Oklahoma Camp & Mother's Day!

We've been busy but we are enjoying... I was honored to attend a fundraiser for Health Corps, Dr. Oz's Charity in NY. It was very extravagant, amazing! There were Elegant Acrobats, Rope Climbers, Russell Simmons, the Iron Chef, Quincy Jones, and so many/much more, an incredible event. Its not the event its the cause! Health Corps is helping fight childhood obesity, assisting schools reevaluate their nutrition and physical education classes. I am on the Athlete Advisory Board of N Play which is also a charity whom partnered with Health Corps. An honor!

After went over to NJ and met with Diamond Nation... so exciting! The fields are coming along! Its going to be awesome!

Oh, we had a great week following! I flew out to speak at the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament Dinner in Peoria, Ill. What a great group, again an honor! So fun to be around these woman enjoying such a great time in their lives! Congrats to Bradley University for winning it all!
From there I met up with the JF Camp Crew, my dear family! Oh where would we be... they are our rock! We had an amazing camp in Oklahoma! Thanks to the Healton Lady Bulldogs Softball Team for being incredible hosts! They were so so so sweet! Ace was spoiled rotten! First, he was generously given the Chaps you see above! He instantly had a strut! He's a true Cowboy... not quite. Then he was given spurs, also pictured above. You should of seen him walking around. Oh, it was too cute, hilarious! Then real "game used" numbers for the back of his vest from Spud, a true Cowboy! So much fun! Thanks to you all, we look forward to coming back next year!

The camp was so much fun! We had a great group, they were so excited to be there! The Coaches that came in to help, Big Thanks! I had fun hanging, like the good ole' days! It was such a great weekend filled with campers from 9 different states, the farthest camper all the way from Michigan! So many families so eager to learn and be around the game. Thanks for all the great memories, even if we were soaking wet on Sunday! We pulled it off and had a blast! Thank you Jesus for holding that rain til later on Sunday... the odds were against us! Once again, the Lord prevailed as always, Thank you Jesus!

After camp we loaded up and headed to Round Rock to get back to Daddy ASAP! We were blessed to spend Mothers Day with both our incredible Mother's and so many more special moms! Casey was so sweet and got me a big girl camera for Mother's Day... I'm so excited! Oh, and a pair hot mama pair cowboy boots! I gotta be able to hang with my cowboy "Ace"!
This pic above was at Casey's game... too cute. Ace having his own camera crew following him around the ball park! E, is doing a story on Baseball Couples. I couldn't pass this picture up! It will air in July, we will keep you posted.

This is Ace's Mommy look... I love it! My fav! Just Rotten!

...One day! :)

Ace's favorite part about the ball park, the clubhouse! He can't wait to get in there! So this is Ace being handed off to Daddy, his ticket in the clubhouse!

Today at the park pitching with my dad, Ace was pretending the dugout was the clubhouse. Yep, a bit of a difference between Daddy's fields and Mommy's fields! :) But we can pretend... until we get there!

We enjoyed our few days together as a family! I am so very grateful for those times when we can just relax and hang. Even if we are unpacking and packing at least we are together, and that's what matters.

We just announced our JF Softball Camp dates for this fall! So exciting!!! We are gearing up for a fun filled summer full of ball! I am enjoying College Softball, Go Cats!!! Its that time... summer is here!

Thank you all for most importantly your generous thoughtful prayers. We feel them, I have felt them these past couple of weeks! Thank you, as we continue to look to Him for courage, strength, and guidance in all we do!

Dreaming & Believing, Looking UP!

#27

Falling On My Knees...

"I'm falling on my knees, Jesus you're all this heart is living for."

This is my prayer!

Oh, how my mind is full, can't quite keep it all together. Jeremy Camp reminded me of this tonight while I was on the treadmill. This is where I need to be.

Tears over fill my eyes as I am a bit overwhelmed and too consumed. This isn't a pity me blog but its my journal and so therefore I am spilling my heart. I am letting you in, into my heart and mind.

We are missing Casey, our heart is not complete. We are so blessed and thankful to be part of the Express but at the same time reality is hitting me that it is summer time. Which means very few days that we will see each other the next few months. Very few days and very few hours in those days. I mean, I can probably fit them on 2 hands. As Ace gets older this has become harder and harder. Harder for all 3 of us! Its getting harder and harder to miss out on family and friends, their gatherings, birthdays, celebrations, and more... their lives. I know often when I get consumed its my family that takes most of it... Casey and Ace thank you for your unconditional love! And our families, thank you! Thanks for keeping me sane! We rely so heavily on our families and COULD NOT pull this off with out them. We are forever in debt.

My plate is full. A total blessing, Thank You Jesus. However, I need to be reminded to keep my eyes upward on "the prize!" God is so real and so part of everything, all of this. Every good and perfect gift comes from Him. I so needed this tonight, reflection. To slow things down, I've been so consumed and out of it.

I know the devil attacks. Attacks me with worry and the filling up of my schedule. Busy-ness is a weakness of mine. It consumes me. As my mom often reminds me to take it one day at a time, I am trying...

The days are ticking, I am staring at the clock wishing it would slow down. Bandit's season in less than a month. USA try outs in a month. I need to go warp speed, this is on the fore front of my mind. I know I need to be on the mound daily at this point. Lord, my prayer is your will. I need to remind myself of this. You have a plan, I need to follow, with all of me, follow. Many times the Lord has slowed me down, reminding me of why I am here and my purpose. Again, I think/know He is talking to me.

