Josh played today!!!!!!! Back in the line-up for the Biscuits, back behind the plate! I'm so happy for him....it's been a long time! We want to thank you for all your prayers, and ask that you continue to pray for him as he finishes out the season. It's going to be difficult to really get going again, after almost two months away. He's feeling pretty good, but it is going to be difficult. Your prayers and support are invaluable. He's on the bus now, headed back to Montgomery. They'll be on that bus through the night. It's a 10 hour bus ride...yuck. The good news is tomorrow is an off day, which he will probably sleep through!
Box Score
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Friday, July 20, 2007
Please Read!
This is Bad Rap's blog. Bad Rap is a pit bull rescue in California (one of my favorites). If you have a minute, please, please read this!
Presumed Guilty
Presumed Guilty
I got nothin'
Really, I don't have much to report. Josh is back with the Biscuits. He flew into North Carolina yesterday, where they are playing. He didn't play yesterday, or today. My guess would be that he will be in the line-up tomorrow...we'll see!
You might be expecting me to post about the Michael Vick case. In all honesty, I am glad that this case has gotten all this media attention. I think it has exposed dog-fighting for what it really is. People really didn't understand that the cruelty, torture and murder doesn't end once the fight is over. I really hope everybody pays attention and joins in the fight to end the killing. I have a copy of the indictment against Vick, if you are interested in reading the exact charges against him.
The weather in Montgomery has been, quite frankly, miserable. The heat and humidity is out of control. Then comes the thunder, lightning, and rain. This is a daily thing here. I'm told it will be like this for the rest of our stay here. I'm not too happy about that.
Other than that, I really don't have much to say! I'm looking forward to Josh's return to AA baseball.
You might be expecting me to post about the Michael Vick case. In all honesty, I am glad that this case has gotten all this media attention. I think it has exposed dog-fighting for what it really is. People really didn't understand that the cruelty, torture and murder doesn't end once the fight is over. I really hope everybody pays attention and joins in the fight to end the killing. I have a copy of the indictment against Vick, if you are interested in reading the exact charges against him.
The weather in Montgomery has been, quite frankly, miserable. The heat and humidity is out of control. Then comes the thunder, lightning, and rain. This is a daily thing here. I'm told it will be like this for the rest of our stay here. I'm not too happy about that.
Other than that, I really don't have much to say! I'm looking forward to Josh's return to AA baseball.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Day to Rest
So, Josh will be in the line-up tomorrow for 7 innings. They are taking it really slow, and I am grateful for that. Even when he is back with the Biscuits, he will be on a pretty strict schedule. He won't play everyday so that he can have that extra time between games to rest. His injury was significant enough that they will take extra precautions with him for the rest of the season. We are just so grateful and blessed that he is playing again.
I thought I would post some scripture today. I've been reading these verses over and over today...
Romans 8:31-39
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring a charge against God's elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written, '"For Your sake we are being put to death all day long; we were considered as sheep to be slaughtered." But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
I thought I would post some scripture today. I've been reading these verses over and over today...
Romans 8:31-39
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring a charge against God's elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written, '"For Your sake we are being put to death all day long; we were considered as sheep to be slaughtered." But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Back in the Saddle
Attention Josh Fans! Josh played tonight! Back behind the plate for the first time in almost 2 months! He even got to use his fancy 'no-look' pick-off move! We are very excited! He played 5 innings. He'll have tomorrow off and be back in the line-up the next day for 7 innings!
Box Score
Box Score
Faces
48 emails yesterday...all of them pleading for help for dogs, pits, all on their final day. It's sometimes too hard to even open the emails, knowing most of them will die today. Still I wanted to share some of their faces. These are the victims of ignorance, irresponsibility, and cruelty. These faces stay with me, always. Godspeed sweet doggies...
Friday, July 13, 2007
Things have come full circle
Josh is back in Princeton, West Virginia! Back in 2002, Josh played his first season of professional baseball in Princeton for the rookie level Devil Rays. And now, 5 years later, he's back. This is what's known as a Rehab assignment. It's just a chance for him to get some innings in and get comfortable behind the plate again. He will re-join the Biscuits on the 18th or the 19th.
According to Josh, things in Princeton are pretty much the same, apart from a few exciting additions like a Chili's and a new motel...the Ramada that was home to him during his stay there last time has been torn down (probably by the department of health, ha ha!). In it's place, a new motel...but apparently, well, not so great.
So, hopefully everything will go well and Josh will feel great. He is definitely looking forward to playing with the Biscuits again. This has been a long road back...in the words of Chuck Obremski an 'interesting detour'. But, as always, God is good and we look forward to what's around the next corner.
