Day Five Hundred and Sixty-Seven

The Last day of Spring Training 2013

Looks like I'm not the only one in Jupiter busy packing! The Jacksonville boys loaded their gear onto the truck yesterday after their last practice of Spring Training 2013.

While they loaded their few items into the moving truck, we moved our many items into this 5x10 storage unit. Our promotion really started sinking in yesterday. And clearly, I have mixed emotions about the whole thing. Obviously, I went with Adam to the storage unit willing and ready to get this new journey started. However, I'm also deeply saddened by the 5 hours that separates me from all my Jupiter friends and our amazing church. It's going to be so hard without them, but I'm praying hard that the Lord will bring some neat ladies into my life in Jacksonville this season. They won't measure up to my Jupiter ones though, so don't worry girls ;) Hehehehe.

After days of packing, this is what was left.

And Adam even commented on the fact that we were bringing "THAT MUCH stuff." Uhhhh...you want me to pack up my entire home for 6 months and expect me not to take at least this much stuff? You're crazy. (Maybe someday I'll learn how to be more decisive and selective with my items, but how am I supposed to know if I need my bike...or my printer...or the two green spatulas that my mommy gave me for St. Patrick's Day last year? You NEVER know!)

The Conley's last photo together in 1136 Town Center Drive #14. 

Apartment #3: gone forever.

Ok...let me tell you something.

Adam and I have few marital issues...but this bed is one of them. 

And he won. Which means I lost.

Not good. 

Last year (and a half), we moved to Jupiter with literally 4 suitcases and nothing else...into a completely bare and unfurnished apartment. Since then, we've accumulated a decent amount of things, but nothing - and I mean NOTHING - more important to me than our bed. We promised each other that we'd splurge a bit on our bed because it was really important to us. One, because we had each slept on cruddy college mattresses and futons for 4 years. Two, because we felt that a good night's sleep was an important investment in Adam's career. Three, I've already had back surgery, so a good night's sleep for me wouldn't hurt either. And finally four, because...well it's just really comfy. And big. And awesome. 

Guess what Adam made me do? 

PUT THE DANG THING IN STORAGE!

FOR SIX MONTHS.

SIX!

Like...uh...total marital fight.

But instead of making us put the bed in storage along with the rest of the stuff yesterday, he let us sleep on it one more night. We did get a much better sleep than we got last year when we moved on Day 203. I cherished that 8 hours of Tempurpedic rest! This next 6 months is not going to be so comfy! Boooooooo.

A BIG THANKS TO THE RICKARDS AND GERBERS WHO HELPED US MOVE AND CLEAN AND PAINT ALL DAY YESTERDAY! YOU'RE ALL SO WONDERFUL...SO WONDERFUL, IN FACT, THAT YOU'RE WORTHY OF CAPS LOCK!!!

Hehehe. Love you :)

Day Five Hundred and Sixty-Six

The Second to Last Day Before Jacksonville

I decided against my traditional Paleo morning meal of sweet potatoes and 2 eggs because I needed pan-a-cakes (that's what I call them). It was going to be a long day. So, I made some. Paleo style. Banana, egg, almond butter, almond flour, honey.

And ate them with my pure maple syrup. Oh  gosh. I told myself I'd eat three of them and save the rest for leftovers. Well, I ate every single one of them. Oops? The calories were totally worth it.

I needed that extra couple of panacakes because this was staring me in the face. With two days before the move to Jacksonville, FL, we had a lot to get done. And for most of the day, I didn't have Adam's help. Puh. Did I mention that I really don't like moving? Well, in case I hadn't: I don't. Buuuuuut, I guess for a promotion, I won't argue. Much.

When he did finally get home, I put my Hubs right to work. Task #1: purge. He went through all his clothes and by the end of the day, had a garbage sack full of very-recently purchased items to give away (Uhhhhhh. He gained all that weight and can't fit into his clothes anymore! It's like I have an 8 year-old in my home! Not a happy wife!). I ended up purging too and by the end, I also had a bag to give away! Yay for no pack-rat(ting)!  

