Writing down my goals

They say if you write down your goals
you are more likely to accomplish them
than if you don't write them down.
We did a vision board for the 2004
Olympic team where each player was
to find pictures of things that inspired
us.  I had a picture of the venue where
we would play and would picture myself
on the field.  I had a verse on the picture
and a photo of Tommy and Jake.  They
were my inspiration and I looked at that
board every day in Athens, Greece before
we won the gold medal.

Well, I am writing this new goal down. . .

I am writing a book!

Yes, I am committing to this and I am
going to do it.  Over the years many people
have encouraged me to write a book
and have said that I needed to write one.
I always said that God would lead if He
wanted me to do it, and the time has come.
Last year in October, I was strongly
encouraged once again and I said that I
would write a book in 2013.  A few
months had gone by and it was the
second week of March, but I had done
nothing more than "thought" about writing
a book.  That all changed when I went to
Alabama to speak for FCA.  After
spending time speaking about my faith
and my Olympic experiences, I was
encouraged by a new friend to put these
experiences down on paper.  After sharing
about how I wanted to write a book and
that I planned on writing it this year, she
gave me a couple tips.  I believe we all
encourage and inspire eachother in
different ways and God brought yet
another person in my life to help me move
from thought to action.  My husband told
me to write my goals down and give
myself deadlines, but I should have made
him give me the deadlines and followed them. 
I wasn't doing so great in that area on my own. 

So for now I have a lot written down,
but I have a lot more to go.  I am
praying for God to fill in the details
and gaps on moving forward with
graphics, publishing, and editing.
I know God will put all these pieces
together if I will be faithful to put
the time in to make this possible. 
This has given me a new passion.
I love to share and encourage
others to be all God has created them
to be, and I am excited at the thought
that this book can do this in the lives
of those I may never even meet!

Good Friday 2013

 Today is Good Friday: the
day we recognize that Jesus
hung on a cross between two
criminals and bore the weight
of the sins of the entire world!
 
He died so that we could live.
But He did not stay in the grave.
Jesus conquered death once and
for all!  Good Friday is only good
because Resurrection Sunday is
coming.

Easter is not just a holiday about
bunnies and egg hunts.  It's a day
to recognize that Victory is in store
for ALL who place their trust in
the Savior of the World, Jesus
Christ!  And this victory is not just
for when we die, it is to be lived out
each day on this earth through the
power and strength of the Holy
Spirit in our lives.  God is good. . .
ALL the TIME.  This is the time
of year to realize just how BIG
and Powerful and LOVING our
Almighty God is!  He sent His
only begotten Son, Jesus Christ,
and He gave His life so that whoever
believes in Him will not perish, but
have everlasting life.  There is no
life apart from Jesus Christ that will
enter heaven -He is the only way.
Next time you think that way sounds
narrow, just remember it's as narrow
as a cross.  Once you come to the cross,
the way is wide open and our future is
secured with promises of an eternity
with our Creator God in paradise.

When things are hard, just remember,
a lot can happen and change in 3
days!  The sun will rise each day
and the Son rose so we could
be victorious each and every day!

Jesus is with you

We have been riding bikes a lot
lately.  The weather has been
beautiful out and the boys have
been excited to get outside and
ride bikes.  I even got a new bike
recently because I think this will
be something we will be doing
a lot as a family.

Luke has been afraid to ride
his bike without training wheels.
He is old enough, he is able
to do it, and he has tried a
couple times before.  But now
his fear is getting the best of
him and he doesn't want to
even try.

I've had to push each of my kids

to ride.  I don't know if it's because

I let them get a little older before

having them take off the training

wheels, but each of them got to

the stage of fear.  I had to finally just

make them do it- against what they

wanted to do. 

Today Luke was in tears saying

he didn't want to do it.  I told

him I would be right beside him

the whole time.  And I was.

I ran next to him as I pushed him

off and he was riding great like

I knew he could.  I told him

Jesus is always there for him

too when he is afraid.  That God

is right there helping him and

wanting him to try new things and

step out in faith. 

He was doing very well and then

he wanted to stop.  Even though

I was telling him to push back on

his pedal, fear would take over

and he would just take his

feet off the pedals and wait to

crash.  I would catch him and

remind him what he needed to

do.  I prayed that he would

remember and not freak out.

In no time he was laughing

and saying how fun this was.

I told him that God has plans

for us and we can't let fear

hold us back because then we

miss out on what we could

experience. 