According to Josh, things in Princeton are pretty much the same, apart from a few exciting additions like a Chili's and a new motel...the Ramada that was home to him during his stay there last time has been torn down (probably by the department of health, ha ha!). In it's place, a new motel...but apparently, well, not so great.
So, hopefully everything will go well and Josh will feel great. He is definitely looking forward to playing with the Biscuits again. This has been a long road back...in the words of Chuck Obremski an 'interesting detour'. But, as always, God is good and we look forward to what's around the next corner.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Not Just Yet
Josh practiced yesterday. Hitting, he felt great. Running the bases was another story. He felt incredibly stiff which made it really difficult to run. So, it looks like they are going to give him a couple more days before they play him. He'll continue to practice and work on it...but you probably won't see him in the line-up until Friday...stay tuned:)
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Off Day
From April through August, Josh gets 9 days off. You read that correctly, a whopping 9 days off. The official schedule would lead you to believe that he gets 12 days off, but that is misleading. Two of those days are spent on the bus traveling to and from North Carolina to play there. Over eight hours on a hot bus without air-conditioning, surrounded by 25 sweaty guys does not constitute an off-day. The other 'off-day' is the third day of the All-Star break. Rather than have that third day to relax, they schedule a practice. These guys play from April through August, everyday; a total of 140 games with very little breaks (9 to be exact). Now I ask you, is taking away that third day of the all-star 'break' so they can practice really necessary?
So, we're coming off the 2 day all-star break. Interestingly enough, the last game before the break was rain-delayed and then went into extra innings. Then once the game finally ended, they had a 2.5 hour bus ride back to Montgomery. Josh got home at 5:30 in the morning, the very morning of his first day off.
But we are very excited for the end of this break... Josh is coming off of the disabled list! He should be in the line-up Wednesday or Thursday! He has been on the disabled list since May 22! That's TOO many days off, and now its time to PLAY BALL!
So, we're coming off the 2 day all-star break. Interestingly enough, the last game before the break was rain-delayed and then went into extra innings. Then once the game finally ended, they had a 2.5 hour bus ride back to Montgomery. Josh got home at 5:30 in the morning, the very morning of his first day off.
But we are very excited for the end of this break... Josh is coming off of the disabled list! He should be in the line-up Wednesday or Thursday! He has been on the disabled list since May 22! That's TOO many days off, and now its time to PLAY BALL!
Sunday, July 8, 2007
If they didn't hate her enough...
Oh, Ann. She always knows just what to say. Just the right words that will drive the liberals crazy (crazier than they already are:). If you've never read her column, I highly recommend it. Always controversial and always entertaining! I really enjoyed THIS one!
Read it, and talk about it:)
Read it, and talk about it:)
Saturday, July 7, 2007
There's No Place Like Home
I am not a happy camper. Around 3 o'clock this afternoon, my friend Kelly called to let me know we were under a Tornado Watch. Fabulous. I turn on the local news, just as the rain started coming down outside, and a crash of thunder rocked the apartment. I do not like this at all. The local weather man says the 'rotation' has been spotted in a county west of Montgomery, and it is moving east at 25 mph. Right for us. Fantastic.
So, I grabbed my weather radio, flashlight and blanket and headed for Kelly's apartment. Kelly is here with her baby, Ashlynn, and their dog Presley (her husband, Jimmy, is the trainer for the team). As soon as I get to her apartment, the sirens start. No longer a tornado watch, now we are in full-on tornado warning mode. We all huddled in the bathroom. We are on the second floor of the apartment building here. We don't have a basement, so the bathroom is the next best thing. I wind up my weather radio, which Ashlynn thought was a great toy! We got to sit in there for about 30 minutes before the sirens stopped. The rain was still coming down in buckets but it was safe enough to leave the bathroom.
So, now here we sit. We are under a tornado watch for another 30 minutes. But, the worst of it seems to have passed. For us west-coast gals, this is just too much. Both Kelly and I would much rather be rocking and rolling in an earthquake, than huddled in the bathroom waiting for the tornado to take us to Oz. This is my third tornado-warning/siren experience. All three of which I have weathered without Josh. I will never get used to it. Severe weather is NOT for me.
I'm clicking my heels....
So, I grabbed my weather radio, flashlight and blanket and headed for Kelly's apartment. Kelly is here with her baby, Ashlynn, and their dog Presley (her husband, Jimmy, is the trainer for the team). As soon as I get to her apartment, the sirens start. No longer a tornado watch, now we are in full-on tornado warning mode. We all huddled in the bathroom. We are on the second floor of the apartment building here. We don't have a basement, so the bathroom is the next best thing. I wind up my weather radio, which Ashlynn thought was a great toy! We got to sit in there for about 30 minutes before the sirens stopped. The rain was still coming down in buckets but it was safe enough to leave the bathroom.
