What is the most important thing?

From February through May every year for 3 years now Clyde and I are traveling every weekend. We have the pleasure of traveling around the east coast on the with our daughter, Mackensey and the Georgetown University softball team. We have seen a lot of cities, hotel rooms, restaurants, people, softball fields, and a lot of games! We have witnessed the highs and the lows of the sport. We have shared in the stress, the frustration, the excitement, the victories, the losses. Amidst all of this it is easy to get stuck in the "smallness" of it all and lose the "most important thing".

I received an email from one of our GU softball parents this week. The email didn't talk about the wins, losses, plays, coaches, time spent traveling, money spent traveling...it spoke of "the most important thing". It was about relationship, connection, friendship...."the most important thing". After Mackensey graduates next year this will become a distant memory, but who we are in the midst of it...people who love, listen, reach out, laugh, give, serve, connect....that is our journey...."the most important thing".

Got Stuck!

September has turned into the new year, 2011! I got stuck unpacking and then the holidays were upon us. A lot has happened in our lives since my last post. Clyde celebrated his 50th birthday. We enjoyed Mackensey's softball fall games and her 2009-2010 celebration banquet where she was voted by her peers the MVP of last season! We went to California to visit Ash, Courtney, Maddie and Eva the weekend of Halloween. We celebrated Thanksgiving with Heath, Thais, Thais' mother Tania, our neighbors Janet and Ray Paulin and of course, Mackensey. Enjoy a few pictures of our early fall.



































Halloween in California with our granddaughters



























The Fall Banquet 2009-2010














The Fall Games

Easy Catchup

I am very behind in my blogging! Since my last blog, we have moved into our new home, sent Mackensey off to Georgetown, and are in the unpacking process. We feel so grateful for our home and grateful to be settled. We have visited a new church in our community that we like and will be visiting again. We have been welcomed into our new neighborhood by a couple next door, Janet and Ray. We feel very fortunate to have found a home where we can still see the city skyline and where people know each other by name as we walk down the street. I will be posting pictures as soon as I get out of boxes!

Chicago!!!!!!

We have been in Oak Park, Il. for about a month however, Oak Park is no Chicago! We got to spend the day with Heath and Thais and our nephew Sterling who came to visit. Clyde, Mackensey and I met them in downtown Chicago for a city tour and dinner. Enjoy some pictures of our day.

Catch Up!

Life in the fast lane....not only a song but, a good description of our lives the last few weeks. Since our last posting we have been following the Georgetown Softball team on the road every weekend. The Hoyas have had some great moments and some not so great moments but, what a pleasure it has been for us to be involved in Mackensey's college softball experience!

I have joined Clyde in Chicago! We are in a small apartment in Oak Park, an urban-like suburb of Chicago. We are within walking distance of some cute shops, restaurants, post office, bank, small-town movie theater, a park, and a beautiful historic neighborhood. I wake up every morning and take Marty and Sweetie, our two wheaten terriers out for a 45 minute walk. All three of us are in much better shape than 3 or 4 weeks ago. Clyde is up early as well and off to Downers Grove, about 45-60 minutes from our home, for a busy day at the office. His job has been very challenging and he looks forward to implementing more of his management style at the corporate office. He is an amazing man with the ability to thrive in a new environment, even with a high amount of stress involved. I am very proud of him. I have also spent several hours in Brighton Park, which is the location of Heath and Thais' new home. We have had lunch together, dinner in their home, spent the day chilling, and planned and prepared a meal for the GU softball team. It is so nice to be 30 minutes from each other after living in different states for so long. We look forward to sharing our lives with them and enjoying our new city....we have own personal guides to Chicago!

I will be returning to Massachusetts next week to wrap up the final steps of our move to Chicago. Mackensey and I will be returning to Chicago permanently the second week of June. I will post some pictures very soon of our temporary home in Oak Park.

Chattanooga and the bitter cold!

Last weekend was spent watching Georgetown Softball play in the Frost Classic Tournament in Chattanooga, Tennessee. After braving the bitterly cold first day and enjoying the mild, sunny second day Clyde and I headed back to Nashville on Sunday to fly back to Boston. The Hoyas ended the weekend with a 2-3 record. They played hard but, faced a few tough teams. Hoyas are still working through the beginning-of-the-season nerves and we are so proud of them. Mackensey had an injured foot from the weekend before and didn't get to pitch much as a result. Hopefully we will see her on the mound more in Raleigh, North Carolina this weekend!

Georgetown Softball "Let the games begin!"

Yes, the Georgetown Softball season began this past weekend in North Carolina. The sun was shining, a cool breeze blowing, and Clyde and I were in the stands watching the Hoyas play their opening games. They split the weekend 2-2. The first day was a little shaky but, day two the girls were a little more relaxed and playing their game.
Mackensey was able to pitch, hit and play a little first base. We are diehard fans and will be as faithful as possible to keep our blog updated on the progress of our team. This weekend we will be enjoying more of the southern state's weather in Tennessee. Go Hoyas!!!!