With most of our stuff in boxes, a home cooked meal for dinner was out of the question. So, the date night eight (Rickards, Gerbers, Allens, Conleys) went out for one last dining hurrah. We ate at a local restaurant called Cantina Laredo. And in the lot, we saw these nice houses on wheels. Oh wait, those are cars. My bad. 2 Ferraris, a brand new Jeep, and a Bentley, all parked valet outside. Can't forget the Rolls Royce that was parked directly in front of the restaurant either (apparently, even in South Florida, you don't need a parking space to park your Rolls Royce). Jupiter kills me sometimes. And by the way, what happens when you accidentally hit one of these babes? As-freakin-if my insurance would pay to have it fixed. They'd have to throw my butt in jail for a lifetime to work it off. Hahaha. What a joke.

Day Five Hundred and Fifteen

The Sixteen Foot Pile-Up

I confess. Adam and I have a problem. It's severe. And I'm hoping we're not the only household in America suffering from it. The diagnosis: chronic closet amnesia. Clearly, we've forgotten where our closet is. And the results speaks for themselves. But normally - I swear...honestly - it's never this bad! Like, seriously? That's eight pairs of shoes. Right inside our front door. How we managed to overlook this pathetic pile-up is beyond me. But when we finally noticed it, Adam and I couldn't stop laughing. We were in temporary shock. There's only two of us living here -TWO-, but by the looks of it, I'd guess we were hosting a small Under Armor party. Unfortunately for us, that wasn't the case. Instead, just a wee little family with terribly embarrassing problem. One that I'm unsure will ever be corrected. Sigh. At least they add some color to the room...right?!

Day Four Hundred and Ninety-Five

The Cutie and The Ugly

Meet Avery. She's five years old and loves gymnastics, dolls, and Jesus. We met her mommy through Family Church. Kristin and her husband Seth were our small group leaders, who led Bible study every Wednesday night at their home last year. We love their sweet family (they have a two-year-old too!) and enjoy the time we get to spend with them. Yesterday, Adam and I were invited to watch Avery's gymnastics practice. She's been asked to begin pre-team, which is a huge commitment and another step on the ladder of becoming a great gymnast. Kristin obviously had some questions, and knowing that I competed for many many years as a gymnast, she asked me what I thought. I gave her a thumbs up and told them to go for it. Gymnastics is my athletic backbone. So I'm a bit biased. But I think it's one of the best sports you could ever put your child into. Adam agrees. The sport teaches body awareness, flexibility, balance, toughness, discipline, physical strength, and endurance unlike any other. Our little Jaxon will have a baseball in his left hand while holding the rings in his right.

DIE ANTS, DIE! I hope your stomachs hurt, you sugar greedy sickos!

So, we've had a sugar ant problem for maybe 2 months now. I guess it's not really been a problem, rather just an annoyance. And yes, I'm really annoyed. I've been killing probably 20 ants a day, especially in this last week, and enough is enough. I'm tired of wasting all my paper towels on these pesky things and having to rewash all my surfaces 50 billion times a day, SO, we strengthened our defenses and went for Tarro Ant Gel. Apparently, we should have done this at first sight of them. They can somehow immediately sense (or smell?) the gel and flock to it in numbers we've never seen. The gel is taken back to the colony and is dished out to the queen and all her evil servants. Then the poison begins to set in and they die a (hopefully) painful death. Ok, that's mean. But they've been mean to me, so it's deserved!

Come, ants, come! We squirted something like 6 pea-sized gel dots all over the kitchen and it took only 10 minutes before word was out that huge ice cream stacks were gracing the Conley kitchen floor.  There were ants everywhere. It was totally disgusting, but I'll happily welcome disgusting at this point. Just as long as I never have to deal with these dumb things again! Grrrrr!!