So, now here we sit. We are under a tornado watch for another 30 minutes. But, the worst of it seems to have passed. For us west-coast gals, this is just too much. Both Kelly and I would much rather be rocking and rolling in an earthquake, than huddled in the bathroom waiting for the tornado to take us to Oz. This is my third tornado-warning/siren experience. All three of which I have weathered without Josh. I will never get used to it. Severe weather is NOT for me.
I'm clicking my heels....
Friday, July 6, 2007
A Silver Lining
Great news! The dog with the chemical burns has been rescued! A rescue group has saved her from the shelter! The wonderful, amazing and awesome Kari of Ace of Hearts has rescued this sweet dog! Now, she will get the medical care she needs and begin the healing process in wonderful care while she waits for her forever home!
Kari happens to be the very same rescuer who pulled our beloved Jersey off of death row just three hours before her scheduled time to die. So, as you can imagine, I love Kari! The work she does out of the LA shelters, the shelters which are killing around 400 dogs a day, is more than amazing. It is truly inspiring.
Oh, and the dog with the burns has been given a name...Maggie
Kari happens to be the very same rescuer who pulled our beloved Jersey off of death row just three hours before her scheduled time to die. So, as you can imagine, I love Kari! The work she does out of the LA shelters, the shelters which are killing around 400 dogs a day, is more than amazing. It is truly inspiring.
Oh, and the dog with the burns has been given a name...Maggie
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Another Heartbreak
How could a human being do THIS
beyond comprehension
One of the 48 emails I got today featured this sweet dog. This poor little thing is sitting in the South Central LA shelter. Imagine the pain she is in. So far, no rescue group has come forward to save her. I want to know who did this to her, and I want that person or persons to face justice. My kind of justice would be forcing them to face the same torture and suffering they inflicted on that dog, but I realize that would be 'cruel and unusual' punishment in our system. I fear far too many regard this kind of crime as insignificant. The reality is, that people who abuse, torture and kill animals rarely stop there. In fact, most convicted serial killers had a history of torturing and killing animals before they moved on to their human victims. Sadly, it is unlikely that whoever did this to this dog will face any kind of justice. And the torture, the pain and the suffering will continue.
As for this dog, pit bull rescuers are desperately trying to find a rescue for her. Chances are not good.
beyond comprehension
One of the 48 emails I got today featured this sweet dog. This poor little thing is sitting in the South Central LA shelter. Imagine the pain she is in. So far, no rescue group has come forward to save her. I want to know who did this to her, and I want that person or persons to face justice. My kind of justice would be forcing them to face the same torture and suffering they inflicted on that dog, but I realize that would be 'cruel and unusual' punishment in our system. I fear far too many regard this kind of crime as insignificant. The reality is, that people who abuse, torture and kill animals rarely stop there. In fact, most convicted serial killers had a history of torturing and killing animals before they moved on to their human victims. Sadly, it is unlikely that whoever did this to this dog will face any kind of justice. And the torture, the pain and the suffering will continue.
As for this dog, pit bull rescuers are desperately trying to find a rescue for her. Chances are not good.
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
It's the Pits
So, I realize that some of you seeing this blog will wonder what all this pit bull stuff is and why I have it here! You probably know that our amazing dog Jersey is a pit bull mix, a rescue that was saved hours before she was scheduled to die in an LA shelter. We fell totally and completely in love with her and she has opened our eyes to the plight of this amazing breed.
Last year, 2.3 MILLION pit bulls (yes pit bulls alone) were killed in shelters in this country. And if they're not dying in shelters, they are suffering at the hands of criminals who fight them, neglect them, abuse and torture them. Then there are the ones who are lucky enough to be owned by loving and responsible owners, yet face certain death simply because the breed has been outlawed in the city in which their family lives. Then we have the media, eager to make flashy headlines to create unwarranted hysteria, constantly promoting myths about these wonderful dogs. To be a pit, is the pits.
So for the last year or so, I have thrown myself into the dog rescue world. And since this breed I have come to love is facing such injustice, pit bull rescue is the place for me. What a place to be. It can be shocking, horrifying, nauseating and yet other times it is so very wonderful and heartwarming. I'm involved in a national network of pit bull rescuers. I get anywhere from 15-100 emails A DAY, each pleading for help for a pit bull sitting on death row in need of a rescue to save it. I do what I can to help, but most days it doesn't feel like I can do anything at all.
