It has been a while since I lasted blogged, not because I didn't want to because I really enjoy blogging, but because not only have I been totally swamped these last few months, but so has my family.
I will take a moment to do a catch up blog tonight to give the highlights of things. I will go back another day and put down other thoughts about all of these things.
We are now the proud owners of 3 horses. Tuff who is 7 years old, Anna who is 13 years old and Juliet who is Tuff's daughter and is 21 months old. I have decided that it would be better for Heather to homeschool her and we are doing that now. Finally, Heather, Jon and I as well as a friend of ours Robin has spent many hours this week working on a home for a very deserving soldier for Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.
I have many things to say about each of these things and I will go back over the next few days and blog about each one of these things as well as up load photos. There are many lessons that not only have I learned over the last few months but lessons my family have learned as well that are very valuable and I can't wait to share them all.
All the kids in the Pullen Family
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Lessons Learned
Well it seems that everything is going great something always seems to happen. Last Monday, I dropped Heather off at Thomboy Ranch, which is where our new horse "Tuff" is boarded at. Heather goes there after school everyday to volunteer. She now goes there daily for two hours during the school week and as long as she wants on the weekends and holidays. After dropping Heather off I ran back to Killeen almost to Harker Heights to watch Alex's first football practice. Everything thing seems great.
On Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays my Mom goes and picks up the Tiffany from practice and then swings by the Ranch to pick up Heather since it is only 2.8 miles from the school. So at about 7pm I get a call from my Mom, which at first I didn't believe I had anything to worry about because my Mom always calls me when she gets the girls to let me know that she has picked them up and that they are on their way home. So no big deal right....not this time. Mom called me and told me that Heather had taken Tuff out to the pasture and was riding him and he got spooked and she fell off. But falling off isn't the only thing that happened. As she was falling her foot got stuck in the stirrup and was drug for about 100 yards and was knocked unconscious. She was initally out for about 6 minutes and then she woke up and was not acting right. Although at this point her body was still running on adrenaline she did get up on her own, but Mom could see that something was very wrong. She called me and told me what happened, my Mom being a nurse, my first response was how bad is she and should she call and ambulance. She told me that Heather was up and moving but that she was in a lot of pain and that they would be home within a few minutes. She also told me that Heather did not seem like she was that bad until they were almost home and then the adrenaline was wearing off and that she was in and out of it. I told her that I was almost home within 5 minutes and to go ahead and call and ambulance if she felt that Heather needed it.
I got home as fast as I could and took one look at Heather and decided that yes she was going to the ER at Darnell if for no other reason than to calm my nerves because she looked bad. Jon told me that he didn't feel that she needed and ambulance and that I could get her the Darnell which is only a mile away faster if he put her in the van than if we waited for the ambulance. Jon put her in the car and off we went. At first I was worried but was telling myself and Heather to keep talking to me and as long as she was talking to me all would be ok. About 1/2 way there Heather told me her head hurt really bad and she couldn't keep her eyes open anymore. No sooner than she said that she was out and I couldn't get her to talk to me at all. I rushed her to the ER at that point and they came out to the van to get her. I told them what happened and that I could not get her to respond to me at all. The medics and ER Drs came out with a backboard and neck brace and rushed her in as they could not get her to respond either.
About 10 minutes into her being in the ER the doctors had taken her vitals, shot xrays right there, drawn blood, and did a full exam from head to toe and started 2 IVs. I knew she had some cuts on her face, arm and one shoulder but I didn't know about the other shoulder, mouth or stomach until they were working on her. Once all of this was done they rush her to CT and CAT scan. A doctor came back to me about 10 minutes after they left and told me that while she was in the CT they were able to get her to respond to them finally.
About 20 minutes after that the doctors came back and told me that they did not like what they were seeing and felt that it was best if they transfered my Heather to Scott and White because they have a better neurology department and if Heather needs surgery that is the place to have it. So they call for a transfer and send her to Scott and White. We got there and they ran all the tests that Darnell did and more and within an hour and a half of getting there they come and tell me that Heather has a room ready for her and that they are transferring her to the floor, that she was going to go to ICU but they have no beds available but she will be very well taken care of and the room was across the hall from ICU so if they needed anything they could care for her there.
They get Heather up stairs and to see her in so much pain I just wanted to take all that pain away. The next morning the doctors came in and ordered more CT and CAT scans and xrays. They told me then that Heather has a Grade 4 Concussion and that they are looking at everything to determine if she was going to stay at a Grade 4 or move to a Grade 5.
It took several days for them to finally determine that her neck was ok which was really beginning to scare me as the more days that went by with the neck brace the more that they kept talking about what could be wrong with her neck and her shoulder.
Thank God finally after several days they came in and took off her neck brace and told me that she was a very lucky girl. When they decided to release her from the hospital she was released with a Grade 5 Concussion, scraps to her shoulders and clavicle, cuts to her belly and a really bad scrap on her elbow along with soft tissue swelling and bruising from about her hips to her head. As the doctors said she she used up about 2 of her 9 lives. My thought when the doctor told me that was hmmm following in my brother Tim's footsteps.