A lot of great things happening, so much to be thankful for. I know I've been avoiding me in my journals, they have been mostly about Ace and Casey. They are what I love to talk about it its easy for me. Its been such a joy to slow down a bit and to be a wife and experience motherhood. I know the Lord has called me to use the platform of softball for Him, at the same time. He will provide, I'm looking to him to help pull this off.

So, I will let you in on a few fun/stressful blessings on the rise. Please notice fun is first, way ahead of the stress part. All such a blessing.

-My Camps, we put on with a host, Jennie Finch Softball Camps, across the country. We have 420 girls for this weekend in Oklahoma. Praise God, the glory is His! We have 6 dates for this fall that will be posted next week. 6 dates... 6 states, 6 stops! Awesome! This was a vision God gave me/us (my family, amazing family) and by His grace it has become a reality!

-Planning/Preparing to film a pitching DVD. This is so over due. However, I trust the Lord is at work and its His timing. Perfect timing! I can't wait to share this with the softball world and have it available come this summer.

-Diamond Nation, Jennie Finch Softball Academy partnering with Jack Cust Baseball Academy in Flemington, New Jersey. There are great people leading the way to the opening. A lot of work needs to be done to get it where we need it to be, we will get there. Exciting stuff, making softball year around in Jersey!

-Revamping of my website! So fun! Can't wait to show you all the final product. We've hired an amazing company to update and relaunch my website. Keep checking, www.JennieFinch.com

-Bandits Season, so excited! Can't wait to get back to Chicago, in pants (love our uni's)! Looking forward to being apart of an amazing team and league!

-USA Softball, always a complete honor.

-Teaming up with the charity nPlay

-Check out the cool stuff at WePlay.com, and register your team!

-Excited for the invite to play in the MLB All Star Celebrity Softball Game in St Louis in July!

-Appearances/Speaking

Lots of incredible things happening! All this summer, more like next month.

Hopefully to top it all off come October we will get word that Softball will be back in the Olympics for 2016!!!

All of this is just stuff, blessings but stuff. Lord you again reminded me of this is so much bigger than me. Enough of stress and enough of me. You humbled me again, again I lean on you in prayer.

My final prayer...

I was just notified this week of yet another softballer Ms. Hannah, facing cancer. She was diagnosed with Breast Cancer and is only 10 years old. I want to ask you all to keep Ms. Hannah in your prayers as she battles this terrible disease! We are all rooting for you Hannah!

Lord, Thank You for speaking to me tonight. A weight is lifted off my chest, up to you. Take it all, its all yours. I'm falling on my knees, offering you all of me! Give Hannah the strength and courage to fight and conquer this horrible disease!

By His Grace & His will,
Dreaming & Believing in Him,
#27

Bye Bye Binky!

Good news, the Binky is Gone, Gone, for Good!

Ace's last sound sleep with his Binky!

We have been telling Ace when he turns 3, that is when he will give up his binky because he will officially be a big boy!

He was going to give it to Pop's (Casey's dad) horse, Alligators, Pop's dog Goose, and the list goes on and on of who was going to get the binky! Well last Sunday we had his first little birthday gathering and Casey asked if he wanted to give his binky to Hunter, Casey's brothers family dog? Ace nodded and busted up laughing, handing over his binky to Hunter.

As you can see Hunter took it. Casey then grabbed it and said Hunter swallowed it! My stomach dropped, looked at Casey and asked, "are you sure?" Half grinning, unsure, he answered, "I dont know?" Immediately my stomach dropped and I was full of unsureness and uneasiness!

So this was it, it seemed like a good time, might as well! We think?

Before we went to bed, Casey and I were talking about it...
Casey said, "I don't even care, we can give it to him. It doesn't even bother me!"
I replied, "Me either, why are we doing this?"
But we both knew deep down it was needed to be done, might as well just, get er' done!

That night was a rough one... crying on and off for about a good 2 hours. We just kept reassuring him he was a big boy and distracting him, over and over. Ace even told me to get in the car because we had to go to the store to buy another binky. He loved it. He missed it. He needed it! Oh, it was rough! We were strong and able to hold out!

The next morning however, he woke up way earlier than usual, bummer!

The next night, it was "Mommy I really really want my binky, but I gave it to Hunter!"
And that was it, good night!

Bummed now we are unable to keep him asleep while transporting him from place to place. Dang, we had it good... so good!

Night #3 it was, "I really really want my Binky, but I am a big boy!" Amen! Amen! And he was off to bed!

Day #4 it was, "Mommy I want that think that I suck on, I need it!" It was too funny, he was thinking if I rename it, maybe I will get it! So smart!

Night #4, "I am so frustrated with my blankie, I just want to bite it!" He so searches to soothe himself at night. He is doing so good! This has been way, way easier than I ever imagined! We are so blessed!

Now and then he'll randomly ask about it, and want it. But we are so very grateful for how easy it has been! We are so fully aware that we (Casey and I) caused this madness, but it has all worked out really good we have made it this far, 7 houses (atleast), over 39 states, and 4 countries, all with the help of a Binky!

Bye Bye Binky, we are all 3, all grown up now!

#27