the near distance, "brumpt brumpt brumpt", we had ran out of gas!!! So there we were, my dad, mom, sister and I drifting engine less in the middle of Lake Mead. Boaters began to pass us thinking we we're just hanging out. My mom pulled out her cell phone, happy to see the signal bars and called a Lake Mead emergency number. After being told the cost of towing would cost somewhere around $185; we resorted to try to ask for help before committing to paying that. I pulled out the fog horn and began to blow and wave my arms to oncoming boaters. After about 15 minutes, we saw a boat in the distance begin to head towards us. As they were pulling up, the young guy driving the boat was heading right towards us and not stopping. We all began to panic and were confused as their boat hit the side of ours. After realizing it was an accident and that they weren't some crazy pirates trying to attack us, we let them know what happened and they were so kind to throw us a rope to tie to our boat and towed us to the lake gas station, which was about a 20 min boat ride away from where we were. They were a really nice family of about 8 people, offered us watermelon and waters as we floated behind them to get gas. My parents ended up paying them for their trouble and we were so relieved to gas up and finally head to our dock! It was an adventure for sure and the Lord was so faithful to provide those friendly boaters that came to our rescue! Lesson learned, Always make sure you have enough gas to make it back! :) I love my family! I finally leave tomorrow morning to be with my wonderful hubby after a very long month and a half of being apart! Beyond excited!! Next time I blog, I'll be with Daniel! Hope you all are doing wonderful!

Blissful Blessings

I was so blessed to be able to spend this past Saturday in celebration of both Ryan and Jordan graduating from college. We had a huge party at Daniel's aunt and uncle's house in Irvine. It was a gorgeous day! And I was so relieved I was finally able to go out in public after dealing with that skin infection the past week, but it's almost 100% cleared up, so I was so exicted to get out of the house! There were so many people there to support them and celebrate with them in this accomplishment. It was so nice to see everyone. Daniel has a very special and unique family and I feel so blessed to have married into this beautiful family. It's a big Mexican family and when everyone gets together, it really is a 'fiesta'! Daniel's mom, Carmela, has 3 sisters and 3 brothers. Daniel and all of his cousins are very close due to that fact that his family has always been consistent about having family gatherings, camping trips, etc since they were young. There is always an overwhelming amount of love when you get the whole bunch together and truly is something special. I really enjoyed my time with everyone, but did feel a sense of incompletion without having my hubby there. But I can not be more proud of him and the hard worker he is! I am beyond excited to see him! 2 weeks can't come soon enough! I also got an exciting praise report- Daniel had a career high and went 4 for 4 last night in his game last night (Praise God!). I was visiting with Daniel's parents and we listened to the game online and screamed in excitement every at bat! It was a sweet blessing from the Lord! Super stoked for him, but we're still taking it day by day and trusting in God! Thanks so much again for the continued prayers!

Ryan & Jordan Graduate College

Special shout out to my brother in law Ryan and cousin in law Jordan who just graduated from Westmont College in Santa Barbara!!!

We're so proud of you guys and love you both so much!

Beautiful Lord

As I sit here writing this, I have just clicked the repeat button on my iTunes for at least the 5th time to the song "Beautiful Lord" by Leeland. The lyrics are just, well, beautiful.

"When the storm is raging all around me. You are the peace that calms my troubled sea. And the cares of this world darken my day. You are the light that shines and shows me the way. Oh, the beauty of Your majesty. On the cross You showed Your love for me! Beautiful Lord, Awesome and Mighty, I’m captured by this love I see. Beautiful Lord, Tender and Holy,Your mercy brings me to my knees. It's Your mercy that has made me free, Beautiful Lord"

As of the late,especially these past few weeks, it has felt like "a storm raging around me". To wrap it up in a nutshell, these are some of things that went down:

1.Daniel went on the DL for 2 weeks due to a strained hamstring.
2.May 9th marked the one year anniversary of my cousin's death, which was tough.
3.Having to deal and adjust to being in a long distance relationship with my husband right now.
4.I had to go to the ER because my face started to swell, itch, and I broke out in this crazy rash. Turns out I got this pretty bad skin infection. It was scary to say the least, and not fun at all.

