Reunited

"Reunited and it feels so good".... (you're welcome for now getting that song stuck in your head) ;)

Well, we went two weeks apart before Daniel called me saying he wanted to come pick me up in Cali and bring me back to stay with him the remaining two weeks left in Arizona. I wasn't going to say no to that, so here I am, back in Arizona again. We are so happy to be together again. The job hunt has been going well, just slower then I had anticipated. It's been working out though because I've been able to help my dad on some jobs for his business and have been staying busy. I still have some good leads with other jobs and will hopefully find out about those soon. In the mean time, I am thankful to be back with Daniel again. I'm not going to say I'm his "good luck charm", but he went 3 for 3 today with a double, HR, single, stolen base and run scored! Before that, he was 0 for 5 as he was learning to readjust and see live pitching again. It really does feel so good to see him back out there HEALTHY & doing what he loves to do.

Last night, after clonking out and being in a deep sleep, we were disturbingly awoken by the loud obnoxious sound of the fire alarm going off here at the hotel! To say I woke up in a panic is an understatement. Just wasn't expecting it (obviously). Ended up being stranded outside, braless, with no makeup for about a half hour with a bunch of ballplayers & strangers until they let us back in. It's all good though and can go down as another one of the many crazy memories we've made on this baseball journey. Also, turned out to not be anything too serious. I guess someone had burned a rag on the fourth floor, we were just thankful it wasn't anything worse.

Pixie is doing very well and is with us here in Arizona. Her body is still healing from some bruising, but she is already back to her bubbly self and loving life. After getting her last check up, her results for her CPK levels (for trauma) came back totally normal. She is a tough little one and a fighter (like her daddy).

Our Little Fighter

Last night was a pretty scary night for us all. Our sweet little Pixie was attacked by a Rotweiller through the fence in my parent's backyard while running around. We are so very thankful to have her with us and she is nothing short of a miracle.

My mom had taken Pixie outside to go potty and run around. Pixie is a tease and does try to rowdy up the neighbor's dog by running near the fence from time to time. She only weighs 2.6 lbs, but seems to think she is much bigger. The fence is pretty closed off by bushes and wire, but there happened to be an empty spot in the middle of the fence in which the dog could stick his paw or mouth through. That is exactly what ended up happening last night. As Pixie ran near the fence, too fast for my mom to grab her in time, the dog stuck his paw through and got a grab of her. My mom said he was trying to pull her through the fence (and she's so small, she probably could have fit) but my mom grabbed her just in time (Thank you Lord)! I was inside at the time and heard my mom yell out a big scream. I immediately met her at the door as she ran in holding Pixie who was covered in blood and still bleeding excessively. My heart immediately sank and I just began pray as we jumped in car and headed straight to the emergency vet. Pixie seemed to be very calm (probably in shock) and alert during car ride, which was reassuring. She was still bleeding alot, so we got there as fast as we could not knowing where the bleeding was coming from or what to expect. They took us right back and her blood began to dry up and she seemed to start being more herself. She still remained very alert and was a very good girl as the nurses shaved her hair to look for puncture wounds. Turned out, most of that bleeding was coming from a gash on her nose, but besides that, there were no other deep puncture wounds on her body, which was amazing! The dog just missed her eye and we were also told a bruise she had was very close to her jugular vein, which if that was punctured, she most likely would not have made it. They did an xray right after and there were no broken bones! Another praise report! We were getting good news after good news and the Dr & nurses kept saying how lucky Pixie is to be alive. I don't call that "luck", I call that the "Lord's protection". He knows how much we love this sweet pup, so we are so very thankful she is okay. She had to be hooked up to an IV, but the Dr gave us the go ahead to bring her home for the night, which I was so thankful for. Remind you, Daniel is still in Arizona right now, so I had to keep him posted via text message and phone calls. You bet he was praying! We had a pretty restless night, but Pixie did very well and all went good at her appointment this morning. She will not need any type of surgery and will be able to heal on her own. She's tired and weak from the shots and trauma, but has a very healthy appetite and is doing really well. Pray she gets some rest and heals quickly please.

Thank you to all of you who sent love and prayers through facebook, so thankful to have our precious Pixie with us still.

Our tough girl.

 

Hooked up to her IV :(

Today after getting IV out, she is such a trooper. She's wearing her "Little Monster" shirt to cover her shaved hair and because she's such a tough little girl.

Home Sweet Home

"Home Sweet Home". There is just something about being "home" that can't be explained. I find it so interesting that we can be gone for months at a time, but when we come home, it feels like we never left. We were greeted in to California by my ultimate favorite meal ever, Spaghetti and my dad's homemade meatballs! That, with a side of green beans...I was in heaven! Remind you, since living in a hotel for the past 3 months, most of our meals consisted of chipotle, PB&Js, an occasional crockpot meal and more chipotle. So you can imagine my excitement for a home cooked meal. It was delicious!

The morning after we arrived home, we headed up to beautiful Santa Barbara to hit the beach, catch up with family and friends and celebrate the engagement of Daniel's cousin Jordan to his soon to be bride, Elise. We had a wonderful time and I was finally able to emerge my feet in that warm westcoast sand again.

The original plan when leaving Arizona is that Daniel would have 10 days off and would return back to Arizona after the break and finish his rehab assignment. Due to the fact that I am currently on the job hunt for the off season, we decided Daniel would head back there solo since it was only suppose to be 5 days, while I continued to apply for jobs back at home.

