Blastball Ready!

Colin started Blastball practice last Thursday and even though I knew that it would be adorable, I had no idea how much I would enjoy watching the action unfold! I am so excited for the whole season! His team is the "Longhorns" and this will be the one and only time that anyone will see me cheer on a team in orange. Despite my deep-rooted Aggie alliance, I am still thrilled for the games to begin! ;-)

I was very nervous about signing Colin up for a team sport and I had really decided against trying it this year. It takes Colin a while to warm up to new people and places and I had a hard time imagining him joining a group of kids and listening to coaches all of whom he does not know in order to learn something that he has never tried in a place that he has never been. That is quite a lethal combo for Colin! I figured that we would try it next summer and give him another year to work on his anxiety. Then over dinner one night in February, my friend Tanya told us that she had signed up to coach a blastball team and she would put the team together herself. This meant that all 7 players on the team are Colin's best friends. AND the 3 coaches are all our adult friends who Colin adores. It was the perfect situation...Colin gets introduced to team sports with the people he loves. I am still beside myself with gratitude for Tanya! :-)

Even with the "ideal situation", I had no way of knowing if Colin would like blastball, so I was a bit nervous as we pulled up to our first practice. Colin absolutely blew me away!! We practice at an elementary school field that has a playground attached. When Coach Dave (who is Hayden's grandpa) called the boys to start practice, they all came running with no problem. They got in a long line and did jumping jacks and then did sprints back and forth. It was ADORABLE. I literally thought that I might melt from it. The boys were instructed to make a lap around the park and Colin ended up holding hands with his buddy Jack. Oh my lord, it was sweet. Then they started learning the game and Colin was 100% into it! I could not believe it! His focus was right on and he listened to everything Dave and Nate told him. Coach Nate is Hayden's dad and Colin loves him, so that helps! He had no problem with wearing the helmet in order to bat and he was actually really good at it! He hit the ball on the first try each time he came to bat. He never got upset or frustrated, didn't cry and had a smile from ear to ear the whole time. He LOVED it! The boys were all so precious and seeing them playing a sport together as a team made my heart so full. I love these kids like they are my own family and there were times when I wanted to run out and just wrap them all up in a hug. I refrained, I swear. ;-) This experience made Colin seem so much older to me and it gave me a window into our future...I will miss the "baby days", but I am so excited to experience the rest of Colin's childhood with him!

Here are some of the super cute pictures that I got of the shenanigans!

Colin made it to the base! Look at how excited he is!!

Coach Nate showing the boys how to catch.
He hits the ball!
I love this one...he is SO happy and Dave is so incredibly sweet!

LOVE THIS! Getting "blastball ready" with Coach.

I'm Back!

Spring Break is over, Colin is back at school, I made it to the grocery store and now I am going to update the blog. I should be cleaning the house and doing laundry. "Should" is the key word there.

A LOT has happened since my last post, most of which involves me being sick. At the beginning of March, I came down with the worst illness that I have ever had. It took me 3 full days before I realized that things were really bad and I finally went to the ER. After lots of tests, I finally found out that I had colitis, an infection of the colon. I got IV fluids, pain meds, anti-nausea meds and two antibiotics that made me really feel like death. That was tough...I had to take them 3 times a day for 14 days, despite the fact that they made me sick as a dog. I won't lie, there were a few days there when I thought that something might be really wrong. It was the first time in my life that I felt what it was like to have a "long term" type illness that doesn't get any better. It made me very thankful for my health and very sad for those that battle disease on a daily basis. I ended up back at the doctor with my vision failing and hardly able to function. I was dehydrated, all my veins had collapsed because of it, and I had to sit for 3 hours with a tiny butterfly IV that they finally managed to get in the top of my hand. That was the low point, but about 5 days later, I was much better. THANK GOD! I was sick for 15 days and now, two weeks after the low point, I am still not 100%, but close to it. My stomach is still upset more than it should be and I don't eat a whole lot. But that, I can handle. :-) I have another appointment with a digestive health doctor next week and will hopefully know more then. I am back to being happy, functioning in society, and overall feeling good. And I am saying a little prayer that I NEVER have to take those damn meds again! Whew!

During this long time of illness, Colin was amazing. We didn't go anywhere and he basically spent 3 weeks entertaining himself while I whimpered on the couch that I couldn't play. NOT fun. He was a rock star and really took care of me. He knew that I was sick and did things on his own that he never would have normally. He even had to go with me to the doctors office that day and played quietly for the whole 3 hours! The nurses brought him snacks and even apples and grapes from their own lunches because I couldn't leave without the IV fluids. They were so great and I am beyond thankful for the whole office! Thank you, Dr. Buffington! Colin really showed me how wonderful he is and what a helpful boy he is growing up to be. I was also reminded that I am blessed with the best friends that anyone could ever have. All of my friends were so worried and all offered to bring dinner and take care of Colin. We had an outpouring of prayers and love from everyone!

Finally, the fog of sickness has cleared and we are enjoying the WONDERFUL Texas springtime! The weather is beautiful, and we are spending lots of time outside. We had a fun park playdate for St. Patrick's Day, an afternoon at our friend Heather's house and a fantastic Friday lunch at a Mexican place with an attached playground for the kids! That place was awesome...the ability to sit and enjoy lunch while your kids play is priceless! I actually ended up with a bit of a sunburn that afternoon and it felt GREAT! It feels great to be back in the land of the living! :-) There will be more posts to come very shortly with Colin updates and pictures! He started his first ever team...Blastball!