Day Four Hundred and Eighty-Eight

The Sugar Ants Takedown

See those little tiny specs on Adam's breakfast plate that he didn't clear? This picture is precisely why you eat all your food in Florida. Because if you don't, sugar ants will. We've battled these stupid bugs since moving into this apartment, but we always have the upperhand. Normally, we make sure the kitchen is extra clean - all food put away. No leftovers, no ants. But yesterday, Adam was running late and I didn't realize his mistake. While I worked on a project all morning, the ants worked on his plate.

Continuing the lameness of our day, we de-Christmatized (<---made up word) our home. I pouted the whole time, but our tree was long gone dead and it was becoming a nuisance to clean up after. Adam wasn't very happy either. Not because we had to take it all down, but because I increased our Christmas storage from one bin to two this year. What can I say? I love Christmas. And if that means hauling one extra bin of holiday cheer around the country, then so be it! So long Christmas...see you in 11 months!

Day Four Hundred and Eighty-Seven

The Everyday Wednesday

Adam got arrested.

Ok, no he didn't.

And that wouldn't be funny either.

We got lost and saw a policeman. He admired Adam's truck and then gave us directions.

To here. One of the worst places on the planet. Only yesterday, the tax collector/DMV wasn't so bad after all! Next time you get your tabs or license renewal, or any other driving-related documents, arrive ten minutes till close on a Wednesday. Maybe that's the trick to those terrible lines. It only took us 30 minutes to get new tags for the truck! (He's been illegal for the past 10 days. Oops)

 I'll forever be a sunset girl. And though the East Coast of Florida doesn't get much for setting skies, the drive to Wal Mart wasn't too bad yesterday. Whatever bad mood I was in before this, it was forgotten immediately.

 

From Wal Mart, to Publix, to the Vitamin Shoppe, and back home, Adam and I were spent. We said we only needed a few groceries. This is what we ended up with. A fridge stocked for 4. Adam is eating outrageous calories still and has only 2 more pounds to gain until he's 215. THAT'S THIRTY POUNDS IN 16 MONTHS. Wahoo! Must be hard, right? *Rolling my eyes.* He complains all the time about how much it sucks to eat all those pizzas and PB&Js and cinnamon rolls and biscuits with gravy and bacon ciabattas and chili dogs and and and! Oh please! I take one bite of any of those and my butt jiggles for a week! UGH! It's not fair!

And don't even ask me how much money just one pound costs. Because I don't know. And I hope I never know. But mmmmm...that chocolate milk looks good right now. Too bad one 16 oz glass is 420 calories. That's like 500 burpees. I'll pass.

Day Four Hundred and Eighty-Six

The Parents and The Bachelor

So thankful for Skype. Love seeing these beautiful people. I miss Mommy and Dan.

And I LOVE THE BACHELOR too!

^Don't judge me! Haha :)

Day Four Hundred and Eighty-Four

The Pool Rules

It's probably been over a month since Adam and I have "laid out." Maybe even two. And when you're in South Florida, that's unacceptable. UNLESS you live here permanently, in which case, your blood has thinned and 70 degrees feels like 50. Lucky for us, yesterday was a scorcher: 85 degrees. I begged Adam to lay by the pool with me, but he refused and instead, swam a bunch of laps in the chilly water. As for me, I tanned. It didn't work. I'm still pasty white. But it felt good and I read a bunch and that's all that matters. 

With all the craziness of last year aside, I'm now settling into a routine. Reading is something I try to do daily, along with writing. On Writing Well is a book suggested to me by Josh Martin. And it's exactly about that - how to write well. For a girl who wants to write a book, this is exactly what I need.

