Hello from Florida

I'm in Tampa Bay, Florida

I'm color analyst for ESPNU
for College Softball Super
Regionals and the 2 teams
I'm covering are USF and
Hofstra.  Both teams are
unseeded and both are playing
well right now & have solid
pitching.  I am thankful for
another opportunity to be
a part of a sport that is
such a passion in my life!

So much has happened in
the past month!  I wanted
to share some pictures:

Drew finished his 3rd
season of baseball

 we love our family time
we love our Bible
we love our dog

 Jake- w/ niece, Brooklyn
and Grover

 Lucas on the left won
the Jimmy Hitchcock
Memorial Award for
Christian Leadership
as an athlete (his brother
on the right, Jacob, is
his biggest fan)

 Cousins

 Luke's B-day in  April
at his pre-school class

 From my trip to Alabama:
the church where Martin
Luther King Jr. pastored

 My awesome host family in
Montgomery, AL
The Edwards Family

 we took a family trip up a
small hill by our house to
the cross we always see.

I'll never forget the conversation
we had one day about this cross-

Drew was 5 yrs old and saw
the cross up on the hill and
said, "Mom, is that where
Jesus died?"

It was the cutest thing :)

I explained that it was far
away in Israel and that there
were 3 crosses where He died.

I love the minds of kids

 great view from the top

 We still go and feed the
homeless in Pomona and
share the Word of God

 Jennie's camp in Ardmore, OK
Love working with young softball
players

 Luke being silly with my
mom's dog, Bella

 Luke rode his bike for the
first time without training
wheels. . .yay

we still have to practice on
stopping though :)

 The boys got their face paint
on and were ready to battle

I'm missing my boys this week,
but Tommy is sending pics and
we are talking on the phone all
the time. 

Have a great day, week, summer :)

Summer is almost here!

My head is spinning- I'm trying to
think of all the things I need to get done
in the next couple weeks before I
leave to coach in the Pro Fastpitch
league.  I have so much to share and
so little time.  I want to get back on
and write a post about my trip to
Alabama for the Jimmy Hitchcock
Awards Banquet that I spoke at
and also the Jennie Finch Softball
Camp we had in Oklahoma a week
ago!

Until I do, let me just say that God
showed up. . .BIG TIME!  I know
that He is God, and I know He's
Always there, but there is just
something amazing about experiencing
God in fresh and new ways!  I love
how He opens my eyes and heart to
the ways He is working and moving!

For now, I just wanted to update all
that I have in the very near future.

We have school this week (last week
Jake had STAR testing so we had
short days each week and were able
to go to the beach one day and also
the pool with friends another day).

Next week I head to Lousiana to
shoot some video for Diamond
Nation with Jennie Finch.  Then
I will find out where I am heading
to work with ESPN again for College
Softball Super Regionals.  After I
get back from that trip, I will have
a week before leaving all summer!
I am nervous, stressed, anxious,
excited, and anticipating a lot of
fun this summer!  I am praying my
boys enjoy their time in Florida, that
Tommy does okay when we are
apart, that my dog doesn't forget
who I am when I return, and that
I don't go crazy being away from
my boys when I travel on some trips.
I also am praying that my sister-in-law,
who is helping watch my boys with
me in Florida, stays sane as she
takes care of 3 Amico boys along
with her 2 kids.  My boys are so
excited to spend the summer with
their cousins in the same house!  There
should be a lot to share when I get
back!

Today is Tommy's Birthday! 

We went to lunch for his birthday at

Panera Bread and then went to get

cupcakes.

We also celebrated and sang

Happy Birthday to him last

night as we celebrated

Mother's Day with my

whole family.

Life can get so busy, so it's

so great to spend the

holidays with family and just

enjoy eachother.

Bible Study

I love Bible Study!  I have an amazing

group of girls who are real and open.

Right now we are in the Beth Moore

Study of James.

I also love to share how it all started
for me.  My love for Jesus really didn't
start until I saw somebody near my age
living bold for the Lord.  Her name was
Julie.  Here is a picture of her:

I only knew Julie for 3 short years
because she passed away at the
age of 21.  After seeing how she
lived for Jesus and knowing she
was face to face with Him now
for eternity, my perspective about
using our time for the Lord was
much more clear. None of us
are promised tomorrow and when
we are gone, all that truly matters is
if we knew Jesus as Lord and if
we lived for His glory and loved
others the way He loves! 

Now that I have opportunities to speak
around the country, I share a lot about
the impact Julie made on me.  There is
something powerful when you have a
positive influence in your circle of friends.
Even though I had loving and caring
parents, I still was impacted by the
people I hung out with.  I know that will
be the case for my boys too, so I pray
they continue to choose to hang out with
godly friends as they grow older.

