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"