That's just some of it...And to be honest, just being loaded down with thoughts had alot to do with the 'storm' I felt I was experiencing. [Thoughts of doubt, insecurities, uncertainties]. It becomes way too easy to get caught up in 'circumstances'. You know, when you just have one of those days when you just want to dwell on the negative thoughts just to try to find some sort of satisfaction in throwing a pity party for yourself? Don't deny it, we've all had them. I've been catching myself do that too often lately. But the Lord has been reminding through Philippians 4:8 to turn those negative thoughts into thoughts that are 'admirable' and 'praiseworthy'! How much more do those thoughts please the Lord? I mean, yes, He knows my heart even better then I do, He knows the things I feel, He understands that things aren't always going to be easy, but He truly is the "peace that calms my troubles storm"... He has never failed me yet!
I share that just to give an understanding of what's been going on in my life and in my heart. I know life is a constant battle and I know things aren't going to be perfect. But I am writing with a refreshed heart today that has regained it's joy and has seen my beautiful Lord come through for me once again!

Praise Reports:
1.Daniel is now off the DL feeling healthy and strong.
2.I booked a flight to see Daniel in 3 weeks, which we're both very excited about! Also, Daniel sent me the sweetest care package in the mail today! I love him!
3.My skin infection is 95% cleared and healed!!!

I know our life is always going to be full of ups and downs. Just like in baseball, you can go 4 for 4 one day and be on a high, then go 0-4 the next day with 4 strikeouts! You never know what "pitches" you're going to face or what's going to come your way in life. It's great and beyond comforting to know I can find consistency in an unchanging God even with my ever changing heart... Thank you beautiful Lord!

Distance Makes The Heart Grow Fonder

Daniel and I were apart for 3 weeks before I was able to visit him for 9 days last week. We had such a great time together! I am now back in California and Daniel is still in Iowa. 3 weeks really isn't too bad. I think of wives whose husbands are in the military and am convicted in my own complaints about having to be apart from Daniel. We are truly blessed in the fact that he is getting to do what he loves, he's in no true endangerment (besides the 95 mph fastballs pitched towards his head) and we are able to talk on the phone on a daily basis. So when I start to feel down or am missing him; I really just need to keep things in perspective and be thankful and happy he's getting to do what he loves.

Being apart truly makes me appreciate the time we have together though. I am so proud of my husband and how the Lord has used the trials we've gone through the past 2 baseball seasons to grow us stronger in our relationship with Him and with each other. God has been showing me more and more the true meaning of being His disciple. If we claim to be a disciple of Christ, then that means we need to be ready and willing to follow Him wherever He may lead us. Following Jesus doesn't mean that we're following Him to the big leagues or to move up in the minor league organization- we are following Him to be with Him and to be wherever He places us. As easy as it is to get caught up in the thrill of baseball and the idea of Daniel being in the big leagues someday.... that is not what matters in the end. In the end, it matters what we did to make an impact for our God. It's been a fresh reminder to be content in where the Lord has us. I know Daniel is in Clinton, Iowa for a reason outside of baseball and that excites me! As much as we both would have loved the convenience of Daniel playing in California we know God is working this out for a greater purpose and everything is in His perfect timing. (Ecc.3:11 "He has made everything beautiful in His timing"). Key words:His Timing. Not ours.

For those of you who may have been following him and wondering why he hasn't played the past few games...it is because Daniel actually strained his hamstring this past Sunday after running out a basehit. It is only a strain (not a pull) which we are thankful for and will take this over a broken bone any day. He should be back playing by tomorrow or Saturday :)

Thanks again to all our prayers warriors out there, keep them coming please!

Long time No Blog

Hey Hey Hey!
We meet once again after a long break between my last posting. I think I may have officially broken my record for the longest gap between blogs. I apologize yet once again.

Anyways, It's been so long that I'm not even sure how to begin to sum up the last 2 months for us...

I'll start off by saying spring training is now over. Daniel had a great spring training. He hit .321 with 3 Doubles, 5 RBIs, and 5 Stolen Bases. He even got called up to 4 big leagues- Praise God! :)
One of the biggest highlights of spring was that Daniel got to be apart of Ken Griffey Jrs. WALK OFF GRAND SLAM!

(Here's some links of some articles if you want to check it out: http://lumberkings.mlblogs.com/archives/2010/03/carroll_paves_way_for_griffeys.html

http://blog.seattlepi.com/baseball/archives/199652.asp

That was truly a moment I know we will both have etched into our memories for years to come. Although that was high, we also experienced some lows during our stint in Peoria, Arizona. When camp broke; despite Daniel's great spring training; he was reassigned back to Clinton Iowa to start this 2010 baseball season. We did feel disappointed in not being able to reach the goal of starting in the California League, but we know God has His hands on everything and is allowing Daniel to return back to Clinton for a reason. Because Daniel has a chance of being called up to California at any time, we decided it would be best for me to 'wait it out' at home in Cali in hopes for a call up. So I am home now in California and Daniel is in Clinton, Iowa. We've been apart for 1 week now; which has had it's moments of being hard; but overall we both are really feeling the Lord's strength and trusting in His plan. If Daniel hasn't been moved up within the month, I will most likely head out to Iowa to be with him.