Well as we've learned before in baseball, things can change quick. In this case, we are grateful for this unexpected change and blessing. When Daniel arrived back in Arizona, he was actually informed that he would be playing in the AZ co-op League out there, which is a type of instructional league. It's probably not our ideal league at this point in his career, but either way it's an opportunity to play baseball and we'll take it! This will give Daniel an opportunity to play healthy and be able to be in front of alot of the upper regime with the organization. Also, Daniel is pretty anxious to get his feet back on a field again! I'm so happy for him.

So our original plan of Daniel heading back the Friday after he left has now been extended to mid October. I'm still planning on staying behind most of the time since I'm in the process of finding an offseason job. We are so thankful there is only a 4 hour drive between us and that it's a fairly quick trip to go out there if needed. Since Daniel has our car, it put us in a little dilemma at first because I didn't have a way to get around out here. But once again, the Lord provides! My brother and sister in law are in Hawaii for vacation for the next week and a half so I'll be able to use their car in the mean time. If we come to heart, please continue to keep Daniel in prayer as he begins playing again and for me as I search for a job. I have some good leads with a couple jobs with the school districts out here, so we shall see. We're trusting in the Lord and excited for opened doors.

Perseverance

Today is the official last day of the regular MiLB season. It's a bittersweet feeling leaving this season behind. As you all know, it hasn't been the easiest of seasons for us. What started out in Spring Training as a complete high, with a world of opportunity in sight, was quickly short lived when Daniel experienced his first injury in mid May. That would only be the beginning of what would end up being one of three injuries this season (2 of which required surgery). It has most definitely been a trying year, but once again, by the Grace of God, I can truly say we are walking away from this year stronger in many ways.

I am not going to lie. We've definitely had our ups and downs as we coped with the realities of this baseball season. There were days when we'd experience so much peace, joy and hope and would be so full of confidence of the bright future ahead in baseball. But there were also days when we would put our eyes on our circumstance and be filled with some fear and doubt. When I say "we", I really mostly mean "me". Daniel has been unbelievably strong through this entire thing. Obviously, he's human and is entitled to his frustrations and has been upset over the situation at times. But for the most part, he has really been positive and I've seen how all this has really just given him even more drive to keeping fighting and pressing on towards this dream of his. There are many words I can use to describe my husband, but one in particular that stands out is "perseverance".

It still amazes me how quick things can change in this game of baseball. As far as winter ball goes, chances of Daniel playing oversees are slim because he has missed so much of the season and doesn't really have stats for the teams to go off. It's a bummer that you can go from hot on the radar one season to pretty much on a back-burner by the next. Last season, after Daniel's successful year, there was different opportunities with winterball. This year, there are no offers at all. It is a business though and understandable that when you are out the game, the game continues on without you. I've kinda been struggling with this, but at the same time, I am reminded that it still only takes one season to get "hot" again. I have an unbelievable peace that if the doors are closed right now, it is for a purpose. It will give Daniel more time to heal this offseason and I will never refute having my husband home with me!

We know this means Daniel will have to work that much harder next season, but we know the Lord is His strength and always has the final say.  I 100% believe in the abilities God has given Daniel in this game of baseball and I know this passion to play is for a purpose. What I'm continually being reminded of though, is that the purpose is bigger then just the game on the field or making it to the Big Leagues. The purpose is the opportunities were exposed to outside the barriers of left and right field. The purpose is the people we meet along the way. When I look back on this season, although it hasn't been what we would have thought it would be baseball wise, it has been unbelievably productive outside the field. We have seen God's power in ways we never have experienced before and we have seen such growth in some of the guys we've gotten to spend time with. For that, we are so extremely thankful and will rejoice.

Looking back on this season, we will choose to grow from it and celebrate the victories we did experience. The calling we have on our lives with this game is still in our hearts and we will press on and fight through the tough times that come along with it. We're looking forward to being back home in California and spending time with friends and family. I am most definitely looking forward to some beach time! Thank you to all of you who have supported us through prayers and encouraging words this past season. We are blessed with such an incredible support system! Looking forward to more adventures ahead :)

Count Your Blessings.

James 1:2 

"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,"

I don't know about you, but there are definitely those days where I can catch myself focusing on the bad, rather then the good. It is sometimes hard to see this "joy" James talks about when we face tough times. I've been realizing more and more though, that the choice is truly ours. It is a mindset. When those times and thoughts come, we can choose to focus on the positive, rather then the negative. We can choose to be joyful, rather then upset. We can choose to have a heart of thanksgiving, rather then a heart of bitterness. We can choose to trust the Lord, rather then trying to control the situation our self. Philippians 4:8 reminds us to focus on things that are "true, noble, right, pure, lovely, excellent and praiseworthy." I know easier said then done, but God has really been pressing on my heart lately to turn my negative thoughts into positive and truly trust Him with EVERYTHING. That includes, with life in general, with the unknowns we face in baseball, with our financial needs, with our hopes, with our aspirations, with absolutely everything. 

When I think of all the Lord has done for us thus far, I think to myself, I have no reason to doubt. Yet I catch myself being fearful of the unknown still. I was having one of those "downer days" last week and was quickly put back in my place when God met us in such a personal way that went above and beyond our expectations. As I was venting my fears to my best friend through a text message and asking for prayer for the unknowns we face this offseason, Daniel came home with a letter and a gift from some dear friends of ours. It literally humbled us in a way I've never felt before, it was a picture, once again, of the Lord's faithfulness, provision and heart for us. There I was, doubting, yet it was almost as if the Lord Himself walked through our door and said "Here, I will take care of you ALWAYS, Don't doubt my willingness to take care of you." It really brought a fresh perspective, once again, that He is truly faithful!

