Day One Thousand and Fifteen

The Seventh Start

&

Dad's 48th Birthday

After SIX weeks on the Disabled List, Adam is officially back!!!

Party in the 70001! <--- That's Zephyr zip code.

I can't tell you how good it feels to sit in a stadium again. Even in 90 degrees at 1 PM. Truth: hot and sweaty and sun burn-y is better than, well, no baseball at all! Adam would - guaranteed - echo the same sentiment. 

In his first game since May 2 - May Second, my gosh! - Adam threw well. He was excited and ready and anxious to get back on the mound, and he didn't disappoint (me). Ha! Well, actually, he walked two hitters, so I was sorta mad at him for that…buuuuuut…I'll let it slide this time ;)

He left the game in the sixth, up 2-0. With a quality start under his belt:

5.2 IP, 4H, 0R, 2BB, 2K

Nice work, Adam. I'm so proud of you!

Aaaaaand the day just kept getting better! Wouldya look at that?! How did the Zephyrs know it was Bearett's birthday?! They brought me cake to celebrate him…all the way from 3-something-thousand miles away!! Rock on Zephyrs!

(Truth: our team mascot - a nutria rat named Boudreaux - also had a birthday yesterday…they told me the cake was in celebration of him. I happily ignored that fact and celebrated Little Bear instead. Good Auntie)

________________________________________________

If Dad was good at anything, it was grabbing you up in a big giant hug and making you feel like the only person in the world. They were laced with love, sincerity, strength, and warmth. So warm. Puts a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes just thinking about those hugs and what they meant to me. 

If you've ever been enveloped in my notoriously strong bear hugs, know that I learned them from my dad. And that it's my way of giving you a little of what he gave me. I hope they make you feel special. Loved. Important. Treasured. Because you are.

Today would have been my daddy's 48th birthday. 

And though this is only the second June 23rd without him, today's been a good day. A day for me to reflect on his young life and reminisce in so many good memories. A day for me to listen to his music and sing along with joy. A day for me to remember the glory of the Lord and His perfect, sovereign timing. The tears come and go. But they're mostly happy tears now. And that's a huge step for me.

Happy birthday Daddy. 

I miss you.

I love you.

Every day.