Prayers For Patrick

I'm posting this Thursday night since those that are subscribed won't get this update until Friday morning....

Please be in prayer once again for Patrick Dempsey. He is in France and will be racing at Le Mans this weekend. Every lap completed raises money for Seattle Children's Hospital. Please pray for Patrick and Team Seattle all throughout the weekend. Pray for total protection, for every need to be met, and that they have a great race. Pray for everyone behind the scenes as well...Those taking care of the drivers, the sponsors to get the coverage they need, and pray that the money that is raised will continue to help the children of Seattle Children's Hospital.

And pray for the families of those in France who are trying to keep things going at home while their spouses/loved ones are away.

Most of all though, please just pray for the entire team's safety and protection as they race. For those interested, the race will be broadcast on the Speed Channel. ONLY for Patrick Dempsey would I ever watch sports all weekend long...LOL! But after what he's done for me, it's the least I can do. And I consider it an honor to pray for him and his team this weekend. Thanks in advance for joining me in prayer....

Go Team Seattle!

Love This Quote....

Past the seeker as he prayed came the crippled and the beggar and the beaten. And seeing them... he cried, "Great God, how is it that a loving creator can see such things and yet do nothing about them?" God said, "I did do something. I made you." ~Author Unknown

Sunscreen and Softball

Well, All Stars weekend (at least this weekend) is officially over. We had a great time!

We were able to get a great parking spot right next to the field where we just back up our van, opened the back and we were set! Kimberly sat on the other side of the field but we were able to see each other, and Justin (since he's one of the coaches) had his spot where he stood and it was fairly close to us. So, aside from being a bit far from Kimberly, it was a great set up!

The first game Saturday morning was really nice. The weather was great--not too hot yet. We won that one (we didn't know until awhile AFTER it was over that we'd won...Long story. Ask Kimberly if you really want to know because I can't really explain it to you).

It was the middle of the first game that I noticed I was already getting red so I smeared on some more sunscreen. Once that game was over, we had a break until our 1:25 game so the girls played (calmly so they wouldn't get worn out) and Mom, Dad, and I made sandwiches and had lunch while we watched the other teams play (it's a bit more relaxing when you have nothing invested in the game your watching LOL!) I put on my ipod after awhile and watched. Kinda neat watching it set to the music I was listening to. It was hot by this point and I was under an umbrella trying to keep the sun off my legs.

We played our second game and then convinced Alexis to lay down in the back of the van while we waited for the 4:00 game. She never went to sleep but at least she was still (somewhat) for awhile. After the 4:00 game was over, we were done until Sunday morning. I had definitely gotten some sun but didn't realize how much until Mom, Dad, and I stopped for dinner on the way home. I took off my sunglasses when we got inside, and Dad burst out laughing. He said I looked like a raccoon. I didn't realize how true it was until I was getting ready for my shower last night and looked in the mirror....DEFINITELY a raccoon! And judging from the way everything stung when I stood under the water in the shower--a slight sunburn as well.

We got up this morning (Sunday) and headed BACK to Montgomery and were lucky enough to get our same parking spot so we had the same set up as before. Thanks, Lord!

The highlight of the game came when Lexi got up to bat. Of course we cheered as she batted and cheered as she hit the ball and ran..... and she kept running....Yep....My Ladybug got a HOME RUN!!!!!!!! I don't think I've ever cheered so much or so loudly in my life! And as she made it safely to home....Oh. My. Gosh. The reception she got!!!! It was such a sight! Made my entire day!! Of course, we all got teary and seeing all of her teammates and coaches so excited for her was just...Amazing. Kimberly and the rest of the parents were at the fence yelling for her as she walked to the dugout. Proud doesn't even begin to describe how I felt. And Kimberly said Alexis was beside herself afterward. Highlight of the game. Highlight of the day. We were THRILLED! Justin looked over at us after things finally calmed down a little and said, "I need oxygen!" He was so proud!

That was our last game and we were headed home a little after ten this morning. It was really a great weekend! I had a blast! I love watching and cheering for those girls. They really have a great team and the coaches are awesome at teaching them and encouraging them.

I don't know yet if we'll be playing any more tournaments this season but will keep you posted. Thank you all so much for your prayers for the team this weekend! It really was a blessed time!