Here's a link to a really great article posted in the Clinton Herald that pretty much sums everything up: http://clintonherald.com/sports/x1612527229/Carroll-hoping-for-better-luck-in-third-trip-to-Midwest-League

Back to some exciting news, Daniel really feels in his 'groove' again and has already hit 2 HOMERUNS in his first the two games he's played in so far. So we're so excited about that! All Glory,Honor,& Praise be to God! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1T0jjZ1TXE

Thank you all again for your continual support and prayers! Keep em' coming please! Love you guys!

Trusting God in The Dark

We have been enjoying this gorgeous Arizona weather for 9 days now. Like Daniel wrote, we arrived to Peoria last Wednesday and what an awesome and exciting drive that was!

Daniel has been practicing at the field everyday and has truly been enjoying being apart of mini-camp. He has so much excitement for baseball. He honestly never complains, every morning he wakes up as if a child excited for his first day of school; Daniel wakes up anxious and refreshed for another day to play baseball. God is so great for giving Daniel the desire of his heart to play baseball and to do what He loves. We are so grateful. In the midst of the hard times that come along with this career/lifestyle, we couldn't be more thrilled for the opportunity.

Daniel left for the field around 7 am this morning. It's been working out perfect because we are living exactly 2 miles from the complex. We only have the 1 car, so Daniel's been driving to the field and I get to sleep in a little longer after he leaves. I've been taking advantage of the short distance we live and have been able to get my morning jog in everyday, going to the field and picking up the car from there until Daniel is ready to be picked up in the afternoon.

It's been really nice to be out here on our own again. Don't get me wrong, we loved every minute of being home spending time with friends and family. But being on our own again, in a different state, in a different environment and having that independency again really enables us and forces us to truly rely on each other and depend more on the Lord then ever. To fully depend on the Lord is something I want so much. And to be honest, it definitely doesn't always come easy to me. Especially with the uncertainties baseball brings; the"not knowings", Not knowing where we'll end up next baseball season, not knowing if we'll face another injury this year, not knowing what the Mariner's are thinking. There is so much unknown that this career brings, but how much more as Christians should that make us rely on Him? Incredibly more!

I am currently reading this devotional book by Joni Eareckson Tada called Pearls of Great Price. The devotional this morning was really awesome and related specifically to the questions of the 'unknowns' I have been feeling. I felt like God was speaking to me directly through my time with Him. Isn't it so cool that we serve a God who gives us those special moments and makes us feel as if it was meant just for us? The title of the devotional is called. "What's Up Ahead" followed by
Psalm 37:5-6 "Commit your way to the LORD;trust in him and he will do this:He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn,the justice of your cause like the noonday sun."

To sum it up Joni (the author) was left hospitalized and paralyzed after a diving accident in 1967 and has been confined to a wheelchair since. Well in this particular devotion she starts off by talking about a drive she did with a friend of hers from Chicago to Urbana. Because of being in her wheelchair, her head reached higher then the windows and she was unable to see anything during the entire stint of the drive. Her friend would try to describe to her the cornfields and barns they were passing, but it only frustrated Joni more because she wanted to see. She's describes herself as the sort of person who likes to know what lies ahead.If she can't see the whole road;then she'd like to see "a few feet at least", she says.

She goes on to relate that to our spiritual lives. How often do we say to God, "If you don't mind, please show me where I am going. I don't need the whole road, but at least a little bit." I know I'm guilty of that charge! Especially in baseball, I am constantly trying weigh out possibilities of places we may end up during the season. I ask God to give me 'hints' or try on my own to search for hints. Jodi continues on to say "We think our faith has to be supported by a bit of evidence. A hint, a signpost, a whisper...something to give us a clue to what God is doing. We wrongly assume that faith is the ability to take a couple of puzzle pieces and be able to envision the entire picture. Not so. Faith that must be supported by the five senses is not genuine. Jesus said to doubting Thomas, "You have believed me because you have seen me, but blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe." our insistence upon discerning what's up ahead is natural, but is a hindrance to real faith. It's why God constantly encourages us to trust Him in the dark (Isaiah 10:10)