This weekend, there was some family events going on back in California that we knew we wanted to be apart of. Daniel has Sundays off, so as soon as Daniel was out of baseball on Saturday, we left right away to make the four hour trek to Cali. Daniel's cousin, Max, was having a birthday party in Long Beach and all Daniel's family would be there. So as soon as we got to Cali, we headed in the car with his parents and made our way to Long Beach. We had such an amazing time catching up with family. The next day, Sunday, my Tutu (Grandma) was throwing a family get together at her place in Anaheim. So we were able to attend that as well. It was so nice to catch up with our "blessings" this weekend. We had to head back to Arizona right after because Daniel had to be at the field again early this morning. So although, it was a quick trip, it was productive and well worth it! And we were once again reminded of how loved and blessed we are. My challenge to you and myself today is: Count your blessings & choose to be positive :) You'll realize you're a lot more blessed then you may think sometimes.

PERSPECTIVE:

Round Two!

So today was "Round 2" of getting cast off & stitches out! It definitely felt a little like deja vu sitting in that office for the second time. This time around, there was a new sense of relief we both felt and a refreshed perspective as well. Daniel kept saying "He is Free". Obviously, we don't what the future holds and we hope it means no more injuries, but fact is, you never know. What we do know though, is that the tooth sized bone chip that has caused so much discomfort and even mystery for years, is finally OUT and GONE! For that, we are thankful. We truthfully joked with the doctor and his assistant that we hope we never see them again. At least not under the same circumstances. I have said it before, but we really could not have been blessed with a more perfect doctor during this entire process. I sometimes wonder if we had been with someone else, if they would have been as supportive in listening to Daniel's needs and would have been as persistent in taking care of it. Many trainers even rode Daniel's discomfort off as just "inflammation" from his first surgery. Daniel knew it didn't feel right and I'm so proud of him for addressing it and pushing for it to be checked. The Mariners have also been unbelievably supportive through this process. Although our circumstances haven't been what we thought this season was going to be, there is so much to be thankful for. And we have again been reminded of our Lord's provision and peace through this entire ordeal. God does have perfect plans and can use anything meant for bad, for HIS glory! We are resting in that.

We have been told the rehab for this is very easy and Daniel should be able to begin all baseball activity again within 4 weeks. Right now, all is looking good that we should be able to head home to Cali September 6th. We are looking forward to being with friends and family again. Winterball is still up in the air and we should find out more within the month, depending on how Daniel is feeling. There is a possibility of Daniel playing in Venezuela right now from mid October to maybe mid December. Because we heard it is unsafe for wives to travel there, I will be staying behind this time and looking for a job for the offseason. We have a lot of unknowns ahead and ask for prayer and guidance for decisions that will need to be made in regards to offseason details. Thank you all so much for the constant prayers and support. We are truly blessed.

In Good Hands

Yesterday was Daniel's second surgery of the season. We were unsure going into it whether or not there would be damage to his tendons, so we prayed specifically for that and had many others join us in prayer. Well, not to my surprise, the Lord heard our prayers! The surgery went absolutely as perfect as it could have gone and there was NO damage to the tendons at all! Praise God! The doc said the bone chip was pretty smooth, which means it has been there for awhile so we are glad to get it out! We think it probably happened in 2008 when Daniel broke that same hand. We are very thankful to be moving forward. Daniel has a soft cast on for the next 10 days and the trainers told him that he should finish his rehab by September 6th! Which means we'll actually be able to go home sooner then expected! From there, Daniel will continue to train and then we will see if winter ball is a possibility. Right now, just taking it day by day and thankful to the Lord for being our constant source of peace, comfort, provision and so much more thru this entire process. We are definitely in "Good Hands" 

Game 1 Sports

This is what we do to kill time while rehabbing :) Our "Old Spice" Parody using a G1 Bat. Enjoy! And if you need some new wood bats, check out www.Game1Sports.com

MLB will have to wait a lil longer for the Carroll Debut

So after trying different routes in order to get answers as to what has been causing Daniel pain, we were finally given a verdict today. 


Daniel has a bone chip in his hand which was caused by a tendon chipping away at his bone (ouch!) This explains all the pain he has been feeling. We believe this is something that started back in 2008 and the doctor said by the way it looks, it has definitely been there for awhile. The problem is, is that it is not visible from an X-ray or MRI. The only way we were able to see it was thru the CT scan. We are very thankful for a doctor who was persistent and listened. Daniel will need to have surgery next week to remove it. So unfortunately he is done for the season. It is a 6 to 8 week rehab. He should hopefully be good by October 1st & could possibly be able to play winter ball after that. As disappointing as it is, we really have a peace about it & are just really thankful they figured it out and we can now proceed in the process of moving forward. This minor league journey has in no way been what we expected, but that passion in my husband's heart to play has not faded one bit! We will continue to fight thru these battles and I truly believe once Daniel is healthy that the sky is the limit! God is good! There are so many up and downs in this baseball life, but I am thankful that throughout it all, our consistency can be found in the Lord. Please continue to keep us in prayer as we begin to take another rehab assignment head on again. Will be sure to keep you all posted.
We love you guys! xo!

Moving in a Good Direction

We are getting pretty familiar with the doctor out here in Arizona. Unfortunately, that is not a good thing in an athletes career, but we honestly could not be happier with the hand specialist we have been paired up with. This man has an amazing resume and has been so helpful throughout this entire process. As we arrived at the doctor's office yesterday, the assistant sat us down as he went over Daniel's medical history. Daniel's file is abnormally huge considering all the hand injuries he has experienced. I'm telling you, I'm married to a fighter! We all even made a joke over the size of it. Joking aside though, it really helped them to understand more that this has been an ongoing issue in Daniel's hand and something he has even tried playing through in the past. Although it is disappointing to be out of the game right now, we are happy and thankful to be getting this taken care of once and for all. 