Adam and I never go to bed with dirty dishes in the sink. But that doesn't mean that throughout the day, plates and bowls and pots and pans haven't accumulated. We eat a lot here. Actually, let me rephrase that: Adam eats a lot here. And that means: a lot of dirty dishes. To make our lives easier, I've insisted upon a new rule: Pick one side. I took it from Grama, who's biggest pet peeve is dirty dishes in both sides of the sink. She's a genius. And I don't know why I never thought of it before. If one side of the sink is completely clean, it's 100 times easier and faster to complete the dreaded chore. Thanks Grama! Oh, and she has the best taste in dish soap too...hence our pink Palmolive. It smells so good. And it's soft on your hands too. Oh yeah baby. That's when you know you're a housewife :)

Day Four Hundred and Forty-Nine

The First Evergreen

Our tree! Our tree!! I begged Adam to let us begin Christmas season, but he was being quite Ginch-y about it. He tried telling me that we'd get our tree in two weeks. Uhm, what?! Two weeks and you might as well just skip Christmas altogether! So, I Cindy-Lou-Who'd him (whatever that consists of), and he caved in! I'm SO excited! Our first REAL Christmas tree (we had a palm tree last year). It's perfect!  

We stopped by Home Goods on our way back to the apartment in search of a tree skirt. We didn't find one...but we did find each other :)

Turns out that our apartment is really small. Ha! We figured that out even more so when this 7-footer entered our home. But we don't care! It's so much prettier in here now! No decorating last night though...instead, we watch How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Adam was one happy boy!

And best part of yesterday: It was Grama's birthday!!! Happy birthday Lovely. I love you so much!

Real quick: I've been asked about Plasti-Dip before and after pictures. This is before he painted the badges and top tail light.

And this is after. He also did the handles to the toolbox, but I haven't taken any pictures since then (I keep forgetting). Specifically for my uncle: this stuff isn't spray paint, rather, it's plastic. It does come out like spray paint though. One coat gives whatever you spray a light tint. The more and more coats you apply, the darker it becomes (Adam applied something like 5 coats). Also, if it turns out poorly or you hate the look, it just peels right off. 7 bucks will get you a can at Home Depot...and they have many colors to choose from too. It's cheap, easy, and looks good. Can't beat that! 

Day Three Hundred and Sixty-Three

The Reading Beauty Reads While the Sleeping Beauty Sleeps

Yes, our back "porch" looks really dirty. It's because of the rain, I swear. Plus, we don't have a hose and it's very unlikely that I'd ever scrub it with Scrubbing Bubbles anyways, so I'm stuck with the dirt. Thankfully, I was raised at the ballpark and learned the saying, "God made dirt, so dirt don't hurt," at a very young age. And that's precisely the reason I felt comfortable enough to lie my beach blanket down on the floor of our 5 x 7 foot "porch" to work on my tan. For me, walking the 20 feet to the slider door is much easier than the walk to the pool or the drive to the ocean. And I don't like leaving Adam alone anyways when he's home, so this is what I've been doing to catch my rays. I wake up a little earlier than my sleeping boy, read a book, and enjoy the Florida heat...which has been a rough task as of late because of all the storms. 

I finished the book "Little Bee" this morning. Let me tell you...I am so thankful for this read. If you have the chance, or maybe some spare time, read it. It might just change the way you look at the world. At least it did for me.

If I lived on ballpark food the entirety of the season, it would be a problem. I take my health and diet very seriously, and with that as my priority, I find ways to make my nights at the field work. I've eaten one hot dog this entire season. And I don't even really like them. I do like the ice cream, but tend to shy away because I know I'll regret eating it later. It takes a lot of work and diligence, but in the end, my body feels better running on real food and not feel good food. Hence, the orange. Nearly every game this season, whether in Greensboro or in Jupiter, I've smuggled healthy food into the stadium under the items in my purse. And that's how I eat during the games. It might not be "legal," but at least my pants still fit. 

And I'm loving my new hat! I was having a bad hair day...so I looked through Adam's hats and found this one. I think it looks better on me anyways. A real Jupiter beauty.  

The boys won their first of 5 tonight against the Lakeland Flying Tigers. They're playing for the championship AND that ring I keep talking about! LET'S GO HAMMERHEADS! Only 2 more wins!!!

Since Breaking Bad Season 5 is over, Adam and I are suffering. We needed a new show to suppress our appetite for blue meth (Hahahha). Our replacement: Sons of Anarchy. This is Adam's best impression of the main Character, Jax...which is also the future nickname of our son. How coincidental. Adam is much, much hotter than Jax though, but I do see the resemblance. Here, Adam is rocking his new Oakley Deviation sunglasses and a fresh Under Armor flannel collared shirt! SO HANDSOME!