That should explain the videos and the links. And now you know what I've been doing lately. Sending you pittie kisses and wiggle butts...(if you've known a pit bull, you know what that means:)
Last year, 2.3 MILLION pit bulls (yes pit bulls alone) were killed in shelters in this country. And if they're not dying in shelters, they are suffering at the hands of criminals who fight them, neglect them, abuse and torture them. Then there are the ones who are lucky enough to be owned by loving and responsible owners, yet face certain death simply because the breed has been outlawed in the city in which their family lives. Then we have the media, eager to make flashy headlines to create unwarranted hysteria, constantly promoting myths about these wonderful dogs. To be a pit, is the pits.
So for the last year or so, I have thrown myself into the dog rescue world. And since this breed I have come to love is facing such injustice, pit bull rescue is the place for me. What a place to be. It can be shocking, horrifying, nauseating and yet other times it is so very wonderful and heartwarming. I'm involved in a national network of pit bull rescuers. I get anywhere from 15-100 emails A DAY, each pleading for help for a pit bull sitting on death row in need of a rescue to save it. I do what I can to help, but most days it doesn't feel like I can do anything at all.
That should explain the videos and the links. And now you know what I've been doing lately. Sending you pittie kisses and wiggle butts...(if you've known a pit bull, you know what that means:)
Summer is Swimming
Jersey wears a life vest
Riley barks at Jersey when she gets close
They LOVE to swim
Riley barks at Jersey when she gets close
They LOVE to swim
This Bites
16, count 'em...16 bug bites! I was outside yesterday for a grand total of 32 minutes walking a dog. Not my dog Jersey, but another player's dog. Somehow, I managed to allow 16 bugs to bite me before I realized what was going on. I barely slept last night, itching, itching and itching. Apparently, I cannot go outside in Montgomery, Alabama without the protection of bug repellent. Some of these bites have swollen to mammoth sizes, we're talking 4 inches in diameter! GROSS!
Its the Fourth of July. I dropped Josh off at the field this morning. They're playing in Mobile, AL for the next four days. (Well, he's still not playing but he will be off the DL soon and should be back in the line-up VERY soon!) My fourth will be a quiet one. No fireworks, no BBQ. I'm watching the news, coverage of all the celebrations taking place across the country. People all dressed up in red, white and blue, chowing down on all the BBQ, waiting to watch the spectacular fireworks displays. Everyone seems so patriotic on this day. We used to have the BEST fireworks shows at home. I miss that.
The next news report covers the brave Americans serving overseas on this Independence day. The reporter said they got to have BBQ chicken to celebrate, but other than that it was business as usual. No fireworks for them either. So while Americans here get the day off to celebrate our freedom, our soldiers fight on, no time for celebration.
Happy Fourth of July
wear your bug spray
Its the Fourth of July. I dropped Josh off at the field this morning. They're playing in Mobile, AL for the next four days. (Well, he's still not playing but he will be off the DL soon and should be back in the line-up VERY soon!) My fourth will be a quiet one. No fireworks, no BBQ. I'm watching the news, coverage of all the celebrations taking place across the country. People all dressed up in red, white and blue, chowing down on all the BBQ, waiting to watch the spectacular fireworks displays. Everyone seems so patriotic on this day. We used to have the BEST fireworks shows at home. I miss that.
The next news report covers the brave Americans serving overseas on this Independence day. The reporter said they got to have BBQ chicken to celebrate, but other than that it was business as usual. No fireworks for them either. So while Americans here get the day off to celebrate our freedom, our soldiers fight on, no time for celebration.
Happy Fourth of July
wear your bug spray
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Hello, Hello
Hi Everyone! This is my first attempt to post a blog. This is ALL new to me...honestly I have no idea what I am doing, but I'm giving it a try. I'm even going to try to learn to post a video blog! We'll see how that goes:)
During the baseball season, I have a really hard time keeping in contact with everyone. I admit it, I'm sorry:(The baseball life takes me thousands of miles from friends and family, and it has become all too easy to lose touch. I hope this blog changes all that.
And you KNOW I will love having a forum to express all my opinions! God's AMAZING love, Pit bull rescue, baseball life, politics...I'll have plenty to say about all these things and more! Should be fun...so stay tuned!
During the baseball season, I have a really hard time keeping in contact with everyone. I admit it, I'm sorry:(The baseball life takes me thousands of miles from friends and family, and it has become all too easy to lose touch. I hope this blog changes all that.
And you KNOW I will love having a forum to express all my opinions! God's AMAZING love, Pit bull rescue, baseball life, politics...I'll have plenty to say about all these things and more! Should be fun...so stay tuned!
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