Jack's Winning Season

Jack has had a great season playing on the Yankees for the Walnut Creek Baseball Club.  He has loved it.  He debated quitting baseball when the sign up came this winter and he is SO glad he decided to do it.

His team only lost 1 game all season.  They were the league champs and then during the playoffs on Tuesday night they ended up being the Playoff Champs as well.  Sweet Jack, earned his very first trophy.  A BIG deal to HIM.  He has watched his brothers win trophies and even has a few on his dresser that were earned as BatBoy on his brother's teams...but none that he felt were his OWN.

We are so proud of him for sticking with baseball even when he doubted it, he ended up being so grateful.

Way to Go Jack!

The season in photos...lots of photos

 Yes...that play hurt.

Max cannot wait to get out there after games with Jack

 Max LOVES his Jack

 Season League Champs...first guy on the field...Max...second Drew...

Season Champs a couple of weeks ago...note Max got in the pic

CHAMPIONSHIP PLAYOFF NIGHT

Max and I consumed by the game....in my defense I was texting my parents play by play the last 2 innings.  So I am SURE that is what I am doing here.

Playoff Champion Yankees

Walnut Creek Baseball League

Not sure who is happier...little brother OR big brother
First trophy

It's a numbers kind of post

-19...about the number of blog posts I am behind on and not sure that will get better before summer ends...how to find the time?

-11:30 pm last night I finally heard from Tommy who is still in Kansas City at Challenge...almost the entire day without talking to my son....weird.

-9 number of texts he sent me begging me for room service pizza to be sent to him (referring back to sending it to him on his birthday, which was monday and is one of the before mentioned posts I am behind on...)

-17...he turned 17 which makes me feel OLD

-4 gray hairs I pulled out while sitting at a stoplight today.

-4 sports Drew played today, football weights 6:30 am, basketball open gym 7-9 am....Jr golf 10 am and baseball game prep at 2:30 pm with a 3:45 pm game....that's a LOT of numbers

-295 photos I took tonight at a family session in the BUGS, about 14 bug bites from the session

-3 kids to Chick Fil A today for lunch, one child was not mine

-2 kids dropped off at the pool today to swim and have lunch, one was not mine

-8 chemos down for my Mom and #10 to go...almost half way there!

-4 loads of laundry waiting to be down

-18 photos currently uploading from Jack's big game last night (another post I am behind on)

-2 gallons of milk we were desperately needing today and sent Drew into Hyvee for

-11 trips back and forth to the house today to pick up kids or drop them off.

-29 gallons of gas pumped into my car to continue to do the above mentioned running kids around

-18 texts exchanged between my Mama and me today, and one phone call.

-1890 toys that need to get picked up

-6296 steps running around yesterday, and more today if my fitbit battery wouldn't have died midday

-3 ball games played this week by Shisler boys

-420 questions by 3 sons who are in town and 126 by the one who is not. Via texts mainly.

There you have it...a day in the life of a Mom to 4 and a wife to 1.

Still here and rambling

It's almost 4 am and yes we are still here. I am behind on blogging big time. I can't sleep because I'm in the midst of colon prep for a colonoscopy.  I fell asleep early. Fun stuff I tell you. Not on my summer bucket list but it will be good to get things checked out. My first. Looking for answers To GI issues.  

We have been good. Summer is crazy. Baseball is the core of the craziness.  Last week we, meaning Tommy and Drew, were scheduled for 7 jv games alone...tommy dresses for varsity and has played some too. Jack is in the season ending playoffs too.  All were rained out Thursday, Friday and yesterday.  Baseball is like a full time job. It's around 8 hours a day for the bigs.   That's a lot. This Mom may have cheered for the rain and the break and the time home.  

We havd been doing yard work like crazy. It all seems to have hit this year.  Deck and porch and fence and swing set all needing to be power washed and stained.  Weeds taking over. Mulch needing to be done. A dead tree, a few dead shrubs, bushes needing major trimming, an ash tree needing to be treated....and on it goes.  Scott spend a long weekend working on stuff while Drew was in Canada fishing...behind on that post,  Tommy was at a friends cabin, behind on that post..and the littles and I were at the cabin. Then we worked every day since we have been home on it.  It's looking so much better but man oh man the hours and hours we have poured in.  Hence the blog being behind. 

I'm doing some Twig & Daisy photo stuff..not much right now with everything else.  Mainly I want to be available for my Mom when she needs me.  Or when I need her. ;). But still need to find time to edit through those sessions. 

Scott has been to ohio twice this month. His Mom has been having health issues.  Her legs are not wanting to work. That's hard.  We have been doing all we can from Iowa to help her.  The miles are hard in times like these. 

My grandma has also had health stuff this month. She will have to move out of her home.  That's not easy for an independent 93 year old woman. But she knows it's best.  Guarantee she will be in charge of all social activities wherever she lands.  She's amazing. 

Lots of friends of mine seem to have a fun bucket list of summer things to do. I feel like I'm treading water many days to survive. Not in a bad way...just in a real way.  This summer has been like no other.  Just a lot on our plates.  Our boys are happy and not complaining.   It's just been one of those. There are seasons.  One day at a time around here.  