Day Three Hundred and Fifty-Eight

The Cumpleanos and an End to His First Regular Season

Ok, so I have a little explaining to do. I technically made this creation last night...but since Alejandra routinely checks my blog, I couldn't post the latter half of my day yesterday. Why? BECAUSE IT'S ALE'S BIRTHDAY TODAY and I didn't want to ruin her surprise! I knew that today was going to be a bit hectic...so I spent a good portion of last night in the kitchen working on the cutest project to date!

Betty Crocker White cake batter prepared as usual. I only ever bake with Betty. Instead of just scooping the plain, boring batter into cupcake liners, I got a little colorful. Using 5 different containers, I divided the batter up, added food coloring, and then, started randomly pouring! This was my result. And oh my gosh! I just knew Alejandra was going to love them...both because they tasted good AND they're crazy...just like her! ;)

This was my finished product. I used a similar technique with the frosting, added in a few love notes, a few crazy swirls, and ta da! A bunch of bright neon, deliciously perfect birthday cupcakes! They ended up melting in the car though. Gosh Darnit! At least I had this photo to show her once I delivered them! Along with the cupcakes, I made Alejandra a scrapbook album of our first season together...from the day I met her until now. I've been working on the project for a couple weeks and was so excited to give it to her!

Alejandra has so clearly been a tremendous blessing to my life. I am sure, completely and totally convinced, that God crossed our paths for a very specific reason, and every day, I find out a little more, the plan He's made for us. Since our very first road trip - a 9 hour drive as total strangers - we've grown into something so much more than I could have ever imagined. I feel honored to be her friend, and so very thankful for the time we've gotten to spend together. She's been the breath of fresh air that I never knew I needed. Adam said something of her tonight that I can't help but continue to return to, "Alejandra is just so...authentic." And I don't think a better description of her exists. That is the kind of person I strive to be, the kind of person we all should strive to be...just me, just you. In the most real way possible. Because today, those kind of people are very few and far between. I'm lucky that I found one of the good ones. And I'm keeping her locked in my heart forever.

Happy 20th birthday Alejandra.

I love you.

Te amo. 

Alejandra left for Tampa this afternoon, and so, we couldn't take her out for a birthday dinner. Bummer. But, we did decide to do a little celebrating of our own. Adam finished his last game of the regular season today!!! Holy smokes! Like, WHOA!!! 140 games in 5 months...and it's already over. His first regular season: done. Finished. Just like that! It doesn't seem real! But, in fact, even though the regular season is over, the post season is just beginning. We still have a ring to win! The Hammerheads begin a 3 game series against the Port St. Lucie Mets on Tuesday. Jose will have the ball that night, and Adam, the following night. On Wednesday. But before championship play begins, we all get one day off: tomorrow. So tonight, we found a local tiki bar - the same one that Alan Jackson recorded "It's 5 O'Clock Somewhere" at - and enjoyed the sunset over a couple drinks. The bar is a gigantic sandy oasis, right on the Intercoastal, overlooking Jupiter Lighthouse and the Castaway Marina. With live music playing and a view to kill, we were able to relax, take a deep breath, and just be. We've lived in Jupiter almost a year now and still can't get over how much we absolutely love this town. 

This is the view of one side of the Square Grouper (the tiki bar) from the dock. The other side looks almost identical, with the live band located in the very center of it all. I've never seen anything like it! 

The drive back to our apartment is right along the ocean. It's the best road in Jupiter. And we got especially lucky with the scenery tonight! A parasailing ride unlike any other. The dude is riding a parachute, propelled not only by the wind, but by a gigantic attached fan too. Incredible! 