We had to do a little office hopping yesterday. At the first office is where Daniel got his x-ray, but because the x-ray couldn't tell us too much, we had to make our way to a different office to get a MRI done. When we got to the second office, we had to wait for a long time. We later did find out that Daniel was suppose to go in right away, but the lady at the front desk made a mistake. Thankfully, Miss Congeniality was playing & I was thoroughly entertained while I waited. We were in there long enough, that I was actually able to watch the entire movie from beginning to end. I feel bad for the trainer that had to accompany us, but I guess he might be used to it. I caught myself many times wanting to laugh hysterically out loud during the movie, but we were in the awkward quiet office setting, so I was trying to control myself. I love that Lord brings things like funny movies to keep me joyful. 


Anyways so I know you're thinking, well what did we find out... Unfortunately, we haven't been given an exact diagnosis yet, but we are definitely heading in a good direction. They did an x-ray & MRI on Daniel yesterday. We do not know the results from the MRI yet and Daniel will actually be going back for a CT scan tomorrow as well. The x-rays didn't show an obvious break or anything, so that's good! The doctor did say that there may be something there that just isn't visible on the x-ray though, so the CT scan & MRI should be able tell us more. He was able to figure out the exact spot that is causing Daniel pain and said it doesn't seem like the cartilage, which is also good news. So right now, we are still in the waiting process and should hopefully have a better idea of things tomorrow.  


We honestly have such a peace right now though (thank you for praying). I'm not going to lie, it still gets tough when we put our eyes on our circumstance in baseball. Especially recently, with hearing about the trades and call ups. It's a weird feeling to be stuck in one place knowing that baseball continues to go on without you. It's been really neat out here though and the Lord has been moving so much. Daniel has been having bible studies with some of the other players out here that are also rehabbing and it's been such a sweet time. I really see the Lord using Daniel to make big impacts out here. When I think of that, I feel like we have such a clear picture. And that we are where we are for a reason. That's what it's all about. We will continue to trust God. Thank you for the prayers, please keep them coming.

Rehab Update : Prayer Request

Please keep Daniel in prayer. They are scheduling a doctor appointment for him next Monday (wish it could be sooner) to see the hand specialist again. For those of you who are not up to date, Daniel had a setback in Saturdays game. While swinging, he felt an immense pain in his hand. The same hand that his hamate bone was removed from. There are a few possibilities of what might be causing him pain. Best case scenario (like I mentioned in the last blog) is just that his muscles are tight and pinching a tendon that runs along his arm to his hand. If that is the case, it will only require some therapy and rest. Another possibility is that there is built up cartilage in his hand where the pain is which would require another surgery. In 08, Daniel actually also had a fracture in that same hand that was caused by a tendon rubbing against the bone, so that is also another possibility. It most definitely has not been the baseball season we had hoped for. But again, my husband is so tough and I know we will get thru this.  I can say, that although these injuries are disappointing, God has given us both an unexplainable peace that I know can only come from Him (Phil. 4:7). I'd ask that you join us in praying for healing, guidance and answers over whatever is causing Daniel pain. I am claiming Jeremiah 29:11 over our lives, that despite our circumstances, God has GOOD plans for our future. We will continue to TRUST in Him.

"Every Setback is only a setup for a Greater Comeback"

       Daniel began playing in rehab games out here in Arizona last week. He was doing well, even hitting an oppo line drive triple for his first hit back from the DL. You can imagine my excitement. It felt so good to see him back out there again after missing so much of this game he loves. That excitement was unfortunately cut short this past weekend when Daniel experienced a setback while swinging during an at bat. Saturday night, Daniel felt an immense pain shoot thru his arm and into his hand while swinging. It is the same hand that his hamate bone was removed from. The trainer out here did therapy on Daniel yesterday and he is feeling a little better today. The trainer was super informative and said it is common to feel the pain where he does because a tendon runs along the side of the hand into the arm and can get pinched when the muscles are tight causing pain. So Daniel was told that's definitely a possibility and would be best case scenario because it just takes some massaging, icing and rest to feel better. They're going to do that the next few days and see how it feels. If he is still hurting, then we will see the hand specialist again and take it from there. You can imagine our disappointment when this happened because Daniel was so close to getting ready to leave and rejoin a team.

          I can tell you though, my husband is fighter! Since going pro in 2007, he has had many setbacks. Many and most players will experience an injury at some point in their careers, in my husband's case, I feel like he has definitely experienced more then your average player. First full season, he broke his hand which was then followed by a broken hamate bone that he tried playing through. The next year, strained groin and broken thumb. Next season, pulled hamstring. Season after, strained groin. This season, slight labrum tear and broken hamate bone in which he needed surgery for. I have used this metaphor often in previous blogs, but I find it has been so relevant to our experiences... this baseball life is definitely like riding a roller coaster. 

         Getting drafted is like the feeling you get when buckling yourself into your seat. You are excited for what is ahead, you have butterflies in your stomach but you feel secure. The cart slowly starts moving as you start peaking up to your first high. Reaching that top, you feel you have a clear view of the entire coaster ahead. That's how we felt after Daniel's rookie ball season. Everything was going well for him, his team won the league championship and Daniel was awarded team MVP.  We were told he was on a "fast track" to the Bigs. We were on a high. Then came that first big dip ; aka: "the low". The one that causes your stomach to drop and comes when you least expect it as you're enjoying the high. That's how we felt with Daniel's first injury. It was new to us and caught us off guard. Looking back, although hard at the time, I am thankful for that experience. It really humbled us and changed our perspective. From that first dip, the coaster took off and cruised at a fast but steady pace until we started making our way up a high again. I know Daniel is gifted with talents for this game. When he is healthy, he is on fire. Last season he was finally healthy for the majority of the season and really put himself back on the map again. We we're back on that high, which was then followed again by the low of the injuries this season has brought.