I also realized that the hardest

part for him was starting and

stopping.  Sometimes that is

the hardest part for us in our

walks with God.  We want

to start something but we

feel overwhelmed and might

even feel like we are not capable

of doing what God has put

on our hearts.  In fact, this

is a lesson I am learning right

now.  But I am stepping out

in faith because I know if I

will just get started, God will

help me to enjoy the experience

He has waiting for me!

Luke was so excited to show

his brothers that he could

ride and they are all excited

to go on another bike ride

now with Luke riding the

bigger bike.  I love how when

God helps us through our fears

we want to share the excitement

of what we are now experiencing!

God is always there-

right beside us!

It's Time for some Softball!

 I love teaching the FUNdamentals
of softball!  I travel all over the
country to do clinics, so it's
always nice when I can stay
home and work with young
softball players.

In early Feb, I put on a clinic
with Chino Girls Fastpitch:

The place where I got my
START in softball!  I love
looking the little girls in the
eyes and saying, "I never
knew that I could be an
Olympian in softball, but
that dream came true when
they added softball to the
Olympics when I was in
college.  We are fighting to
get this sport back into the
Olympics for all of you!  You
also now have more opportunities
than I had in college as well
as the professional league!"

 These girls were the cutest!!
You are never too little- if
you try and have fun, anything
is possible!!

 I get so excited to see little
ones with great mechanics!!

 Later in Feb I went out to
work with Rialto Girls Softball!
We had a great turnout and a
perfect day!

 We worked A LOT on
hitting at this clinic!!

 And of course we practiced defense
too!

 Then it was time to watch the
Pros play this sport.  I coached
the Florida Pride when they
came to play in So Cal.  We
had 2 games in Palm Springs
during a college tournament,
and then 2 games in Perris
at Big League Dreams against
Team Toyota from Japan.

 My kids and niece and
nephew love the girls on the
team!

 It was another week of beautiful
weather. I was thankful to have
Hannah stay with us for the
week to help me watch the boys!
She loves softball too, so it's
fun for all of us!

 Of course, it was also a treat
to stay at the JW Marriott in
Palm Desert. 

It worked out perfect because the
boys had the week off of school
for winter break. I know we have
been very blessed- I am so grateful
for every blessing in my life.

I will be traveling to do some
speaking for FCA and Sports
World the next couple months
and have a couple softball clinics
in April and May.  I will be doing
radio for the NCAA Championships
for College Softball in OK City
again in June!  I have enjoyed being
home a lot this winter!

Big Bear 2013

 Last year we took our annual
vacation to Big Bear and there
was very little snow.  This year
we got lucky- there was a storm
the day we were supposed to
head up the mountain.  So we
decided to wait til the next morning
and there was plenty of snow
waiting for us when we arrived.
We immediately pulled out the
new snow tubes we bought and
found a perfect spot right outside
the door of our place!

 I love taking these types of trips-
the boys LOVE to explore.  They
find things, make up games, eat
lots of snow, and just use their
imagination.

 The weather was perfect- the
sun was shining and we found
lots of other hills to tube down.

 My boys are at such a fun age!
They all have no fear- they tube
head first, they flip, they fall,
they crash, and they just get
right back up and do it again!

 We took breaks and worked hard
on what we needed to get done for
school.

 I love my boys!

 We found snowmen that people
had made! 

 One day when Tommy wasn't feeling
well, the boys and I set out on a hike.
It was so beautiful when we made
it toward the top of the hill.  The
snow was fresh because it had
snowed the night before.  Nobody
was around- it was like we had
the whole mountain area to
ourselves!

 The hike wore Luke out- he
fell asleep on me as soon as
we got back to our place.

 My honey and me

 One day we found an area that
hadn't been touched so we made
a great tube path.

 We came home on Tuesday, just
around the time when they got
calls about Dorner (the one
who was out to kill cops),
and we had to go through
a checkpoint to be cleared to
get off the mountain.  It was
pretty intense! We were glued
to the TV the rest of the day
watching the whole thing unfold.

 Tommy had to work so I took
the boys back up after school
the next day.  My best friend and
her family (she also has 3 boys!)
came with us this time.

 Jake and baby Keaton

 It was such a great vacation,
family first, then time with
friends.

Our whole family looks forward
to this trip each year now!  I
always pray that there will
be lots of snow and this year
it was so much fun because
of the storm right before we
went to Big Bear!  I know
these are memories my boys
will keep forever!

Park days. . .

The weather is heating up.   It's been
beautiful lately, so we have been
getting the bikes and scooters out
and heading to the park.  My
boys are getting too big!