To finish off our eventful day, we were selected as the recipients of a homeless man in need of a place to sleep. Food too. His name is Zach Neal (you've met him before...once) and through a less-than-ideal turn of events, he was kicked out of his apartment for the night and needed a place to crash. That's what happens in this life of baseball. Things are constantly changing and always unpredictable. So, we did what any good teammate would do...and gave him a bed, some leftovers, and a few beers. He's welcome to stay as long as he needs to, just as long as he leaves the toilet seat down, washes his clothes, and says 'thank you' every now and then. Oh, and no chew bottles either. But he doesn't dip anyways, so we're good to go! 

And real quick (I know, this was a long one)...

Daddy Update:

Johnie is feeling great and says that he's getting better every day! He posted on Facebook, "Much less drooling and much more use of my right hand!" Haha...I told Dad I was bummed out because I was hoping to see some drool when I head out to Washington on the 15th! ;) Amen for progress and positive attitudes! Keep it up Dad and family!!

Day Three Hundred and Forty-Six

The Darkness Becomes Light

Our dirty laundry, due to the temperature of our apartment and nomadic lifestyle, has been piling up. That's saying it lightly. And as a housewife, I feel slightly embarrassed. Adam shouldn't have to search for clean boxers. He especially shouldn't have to wear those "last resort" undies that you only use as a last resort. When he put those ones on, the ones he got as a part of his gift from the SAL All-Star Game (they have a dog on the butt), I knew I had failed as a wife. I can't believe I even put those in his drawer! Uh! Shame on me. And so, I made the decision to endure the added heat from the washing machine and actually washed some clothes. But, I was NOT about to start the dryer. Not in an 83 degree apartment. So, I found a place for every piece of the load to hang, and this is what my apartment looked like when I finished. There! Clean clothes.

When I was younger, some of my fondest memories were laying in my mommy's lap while she played with my hair. I love the feeling. And since then, I always have. The only problem is: Adam doesn't play with my hair. He never does. It's like, the one marital problem we have. Haha ;) But tonight, while I was laying in his lap listening to a sermon online, I flipped my hair out and started playing with it myself. He finally got the hint...and it turned into this!!! Wahoo!

It's a masterpiece! He can actually braid hair! Who knew?! And if we end up having a little girl some day, there's hope that he might be able to do more than just teach her how to throw heaters and spit loogies. 

I've never, not ever, been more excited to take a picture of an air conditioner before!! Praise God for this little piece of technology! Seriously! When we found out that we wouldn't have our compressor fixed until Thursday, a negative gloom settled in all around us. It was hot, but that wasn't even the worst part. The most cruel piece of the sticky situation was the fact that I couldn't open up any curtains. None. And so, our apartment was pitch black all day long. For 5 days. I hate pitch black (except for when I sleep!). God gave us light to enjoy. And I couldn't. For that, I was grumpy. But, the light will be shining all day long tomorrow! And the next day, and the next day! A friend of a friend from church had an extra AC unit just lying around, and delivered it right to our apartment this evening. He even installed it for me, as Adam was at his game. Then, it was up to me to fill in the holes between the unit and the frame. I couldn't find any cardboard. And in this weather, it probably wouldn't be a good idea anyways - it rains every day at 3:00. So, I scoured our home for objects that might have similar dimensions to fill the holes. Turns out, a cake pan and two tupperware lids (taped together) did the trick! I'm secretly really proud of my craftsmanship. Adam said he was too. Haha. 

Dad update:

Johnie is still in the hospital. The doctors have decided to keep him another night, as the right side of his body still isn't responding in a way they'd like it to. He's been having trouble bringing his hand to his mouth (to eat) and doesn't quite have his balance back yet. He's working on it though. Rumors have it that he might be getting a little frustrated - a typical Mays problem - but I know it's only because he's so dedicated to snapping back to his usual coffee-drinking, baseball-watching, Hard-Rock-eating self. Patience Daddy. It'll come. The girls (Mommy included) and Jacob are busy at work trying to solve the problem of long-distance care. And it seems like we're closing in on a solution. My dad, grandma, and brother live on the West Coast of Washington, while the rest of my family lives on the East Coast, 5 hours away. We've all been working to come up with a plan that would suit everyone's best interest and think we're onto something really exciting! Jake, Dad, and Grandma might move to the East side of Washington so everyone can be together, working as a family. And I don't know if I can remember a time that I've been more happy for the people closest to me. Finally, after so many years, everyone will be in one place. Not two. No mountains to separate us. No long distance phone calls. Just one city. One town that we all know so well. Spokane. 