         I am thankful that although this career has so many uncertainties, so many twists and turns, highs and lows... I can rest assured knowing that no matter where the tracks takes us along the way, it still leads us back to a safe destination and is being controlled by the ultimate conductor, my Lord Jesus Christ.

       We will continue to fight back during these setbacks. Although it's been a roller coaster, I am thankful for the opportunities baseball has brought to us. It has allowed us to travel across America and even out of the country. It has allowed us to meet some of our closest friends. My husband is getting to follow a life long dream and getting to do what he loves. I pray for health over Daniel so that he may be able to use the gifts God has given him. I also pray for trust over our hearts as we continue to surrender this baseball career and our lives to the Lord. I pray we would choose to worship in the midst of tough circumstances and that we would cease opportunities to share the love of Jesus with those around us.

1 Corinthians 10:31

"So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the Glory of God."

ALL cleared!

As of Monday, Daniel has gotten the official "thumbs up" from the doc & all has been cleared to start in ALL baseball activity again! Thank you to all who have been praying for a speedy recovery over him, God is Great! Daniel will start in rehab games this week out here in Arizona. We're excited to get things going again! Thanks for the constant support!

Copeland Update

Copeland is now HOME and is truly a living miracle! God is so GREAT! Please continue to keep this precious boy and his family in prayer as they adjust to life back at home. Thank you to everyone who has been praying for them, stay posted thru Will's blog at http://willlaurenstartup.blogspot.com/.


There has also been a support fund to help Will & Lauren with the financial needs that come with the unexpected medical expenses. If you feel led to help or are wanting to financial support them in any way you can donate in one of two ways. If you would like to make a deposit into Copeland's fund, you can go to any Bank of America location and make a deposit. If you are outside of Georgia, you will need an out of state deposit slip. Name: Copeland Startup Account #: 334034302802. You can also click on the blog attached to read more info. There is also an option to donate thru PayPal on this blog. Thank you again to everyone for loving and supporting this family thru your prayers. ♥ http://babyhudginsnews.blogspot.com/2012/06/helping-out-startups.html

Happy Birthday America!

We spent our fourth of July with Daniel's parents and where it felt most natural, at a ballpark! This year though, I wasn't in the stands watching a game but with my husband and family enjoying the festivities that were taking place at the Peoria Sports Complex out here in AZ. We had so much fun and even had a few of the other players join us. I'm thankful to live in this country and thankful for the blessings in my life. Hope you all had a fun and safe fourth!

The "Grand" Rehab Life

During a rehab assignment, there is PLENTY of downtime. While it can be a blessing, it can also be a curse. Due to that fact that almost all Arizona days of the late have been triple digits (and who wants to go out in that?)...most of our days have consisted of Redbox and staying indoors. Don't get me wrong, I am absolutely loving all this time with my husband, but being inside all the time can start to make you feel a little crazy.Thankfully, we were blessed to have some of our best friends come visit last week and pushed us to mix up our routine a little bit. We had a blast! One thing we did was go to the Grand Canyon and boy, was it GRAND! I had been once when I was younger, but didn't really remember it and take it in as much as I did this time around. If you have ever been, you know what I mean when I say its look FAKE- it's that beautiful! What a Mighty God we have!

                                     

Road to Recovery

My heart has been heavy and burdened for our friends, the Startups and their baby boy Copeland. I know my last post was urging for prayer. Those of you who follow me on Facebook or Twitter have been updated through that, but if you haven't, please take time to check out Will's blog at http://willlaurenstartup.blogspot.com/. Copeland has made tons of progress and the Lord's Hand over all of it has been so evident. Thank you to all that have been praying for this sweet family. I have been blessed beyond words and inspired by our sweet friend's faith thru this journey. They still have a road ahead of them, so please keep them in prayer.

Our situation seems so minimal after putting things into perspective with what Copeland and the Startups are experiencing. God has been good and gracious to us through this rehab journey. Daniel recently got his cast off and stitches out, YAY! The doctor commented on how beautiful Daniel's hand is healing. We are happy to be moving forward. There have been moments where we have caught ourselves being disappointed or upset over our situation, but again, it's all about PERSPECTIVE. And again, people are dealing with far more harder situations. Instead of being upset we have decided to choose joy. We have always said that our desire is to glorify our Lord thru baseball and if this is where He has us right now, I'm confident He will use it for His glory. All is looking good for Daniel to be back playing mid to late July. He has full mobility and function already over his hand and is getting daily rehab on it at the field. Thank you to all who have been praying :)

Daniel giving the "thumbs up" after getting his cast off & stitches out.

Daniel and I at Mariners/Diamondbacks Game

Love this pic!

Next Picture is one of Daniel's hand during surgery (pretty gruesome)-so scroll down with CAUTION.












Doctor took pic of Daniel's hand during surgery. That is his actual hamate bone that broke that is on his hand. They just completely removed it. Second pic is 2 weeks after surgery with stitches out.

Please Pray for Copeland Startup

URGENT PRAYER REQUEST: Please be praying for this precious guy, Copeland and his parents Will & Lauren. They are dear friends to us and their son Copeland is in critical condition right now.

Goodbye Hamate Bone!