The Story of my Life

My first love.

It's my Dad's birthday. Officially 2 minutes ago....he was my first love. I'm blessed beyond measure with him. I am the luckiest girl to have been raised by a man with such integrity. A man who spent hours talking to me on road trips or at the cabin about life. Warning me about men. Teaching me what to look for in people. Showing me what true character is in a person. Showing me how to love all people. Teaching me respect by treating me with respect. Never have I had a day in my life where I haven't felt my parents deep love for me, my Dads love for me. I never felt the need for boys/dates approval of me...I had my dad's already. I had high expectations in boyfriends because my Dad set a high standard in what I would look for in a man.

I don't take him for granted. Never ever. I know he's a rare gem. 

Happy 77th birthday to my sweet Dad, whom I adore. 

Most beautiful woman

Thee most beautiful woman in the world to me...inside and out.  Doesn't she look radiant?  Her strength is her beauty. Her faith shines through her heart. She's beloved and she's mine. I never tire of talking with her.  I love her smile. 

Round 5 of chemo was done today.  I'm counting down for sure. 13 to go. She's feeling good today. We are learning the art of living one day at a time.  It's not easy.  

I love my Mom so very much. Please be praying for her these next 10 days for side effects to be manageable. 

Prayers for our Moms

Today Mom is back having her chemo, cycle #2/6 round #4/18...confusing I know, but makes sense to us.  Grateful another one is crossed off the list.  Praying the changes they are making to it all will help her feel better next week.  Not so nauseous and icky.  Please keep her in your prayers.  We are headed there tomorrow, Drew, Jack, Max and I for a long weekend...Drew heads to Canada Friday with my brother and Charlie.  To say they are excited MAY be an understatement.  

Please pray for Scott's Mom too...I mentioned a couple of weeks back that she is still having terrible struggles with pain in her legs.  Scott drove out a bunch of meals to her 2 weeks ago and checked on her.  Things are getting worse, NOT better.  She is now unable to walk at all and is in a wheelchair at home, which is NOT making her happy.  Their farm house is NOT handicap accessible in any way.  So it is HARD.  She went to yet another Dr today and still has no answers.  Pray she can find a Dr who can help her, pray she would be WILLING to do that.  Sadly she is losing ANY positive thoughts she has and is losing her will to even care.  Not a good place to be at all...

Scott will head back to Ohio in another week...to spend time with her and go to a wedding of one of his college buddies sons....see this is where I notice our 13 year age difference.  HIS friends kids are out of college and getting married...my friends kids range from 1-17.  Different spots in life.  :)  

Please be praying for these special ladies in our lives...Moms are a BIG DEAL!

God looks at the heart

I have to share this with you, and write it down for myself.  Today was the day, the day I cut Mom's hair off.  I had the honor of doing the deed on the porch of the cabin.  We waited for Dad to go to lunch, he wasn't interested in being home for the beauty shop game.  She and I laughed a lot, we made the best of it.  We discovered her hair is a beautiful silver, we discovered she has a lovely shaped head...and she has a lot of cowlicks in her hair too.  I wore my hot pink hair cutting apron I bought years ago to cut the boys hair, and a sporty newspaper cape for her.  

She looks beautiful...I love the comments we have received from those who have seen her photos...

"It's all about the smile, she has a beautiful smile."

"She looks as beautiful as ever"

"Still beautiful, smile radiating"


"She looks a little bit like Mother Teresa" (whom my Mother LOVES)

"It really makes her blue eyes pop, she has beautiful eyes"

Dad came home with a big bouquet of flowers and took one look at her and determined she was as beautiful as ever as well.  

One of my favorite things...we face timed our boys tonight.  And none of them seemed phased, they didn't really care.  Which isn't a big surprise to me.  Max responded with "your hair is flat" and that was about it....no big fanfare happening at the Shisler house for sure.  

My friend Sarah reminded me of the following bible story... about God choosing David over his brothers for King.

"God looks at the heart not at outward appearances.  Your boys look at the heart. Their grandma is still the same person."

I think this makes me more proud of them than almost anything...this is the stuff that matters.  The gift in this journey of cancer are these little things.  Learning what really matters.  Good lessons and reminders for all of us.  

I will head home tomorrow from the cabin...what a blessing it has been once again to be here with Mom and Dad.  

UPDATE:  It's months later, September 13th to be exact and I wanted to be sure to add the following photos from this special day.  A hard day, but a day I don't want to forget.  It was a connection with my Mom like none other.  

Beauty Shop

As a little girl I loved to play beauty shop. I had one of those barbie heads you could put make up on.  I practiced braiding and singed more than one dolls hair by trying to blow dry it.  I prided myself in pretty bows in my own hair and homemade barrettes. But never did I imagine I would be doing what I am doing today.  Today I will be cutting off my Mom's beautiful hair.  It's falling out from chemo and she doesn't want to keep having the clumps come out.  When I look at her I don't see the hair coming out...because she has so much. But it's everywhere.  On her back. On the floor. In her comb. She wants it gone. 

So today, when my Dad leaves for lunch with a friend...we will play beauty shop. I'm praying I can hold it together.  I'm not so sure.  

Hard stuff...