Praise God. 

I know that times are hard, but even in the midst of heart ache, the Lord is at work. He really is. And if this is all happening to bring my family back together, I'll take it. And I think my Daddy would too.

Your continued prayers are always welcomed.

And if anyone in the Seattle area could whip up a meal and bring it to Woodinville, we would really appreciate it. I might throw in a signed Rookie card or something as incentive ;) Hahahaha. Hey, we all gotta laugh, right?!

And for Adam's dedicated fans, he pitches in the second game of tomorrow's doubleheader. The first game is at 4 and the second one starts 30 minutes after the first one ends. 7 innings each game. 

Day Three Hundred and Forty-Five

"The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your needs in parched places, and make your bones strong, and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters never fail."

                                                           -Isaiah 58:11

It's not been a good day. Not close. I've had puffy eyes for the latter half of this week, and today, they got a lot fatter. My dad is in the hospital. Everything else just added to the pain. He suffered a stroke sometime last night, and this morning, my brother found him and drove him immediately to the ER. Only a few hours ago, they admitted him into the hospital, where he's recovering from the day's countless tests and blood extractions. This is his third stroke in the last month. Originally, we were told that the chemotherapy drug he was on might be to blame for the weakened blood vessels. Now, our information is limited as the test results have yet to confirm or deny anything different. My entire family made their way across Washington State to be with my father and for that, I am so thankful. He's in the very best company, with the ones who care about him most. He'll come through this. I just wish I were there to hold his hand and tell him so myself. I wish that this photo was actually the truth and not something Adam created on his computer.

This is the most painful cost of baseball. It takes you places you've never been before, yes, but with that, it also puts a big divide geographically between the place and the family you've always called home. And it hurts. Badly. I love you, Daddy. I miss you. And I would drive the entire length of the United States to see you if you only said the words. Our prayers are continual, and at this point, the very best we can offer. Truly, that's the best anyone can offer, ever. The Lord's got you in His hands, Dad. Lean on Him and trust Him. Always. And please, if you're reading this, take a moment to pray for Johnie. He's a father of five and a lover of all things baseball. And I can't wait, can't wait, for him to come down to visit during Spring Training 2013. It's going to be a week I'll never forget.

You never fully understand the weight of things until you receive that one phone call. When that happens, everything else seems trivial and petty. And that's exactly how I reflect on my complaints of today. I woke up this morning crying. And miserably, miserably hot. A sticky, crabby, gross hot. The fan blowing into our bedroom from outside was bringing with it the most obnoxiously disgusting Florida smell of rotting fish and moldy garbage. When I realized what was happening, the waterworks began. And it didn't stop all day.

Adam tried, first, at his best attempt of making his own DIY air conditioning unit using our fan, cardboard, and a cooler full of ice. It didn't work. And as he used more and more duct tape, the contraption became more and more useless. So we trashed that idea and decided on a new one.

A styrofoam cooler, a bathroom ventilation ceiling fan, and ice. The air coming out was colder, but the fan proved to be nothing more than pathetic. We're back to square one: our single box fan trying to cool off a 700 sq. ft. apartment in South Florida. And a wasted $25. Angry, hot, and very tired, we then received the phone call from my mom telling me about my dad. Since then, my eyes have yet to recover. I feel completely stupid and selfish for complaining so much about our AC while my dad is in the hospital, 4,000 miles away, trying his best to kick the crap out of cancer...turned stroke. I feel even worse for not being there. In total, not my favorite day. Probably one of my least favorite days of the entire year. I'm ready for tomorrow. I love you, Dad.