And thanks for praying for Patrick Dempsey as well. He came in 8th in his race.

Prayer Requests for This Weekend

Many of you know that Alexis made the All Stars softball team. Well, All Stars weekend is here!

Tomorrow (Saturday) morning we will travel to Montgomery to watch and cheer on Alexis and the rest of her teammates. They are guaranteed to play four (yes, you read that right...FOUR) games tomorrow the first one beginning at 9:05 a.m.

Please be in prayer for safe travel for all of the players (and their cheerleaders) as we all set out to Montgomery in the morning. Please also pray for safety as they play, that they might be able to maintain their energy level for all four games and that no one gets injured or hurt in any way. There is also a real possibility that they will play again on Sunday depending on how things go tomorrow. It is sure to be a full weekend that will no doubt take it's toll on my little Ladybug by the time it's over. Please say a special prayer for her (I am a bit biased you know *wink*). Aside from the heat, we're looking forward to it. They've got a great team with great coaches! And thank the Lord that while it will be hot, the humidity is supposed to be low, so that should help! :)

Also, if you could also take a minute to pray for Patrick Dempsey this weekend. He will be racing. Please pray for his safety and total protection.

Thanks in advance for praying for all of these things! I know God is listening now and will be listening and present all weekend!

Doubting the Difference

I recently was visiting with a friend catching up on things since we hadn't seen each other in awhile. She had apparently seen my facebook (and perhaps this blog) and asked about why my admiration for Patrick Dempsey ran so deep.

I froze. Literally. My mouth went dry and felt like it had been stuffed with a dozen cotton balls. As I tried to figure out where to start and stumbled awkwardly through the story with a shaky voice I knew I had lost their attention mid story but finished in a hurried frantic way.

Where had my confidence gone? What was the problem? I mentally kicked myself through the rest of our visit and came home bombarded with doubts cringing as my mind constantly replayed it over and over.

Stopping to think about it, I know perhaps why it was such a nerve wracking experience for me...It was the first time I had told my experience out loud. Ever. It's one thing to write it, and I have done that...over and over again. But to say the words...To actually hear myself saying them brought much more emotion than I ever expected.

It's a scary thing to tell what is to this day my darkest moment. I was scared to death of being judged and the worst thing that could have happened, happened. She didn't get it. And I knew she didn't get it. And I knew that the reason for her not getting it probably had to do with my nerves and the way I tried to tell the story while my mind was screaming at me a thousand things...The main thing being "JUST SHUT UP! This is YOUR story and you can't even tell it, you idiot!"

And THAT is what has been going through my head ever since....I'm SUCH an idiot! Perhaps my whole "Dempsey Difference" isn't THAT big a deal after all. Maybe it's just something I've blown up in my head and maybe THAT is why anybody I've contacted and shared my story with to try and get it to Patrick hasn't done so...Because it's NOT that huge, because people have similar experiences all the time and WHY should mine be any different. Why should *I* be set apart from the thousands of others that would give anything to meet Patrick Dempsey?

I don't have the answers to most of those questions....Maybe THIS is why I haven't had any progress in my story getting to Patrick...Because if I can't tell a friend the story, then how in the heck do I expect to tell Patrick? Does my story REALLY matter?

Doubt. It's a huge and scary thing.

Dear 2009 Hurricanes....

Dear 2009 Hurricanes,

Today marks the beginning of yet another hurricane season. It seems like just yesterday that you left us with Ike aftermath to clean up. So, may I ask that you take it easy on everyone this season? As much as I enjoy watching Frank Billingsley, I'd rather NOT see him have to do 24 hour coverage an approaching hurricane as we all sit glued to the t.v. wondering if we'll be evacuating or "hunkering down." Yes, hurricanes, please make it a very underwhelming season this year....We'd all appreciate it!

Respectfully,

Someone who's glad that at least she doesn't live in Florida

Another Harsh Reminder...

You may remember me posting THIS a week or so ago.

Upon returning to my computer after my shower a few minutes ago, THIS STORY glared at me from the MSN homepage. And the tears flowed as the reality of this slapped me in the face once more.

Pray for this family. And pray that God makes a way for me to do what desperately tugs at my heart.