Daniel's original surgery was set for yesterday, Tuesday at 8 am. The trainer picked us up from the hotel right on time and we arrived at the surgery center a little before schedule. They called Daniel back and began prepping him for surgery. They drew a mark on his hand to show us where the incision would be, the doctor discussed the details with us, I kissed Daniel goodbye and made my way back to the waiting area. About 20 minutes passed and the doctor called us back. I thought it seemed quick and when the doctor led us back to Daniel and seeing that nothing had happened, I knew something must be wrong. I wasn't sure what to think. The doctor then informed us that the patient before Daniel had passed away and they decided to put off Daniel's surgery to make sure everyone would have a clear mind before doing further surgeries. Turned out, it was an elderly woman in her late 70s getting a routine carpal tunnel procedure. The surgery went fine and she woke up from anesthesia and was talking and laughing with the nurses before she passed away. Don't know any more details then that, but please keep her family in prayer.

They were able to reschedule Daniel right away and Daniel had surgery at 7am this morning. Our spirits are high and we are feeling so much peace. While waiting today before surgery, Daniel was making jokes about how his surgery gown looked like, in his own words, "medieval peasant clothes" and that all he needed was a belt, sword, and face paint and he'd be ready for battle. I guess he was feeling Braveheart inspired. I love how he still always knows how to make me laugh. I really do see him as a warrior though. He is so strong and I admire the way he handles himself in these kind of situations. His faith is a constant inspiration to me!

The surgery went absolutely perfect! So thank you for the prayers! The doctor said Daniel's bone was a complete break and he was able to shake it as if it was a loose tooth. So we are thankful it's out! The anesthesia hit Daniel kinda hard, but he was still the sweetest thing. He was entertaining the nurse with his sweet gestures telling her that he loved her and thanking her for taking care of him. Definitely had a little of a 'David after Dentist' moment (if you don't know what that is then 1.you must live under a rock and 2. youtube it). Overall, it's been a great day and Daniel isn't in much pain at all. Thank you so much for all the prayers and constant support. We're excited to be moving forward.

Nothing Comes Close to the Golden Coast

I have concluded that I am and will truly always be a California girl. Don't get me wrong. I love seeing and experiencing all these new places, but my heart craves for an ocean during the summer. I absolutely LOVE being at the beach! And the desire of my heart came true this past weekend because Daniel actually had the weekend OFF! Some of you might not understand the rarity of a weekend off in the baseball world, but during the baseball season... they are hard to come by! Usually at most during the season, the guys will get 2 or 3 days off a month and that's never together unless it's the all-star break. So we were so excited when we found out we were actually going to be able to visit HOME! The drive to Cali from Arizona is only about 4 and a half hours and we've done it countless times, so it's easy breezy to us! 

Friday night, we got to go on a triple date with our best friends. We saw the movie Snow White and the Huntsman, which I actually really liked. Saturday, we went to Santa Barbara with my in laws and celebrated my brother in laws birthday at the beach and then out to dinner with him and his wife. I also got to catch up with my sweet friend Stacie who just gave birth to her precious little boy a couple months ago. So got to meet and hold her precious little guy. Sunday, spent more time with our best friends, got to visit Daniel's grandparents then spent the night eating my dad's famous spaghetti and meatballs and having a game night with my fam. We headed back Monday and I couldn't have asked for a better weekend. 

Never would I have thought we'd be able to be home in California during the middle of a baseball season. I would have never wished for it to come the way it did, but I am thankful for these sweet little blessings in the midst of our circumstance. It was a great time at home with our family and friends.

With sweet lil Levi

 Daniel and his brother Ryan

Roadtripping with the Carrolls

Thank you all for the prayers- we are feeling it! We arrived in Arizona this past Monday. The organization was very accommodating to our situation and actually let us drive out to Arizona together with our car. We left Alabama early and made the 6 hour drive back to Jackson last Friday. Then left the next day for the 3 day trip to Arizona. Despite the circumstances, we had an amazing time. I attached a video we made along the journey. God has been really speaking to us clearly already and we are feeling so much peace. I'm sure we will have our moments, but there is truly so much peace in knowing we are in the Hands of the God of the universe. I believe we will be restored for our troubles and I still do believe God has a good plan. What the enemy is trying to use for bad, I believe with my whole heart that God can and WILL use it for His glory! Keep the prayers coming. Daniel has surgery this upcoming Tuesday at 8:30am.

Xray of Daniel's broken hamate bone

Our Roadtrip Video:: CHECK IT OUT! :)

In other news, I got a new "due"! I dyed my hair dark again and cut off about 4 inches. Going back the natural route :) I'm still getting used to it- but Daniel loves it so I guess its a success :) Here's a pic:

Battlefield

Ephesians 6:10-13

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God,so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground"

I have no doubts that we are constantly surrounded by a super natural battle field around us. I know that may seem weird and creepy to some, but how can we deny it? We hear it so often & can feel it time to time, but many times we don't acknowledge or grasp what is truly taking place. If we don't acknowledge it, then we won't have the power to fight properly against it. 

I can personally say, most recently, that we have definitely been right in the center of an intense battle. Although I may feel weary, even as I write this, I know in the end that we have the upper hand and will come out victorious through this all through Christ. From our last blog, you know that Daniel was put on the DL for a labrum tear. That was mid May and actually happened the day I flew out from California. Although it wasn't the greeting I was hoping for, I was thankful to have been there for Daniel when it happened.

Even before that first injury, Daniel was having a slow start baseball wise just getting into a groove & getting over some mental aspects of the game. That was the first tough thing we had to face. Every baseball player wants to do well. He finally started getting into the swing of things again going 4 for 7 in the game that he got hurt the first time. Although we felt discouraged initially, we both felt an unexplainable peace in the midst of it. Little did we know how much God would use it and move through that situation. Like Daniel shared in the last blog, the Lord's really been taking us on a journey with Him. Through that first injury, we saw multiple miracles take place. We saw potentially life threatening spots disappear on a liver after praying. We saw a guy that just got out of jail who had a broken hand be healed and give his life to the Lord. We saw Daniel experience accelerated healing in his labrum...we were seeing things and the power of God moving in a way we have never experienced in our Christian walks before. Our faith was being strengthened.