I love that, TRUSTING GOD IN THE DARK. We all face that, having the choice to trust God with our lives or deciding to put on our detective badge, scoop up clues and try to figure it out ourself what our future may hold. In baseball especially, Daniel and I have realized that we can't make plans of our own because anything can change. Going into this spring training brings alot of uncertainties of what (the big question for me has been 'Where') the next baseball season holds. We are not sure where we will end up (It will either be back to Low A Clinton, Iowa or High A with the High Desert Mavericks). I honestly have tried to figure it out. The Lord knows our hearts desire is to be in California close to home. But more then that, we want our hearts desire to be Gods desire and His will to be ours. Reading that devotional today was a big reminder to me to stop trying to 'figure it out' and to fully trust God in the dark.

I need to stop trying to point my flashlight ahead to see what's in the distance and hand my flashlight over to Jesus and let Him take charge and be my guide!

Are you willing to hand your flashlight over to Jesus today and let Him take control?

A Plan Bigger Then Our Own

Hey Everyone. Daniel here.

So we are officially in Arizona now getting ready for the season. We also have some great news to share with all of you. On our way out here mid way into the drive I got a call from the Mariners Minor League Director. He made some small talk at first and just about the time I was wondering what he was calling for...he told me he wanted me to jump into mini camp starting the following morning. For those of you who don't know what mini camp is. It is a one month work out prior to spring training for top prospects in the organization.

That is why this is such a big praise report. I hadn't been invited initially, there is only about 30 position players and 20 of them are this last years top picks from the draft, which didn't leave much room for invitation. A few guys I know who were on my team last year got invited, so I was feeling a little like I was falling through the cracks. But Chelsea and I stayed positive and knew God was in control and really have been whole-heartendly trusting in Him. As I'm sure most of you know, these last two baseball seasons have been tough for us. Mostly due to the injuries I have faced. Because of them, I know both of us at times have had thoughts of doubts about my career in baseball. Which was stupid cause #1 We should be trusting that God has a plan for my life and that everything that happens is for a reason, "For those who are called according to His purpose".

So when we got that call we were both so excited, but right after that something even more amazing happened. Within ten seconds of hanging up we both saw an amazing rainbow in the middle of the desert. It seemed as though it just appeared right in front of us. It was so beautiful and majestic. We both immediately started praising God for such an amazing gift. We knew that rainbow was just for us. Rainbows are an emblem of God's promise in the Bible and we both knew what He was saying to us loud and clear.

He was saying I have a plan for your life and don't forget it or ever doubt it. WOW!!!! We were both amazed. I mean to have gotten that call with such good news that I never expected and have that rainbow all of a sudden appear right after was supernatural. That is just so amazing to think that we serve such an amazing God, that would give us such intimate moments like that with Him. Its crazy to think that the same God that put the stars in the sky and planets in place is watching over our lives. And to know that the same power which created all things and put our solar system into motion is at work within our lives orchestrating all things is incredible beyond words. Whether they be triumphs, failures, hardships, or victories to ultimately and inevitably bring us closer to Him in love.

How I Met My Hubby

For those of who never heard the story of how Daniel and I met-I'd thought it'd be fun to share. In light of our recent anniversary celebration, seems like the perfect occasion...

I was 15 years old. Daniel was 14 years old. (I know, we were young) I was just entering my sophomore year of high school, while Daniel was entering his freshman year. My friend and I decided to attend our church's high school youth group on a Tuesday night. It was a really neat night of worship and fellowship. They decided to make it an open night mic that night, in which anyone who felt led to talk could speak. Well Daniel got up there and was sharing his beautiful heart for the Lord. I thought he was the cutest thing. He had this bowlcut type haircut (not as bad as it sounds haha), full set of braces, and a cast on his right arm. But I remember thinking he was so handsome. But it wasn't so much that I was drawn to his appearance; I was honestly drawn to his heart. Even at the young age of 15, I was enticed by his love for the Lord. I leaned over and told my friend Elise that night (in which she would vouch for) that I; in my exact words; "was going to marry that guy one day". I mean, at 15, I honestly wasn't thinking marriage, but I saw a quality in Daniel that I absolutely loved and was completely drawn to. It was the fact that he was so on fire for Jesus! I remember thinking how rare and beautiful it was to see that kind of passion in such a young guy.