I wanted to write this post because
after speaking in the Ohio Valley
schools last month for Sports World,
I received a few messages from some
of the students I spoke to.  This is
one I just received and it put such a
big smile on my face :

I said that I would contact you in May,
but I wanted to say  something. When
you were at our school, you said you
and Julie had a Bible Study group. I
thought a lot about it. I made a little
Bible group myself.
We just read verses of the Bible
and discuss it so we understand.


P.S. We didn't start yet. I just thought
of it like 5 minutes ago. But
that's what we're going to do.

You never know whose life you
might impact! Choose to make
a difference today!

The lastest. . .

We had everyone over our house for

Easter this year

I love the celebration of Easter
(Jesus IS Risen)

&
I LOVE my Family!!!!!!!

Taylor and Tommy:

Justin (16),  Taylor (12), and
Jake (10)
(oldest in each family :)
All of the cousins look up to
Justin (literally and figuratively)

Kristi w/Jessica & me
(she is our adopted family :) )

Egg hunt all over the back yard:

This is why we celebrate-
death (Jesus) brought life
for ALL through His
resurrection!

A couple weeks ago I went to
Marshall University to speak
on Women in Sports & Title IX.
I am so thankful for the women
before me who paved the way.
Many did not have the opportunities
I had- and I feel so blessed to
have played sports when I did
growing up. 

Maybelle Blair (All-American
Women's Pro Baseball League)
is a friend- and it was so fun
to speak alongside her at
Marshall!  She is so funny
and is always so kind.

I was thankful for the opportunity
that Dr. Kat Williams gave me
to speak on campus.  It was
truly an honor.

I was able to watch Arizona
Softball play in Fullerton last
month and spent some time
talking to my favorite coach
in the world: Coach Candrea!

FCA Softball is still growing.
We need all the support we
can get.  Spread the word and
get involved if you love Jesus
and softball :)

We received these awesome
rings from Josten's rings for
the God & Country Event
in FL this past January.
What a cool gift that was!

Last month I was also in the
Ohio Valley speaking to schools
for Sports World. 

It's always such an encouragement
to be able to remind young students
to keep their hearts set on what they
are passionate about.  I remind them
to give all that they have, stay positive,
make good choices & let them know
that it was my faith in Christ that
made the biggest difference in my
whole life.

OK, last but not least. . .

This should have a whole post
to itself so maybe I'll write about
it again later. . .

I bought the BlendTec Blender.

I am not normally obsessive, but
this thing has me obsessed!  I have
eaten more spinach in the past
3 weeks than I had eaten in a year
or 2 combined!  I LOVE this
blender.  I have been making
2 green smoothies a day and
have been getting so many
different fruits (apples, oranges,
mangos, bananas, strawberries,
raspberries, kiwis) & have been
adding cucumber, carrots, kale,
spinach and flax seed. 

This smoothie was water,
mango, green apple, spinach,
and ice.

And a new favorite: tortilla soup:
all fresh ingredients!

Drew is the only one who will

drink green smoothies, so I have

been sticking to fruit, yogurt, juice

smoothies for the boys.  It's been

nice to have when we are running out

the door to the ball field & it's way

healthier than what we normally

would grab!

Well, that's what we've been up to

lately.  I did have a chance to speak

last weekend at South Hills

Church last weekend and again

at Covina HS on Tuesday.  I know

God is the One who opens doors,

so I will continue to walk in

His will and His way!  There is

nothing better. 

Go Pirates

Baseball season is in full swing!

This is Drew's 3rd year playing
and he's only 6!  Getting an
earlier start than I did growing
up :)

He's having a lot of fun.

He loves having his cousin, Micah,
on his team.

This year they are hitting off a
machine.  He does well at times
and makes adjustments when
he struggles.

It's fun cheering him on.
Tommy is helping coach
too this year!

My baby turned 5!!!

Where has the time gone?

Luke was born 5 years ago:
April 8, 2007 and it was
Easter Sunday

This year his birthday fell
on Easter Sunday once again!

I love that- Easter is all about
NEW Life because Jesus
rose from the dead and
conquered death.

When we trust in Him,
we are promised eternal
life with God in heaven!

I was thankful for the life
of Lukey that God gave
to our family 5 years ago!

We had a small celebration at
John's Incredible Pizza

We had everything we needed for
a party:
friends & family
balloons
food
cupcakes
games
&
toys!

The birthday boy said this was
his best birthday so far!

There were lots of winners, and
a few jackpots were hit!

Jake won 1000 tickets that he
and his cousin, Taylor, shared!

We love our little guy, even though
he's not so little anymore!

5 years old! Our baby is a big boy.

We are so thankful for our
family and friends!