Daniel was re-activated back on the roster a couple weeks ago and has been doing really well on the field. He was seeing and hitting the ball real good and really getting into his groove again. We thought all was good and that we were back on track to getting things going in baseball again. Then our faith would be put to the test again. Daniel had been feeling some pain in his left wrist the past week and was diagnosed with some tendinitis. The trainer had been taking good care of it and Daniel was on some meds to help with the pain. We thought it'd only be a minor thing that would go away in time and would be something he could play through. Well last night, as Daniel swung during an at bat he started feeling extreme pain right away. He had to be taken out of the game and at that point, I knew something was wrong. I could see the disappointment in his face as he was sitting in the dugout with his hand on his wrist. We went to doctors today and have found out that it is a broken hamate bone and Daniel will need surgery in the coming week. It is a common injury amongst baseball players and the recovery process is 4 to 6 weeks.

It breaks my heart more then anything for Daniel. Even after seeing God work in such big ways thru that first injury, I feel like my faith doesn't feel as strong this time around. I honestly feel drained spiritually and emotionally. I know Daniel just wants to be playing. I want to see his dreams come true for him. This is Daniel's 9th time going on the DL since starting pro ball in 2007. Never in our wildest thoughts would we have thought this journey to the big leagues would be such a roller coaster. I can truly say though that we have always seen God's provision through each and everyone of those setbacks. And I want to believe that He has a bigger plan in it all. Although I don't fully understand these setbacks, I do believe it is spiritual warfare and I don't want to give the enemy any type of victory in this. I know it will be a journey of emotions as we rehab now, but I will counteract this battle and fight back as best as I can- and that is through prayer. Please join me in praying. I want to see God glorified through this. 

Faith (By:Daniel)

Hey Everyone! Daniel here! 


Lets dive right into it. So I dislocated my left shoulder sliding into second base this past Sunday and was told I have a small labrum tear in my left shoulder. Im now on the 7 Day DL. 

Regardless of that, the Lord has been doing a work over here. Over the past couple months a big thing that has been on my heart is divine healing (what the bible says about healing and why we don't see more of it.) This deeper dive in getting to know more of the person of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit has opened opportunities to have really good conversations about it with my teammates.

Then I got hurt. The entire time it was happening the Lord gave me an unexplainable peace in the midst of the pain. What happens next was totally the Lord. Several of my non christian teammates came to me in faith while I was on the training table wanting to pray for healing over me in front of everyone (Quick side note: we prayed for healing over one of the guys who had a pretty bad pulled muscle in his neck and he was 100% healed later that night. He was one of the guys that came in to pray for me after I had got hurt). I wasn't healed on the spot, but it was awesome to see the Lord moving in their hearts and to see the their childlike faith even though they didn't know what to say or pray. 

Two days later I was a little frustrated I hadn't received the full manifestation of my healing yet. I can honestly say that I didn't even want to be healed for baseball, I really wanted to be healed to show Gods power to my teammates and to back up what I had been preaching to them. In the midst of what the enemy was trying to use to discourage me, the Lord allowed something miraculous to happen! The family Chel and I are staying with in Jackson, have a grandmother (Nana) that recently has had health complications. Just last week, she had to stay over night in the emergency room because they found a spot on her liver and didn't know what it was. After an all night stay and no diagnosis they set up an appointment next week. 

Now back to two days after my injury...Nana came over that morning before she went to her doctors appointments. I felt the Lord tugging on my heart to pray for her healing. We all then laid hands on her and prayed. I don't even know what I said, the Holy Spirit literally took over and spoke. It was an awesome prayer time. The next day Nana calls Martha (the woman were living with) so excited saying the Lord has healed her! Apparently the nurse couldn't  find the spot on her liver at all. She had to call the doctor in to try and find the spot. Eventually the doctor told her, we don't know what to tell you or how to explain this, but the spot on your liver is completely gone. PRAISE JESUS!!!!! 

When I heard the news, as you can imagine, I was ecstatic! I still am in awe. I want my situation to be used in any way to bring glory to Jesus. Needless to say, my faith has grown through this experience. I am still claiming healing over my shoulder and have been experiencing accelerated healing! I have almost full range of motion and function. Praise God!

These are my final thoughts. Healing was a mighty display of Gods love and power in the Bible, but why don't we see more of that today? Don't we serve the same God? Yes we do! Where I believe we go wrong, is we seem to be lacking faith. Christians simply don't know or believe the powerhouse of the Holy Spirit that lives inside them. The Bible clearly shows that faith is the key ingredient in so many of the healings Jesus performed. He always said "your your faith has made you well". This isn't a worldly faith like "I hope this works out". Im talking Bible faith "as if it has already happened" "believe as though you have already received". Bible faith like the woman that had a hemorrhage for twelve years and just knew if she only touched the fringe of His robe she would be healed. I know it took even greater faith from me to pray for healing over the Grandma when I hadn't even received my healing fully yet. As followers of Jesus, He has given us all authority over every sickness, disease, problem and situation. Lets do our part always and have great Faith and leave the rest up to our Heavenly Father. God truly is a Healer and wants us to depend on Him completely for everything and in faith receive it. 

As I'm typing this, my shoulder is so much better already than it should be. Im depending on Him to heal me completely. Please add my full healing to your prayer list. But rememberer to pray with authority that God has given you.

Thanks for listening, to Him be ALL the GLORY!