As time passed, we would see each other at church and slowly began to build a friendship. I still remember the day he came to church after he got his braces off, I couldn't stop staring at his gorgeous smile! To be honest, I don't think I paid too much attention to the study that night because I couldn't keep my eyes off him. We later exchanged phone numbers and really began to start 'liking' each other. We both had never had a boyfriend or girlfriend before and decided we really just wanted to be good friends before 'titling' ourselves as anything other. We truly began to become best friends; constantly encouraging eachother in our walks with Christ. Even though we both began to develop stronger feelings for eachother, we decided instead of telling them to each other that we would write down the things we felt on paper, put it in an envelope and give it to each other at the time we felt it was right to do so. Looking back, even at such a young age, I see so much maturity that we had in our friendship and then later into our relationship. The Lord was truly at work in our hearts and was preparing our hearts for each other. During this time we decided to put all feelings aside, we made up this rule for ourselves called the 'No Touch Rule'. Which was a basic promise to each other and to the Lord that we would not get distracted by our feelings for each other and solely focus on Jesus. We decided we would not hold hands, hug, or kiss at all and really just be encouragers to each other. It honestly was one of the neatest times in our friendship/relationship. During this time is when we both actually discovered that we were truly in love each other. We both felt that strongly revealed to each other at distinct different moments.

During this time we were both 16 years old... I know it sounds young and sounds crazy to think two 16 year olds can really know what love was, but we really did. I still remember the night that Daniel told me he loved me. It was March of 2005, I was dropping him off at home (yes, I got my license before him, so sadly I was doing all the driving-but he made up for it)..Well like I was saying, I was dropping him off at home. And before he got out of the car he told me that there was something he wanted to tell me. (Reminder:this also was during the time of our 'No Touch Rule' so we hadn't been really having any physical contact). He then grabbed my hand and began to tell me that he was in love with me and that he knew that this was true pure love because our relationship was built on the Lord and that God is true love and the creator of love. It was soooo sweet! He then leaned in and kissed me and it was amazing!! I remember after he got out of the car, that I screamed with excitement and began to call my girl friends up to share in my excitement!

We officially became boyfriend and girlfriend June 23,2005 and the rest is history! Ha ha. I think that pretty much sums it up. I feel so blessed. Looking back, I really just see how the Lord was apart of it all and orchestrated everything perfectly into place in His timing. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought I'd be in love and married at 19, but I can only praise and give God all the glory for that!

Two Years

It's hard to believe 2 years has come and gone since Daniel and I recited our own written vows on that sunny yet cold Saturday afternoon. We were blessed to celebrate our anniversary this past Tuesday (Feb 2nd) in Big Bear at Daniel's aunt & uncle's gorgeous cabin! It was so nice and such a blessing!.. But wow; 2 years...I still remember getting ready and having those butterflies before walking down the aisle like it was yesterday.

What a whirlwind. I feel like time has just flown by. It has most definitely been a learning experience for Daniel and I. But one well worth the lesson. And I know one not yet fully conquered.But it has been so exciting to be on this journey with my best friend. I can honestly 100% say that I am more in love with Daniel now then I've ever been before. Marriage has definitely had it's challenges, we truly do have to die to self and be a 'selfless spouse', yet our flesh constantly continues to get in the way. But it is so rewarding when you're in the state of being that selfless spouse. God pours out His blessings more then imaginable. I know it will always be a constant battle between flesh and spirit, but it is so worth the fight! I once heard a quote by author Gary Thomas and he said that he believed that "God didn't design marriage to make us happier;He designed it to make us holier." Let that sink in. What a neat quote! I mean with marriage, of course comes the happy times. But like I said before; we must die to self and love like Christ loves- which is something I need to be reminded of daily.

Welts and Warfare

Hello faithful followers. Daniel here. A lot has happened since our last blog. Hmm... where to start, well lets start with my birthday. That's right as of this last January 6th, I officially am 21. Wooo Hooo!

Chels is such a sweet heart and took the initiative to plan a paintballing day with all the guys for me. We went to SC Village in Chino Hills bright and early. We were there from 7a.m. till 4p.m. LONG DAY, I know, but it was so awesome. I had so much fun and I know all the guys did too. I was running around in an awesome hunting Gillie suit Chel bought for me for a birthday present. For those of you who don't know what that is, its a camouflaged outfit that is supposed to really blend you in with nature. If you ask a few random people that were there that day, they'll probably say they saw a big bush running around the entire day. Ha ha. I was so grateful to all my friends that went, they are such an awesome group of guys. So after an eventful day we ended up tired, full of welts and our God given manly desire to fight was satisfied.