Hello California, Hello Baseball Season

The worst part about baseball is definitely "goodbyes". Early yesterday morning (and I mean 3am early), Daniel and I had to say the dreaded "G" word. I am thankful though that it won't be too long until we are back together again. My countdown is 12 days today. I can handle that! We've done 6 weeks before. Besides, I have to remind myself that there are so many military families out there that have it way harder then us. I am thankful.

Although we anticipated it, Daniel did make the AA roster and is starting the season in Jackson, TN with the Jackson Generals. We are thankful for this promotion and so excited to see what this season has in store. This spring training was a blessed one filled with many opportunities. Daniel finished spring training hitting .439 (18 for 41 with 7 BBs, 6 SBs and 4 HRs). The 4 homeruns were actually hit in the last 4 straight days of spring training. One being in the big league game against the Padres! So that was so fun! God is so GREAT and to Him be all the glory, honor and praise!

Another exciting thing that happened this past week is Daniel was interviewed by MLB reports. I was so blessed by this article and it makes me so happy to see Daniel getting recognition for his hard work. Here is a link to the article:
http://mlbreports.com/2012/04/02/carroll-interview/

Thank you to everyone for the prayers and constant support, we're excited to have you along with us for this 2012 season.

Onto the Next Adventure...

It's hard to believe Spring Training is already coming to an end. In 3 days, well be packed up back in suitcases again and headed onto our next adventure. Which as of now, is looking like our next adventure will be in Jackson, TN with the Mariner's AA team (a level up from last season, so we're excited). I am so proud of Daniel and so excited about how well he's done this past month. He's hitting .441 so far this spring (15 for 34 with 7 walks, 6 stolen bases and 2 HRs)! Praise God!

Daniel's parents, sister aunt and uncle also came out to visit this past week, which has kept us extra busy. Daniel's parents headed back to Cali yesterday and Daniel's sister, Meagan, is staying with us until Monday so she can do the drive back to Cali with me. The plan right now is Daniel leaves with the team 3am Monday morning and I'll be flying out to TN the 15th. I'm excited because there will be 4 other wives traveling with their husbands as well this season in AA. Looking forward to all God has in store.

Spring Training:God is our Healer

The smell of pine tar, dirt and sun screen fill the air...which could only mean one thing, it's baseball time!

Spring Training has been super exciting so far. God has continued to show us that His favor, grace and protection are over us.

Our excitement was cut short a couple days after we arrived though. While doing his Performance Training, Daniel tweaked his right groin. He was feeling quite a bit of pain and felt like he would be out close to a week while he rehabbed it back to strength. He said it was close to a 7 on pain scale of 1 thru 10. Our first reaction was disappointment, but Daniel was quick to say "God is in control". As a wife, you try to be strong for them but it's easy to feel frustrated when you have seen your husband experience injuries. You know their desire is to just play and anything that sidelines that breaks your heart for them. In the midst of what we thought would be a setback, we both experienced an extreme sense of peace after praying about it and being reminded that our God was in control.

The Lord has really been showing, teaching and opening our eyes to the fact that He is a Mighty Healer! He is alive, active and relevant. I think so often, myself included, we get in a comfort zone and limit how truly powerful God is. Romans 8:11 says that the "same power that conquered the grave lives in us"! Do you realize how powerful that power truly is? It's beyond our comprehension and natural realm. It means it's a power that is capable of performing the supernatural. We've been really trying to absorb that and have child like faith in believing that.

Well a few days ago, while praying with our good friend Alex over FaceTime (yes, God is not limited to technology but uses even that for His glory) we had an amazing intimate experience with the Holy Spirit, we were overfilled with joy and prayed for complete healing over Daniel. And guess what? That's what the Lord gave us! Daniel was 100% completely healed and even stronger! We are in absolute amazement still! This happened just a day after Daniel experienced his injury. There was no way he would have been able to come back as soon as he did.

He has been doing awesome so far this spring and has been told he looks even faster then last season. Which is without a doubt from the Lord, because with the pain he was experiencing that first day he should be no where near close to looking faster then last year. All Glory to God!

His first game of spring training was awesome! He went 2 for 2 with a single, double, 2 walks, stolen base, run scored off the Mariner's big league #2 projected starter. He also made a crazy running catch in center! (sorry if the stats bore you... I'm just a proud wife!:) Daniel was also invited to play in the big league game today. It was a split squad so he was even able to start. He had a great game and went 1 for 2 (again...more stats,sorry) with a single, stolen base, 2 walks, run scored and an awesome flyout to deep center that was just short of being a home run! He also got invited to the big league games tomorrow and Saturday as well. I'm just so excited for him to be getting opportunities like this. God is SO GREAT and at work constantly. I'm learning that there should be no such thing as a "boring Christian life", God is so exciting and at work- we just need to have faith to believe it and see it.

"Baseball is in the air"

Well.... Here we go again, It's Baseball Season 2012! 


This is Daniel's 6th season as a professional baseball player and my 5th season as a professional packer. I honestly feel like I could get paid to pack for people. I now know how to minimize living essentials for 6 months of the year to a few suitcases, that's a master art! And one I am quite proud of.
         
We are now in Arizona and have been so blessed to have been able to live with the sweet host family we lived with last Spring Training. The setup is great and we are less then a mile from Daniel's stadium. 
         
Yesterday was the annual Spring Training Ladies Luncheon put on by Baseball Chapel and PAO. This was my 4th time attending and it is always such a blessing! I was able to catch up with some sweet friends and meet more incredible ladies who live this crazy life too. It's always so nice to get encouraged and have a support system in these women. I am so excited for all God has in store this season-to Him be ALL the glory!