Lessons learned by Heather are: 1. Mom is not crazy when she says it is not a good idea to go riding alone. 2. Maybe a helmet is a good idea if you are riding outside of the arena or when you aren't walking.
Lessons learned by Mom: 1. Teenagers really do think they know more that us adults do and do act upon it from time to time. 2. One should never ride alone or out of the arena without a helmet no matter what.
On Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays my Mom goes and picks up the Tiffany from practice and then swings by the Ranch to pick up Heather since it is only 2.8 miles from the school. So at about 7pm I get a call from my Mom, which at first I didn't believe I had anything to worry about because my Mom always calls me when she gets the girls to let me know that she has picked them up and that they are on their way home. So no big deal right....not this time. Mom called me and told me that Heather had taken Tuff out to the pasture and was riding him and he got spooked and she fell off. But falling off isn't the only thing that happened. As she was falling her foot got stuck in the stirrup and was drug for about 100 yards and was knocked unconscious. She was initally out for about 6 minutes and then she woke up and was not acting right. Although at this point her body was still running on adrenaline she did get up on her own, but Mom could see that something was very wrong. She called me and told me what happened, my Mom being a nurse, my first response was how bad is she and should she call and ambulance. She told me that Heather was up and moving but that she was in a lot of pain and that they would be home within a few minutes. She also told me that Heather did not seem like she was that bad until they were almost home and then the adrenaline was wearing off and that she was in and out of it. I told her that I was almost home within 5 minutes and to go ahead and call and ambulance if she felt that Heather needed it.
I got home as fast as I could and took one look at Heather and decided that yes she was going to the ER at Darnell if for no other reason than to calm my nerves because she looked bad. Jon told me that he didn't feel that she needed and ambulance and that I could get her the Darnell which is only a mile away faster if he put her in the van than if we waited for the ambulance. Jon put her in the car and off we went. At first I was worried but was telling myself and Heather to keep talking to me and as long as she was talking to me all would be ok. About 1/2 way there Heather told me her head hurt really bad and she couldn't keep her eyes open anymore. No sooner than she said that she was out and I couldn't get her to talk to me at all. I rushed her to the ER at that point and they came out to the van to get her. I told them what happened and that I could not get her to respond to me at all. The medics and ER Drs came out with a backboard and neck brace and rushed her in as they could not get her to respond either.
About 10 minutes into her being in the ER the doctors had taken her vitals, shot xrays right there, drawn blood, and did a full exam from head to toe and started 2 IVs. I knew she had some cuts on her face, arm and one shoulder but I didn't know about the other shoulder, mouth or stomach until they were working on her. Once all of this was done they rush her to CT and CAT scan. A doctor came back to me about 10 minutes after they left and told me that while she was in the CT they were able to get her to respond to them finally.
About 20 minutes after that the doctors came back and told me that they did not like what they were seeing and felt that it was best if they transfered my Heather to Scott and White because they have a better neurology department and if Heather needs surgery that is the place to have it. So they call for a transfer and send her to Scott and White. We got there and they ran all the tests that Darnell did and more and within an hour and a half of getting there they come and tell me that Heather has a room ready for her and that they are transferring her to the floor, that she was going to go to ICU but they have no beds available but she will be very well taken care of and the room was across the hall from ICU so if they needed anything they could care for her there.
They get Heather up stairs and to see her in so much pain I just wanted to take all that pain away. The next morning the doctors came in and ordered more CT and CAT scans and xrays. They told me then that Heather has a Grade 4 Concussion and that they are looking at everything to determine if she was going to stay at a Grade 4 or move to a Grade 5.
It took several days for them to finally determine that her neck was ok which was really beginning to scare me as the more days that went by with the neck brace the more that they kept talking about what could be wrong with her neck and her shoulder.
Thank God finally after several days they came in and took off her neck brace and told me that she was a very lucky girl. When they decided to release her from the hospital she was released with a Grade 5 Concussion, scraps to her shoulders and clavicle, cuts to her belly and a really bad scrap on her elbow along with soft tissue swelling and bruising from about her hips to her head. As the doctors said she she used up about 2 of her 9 lives. My thought when the doctor told me that was hmmm following in my brother Tim's footsteps.
Lessons learned by Heather are: 1. Mom is not crazy when she says it is not a good idea to go riding alone. 2. Maybe a helmet is a good idea if you are riding outside of the arena or when you aren't walking.
Lessons learned by Mom: 1. Teenagers really do think they know more that us adults do and do act upon it from time to time. 2. One should never ride alone or out of the arena without a helmet no matter what.
Monday, September 6, 2010
Football Season Has Begun!
The month of August has always been fun for me as I was growing up as well as now as an adult. I can remember as a kid and a teenager that in August we all started gearing up for 4 months worth of Sunday and Monday nights of a great American pass time. For some it is Baseball, but that is not what I have grown up with as a tradition. What pass time am I talking about one would say? Why football! I grew up with being surrounded by football fans. It seemed like every guy in my family from my Pops to my Father all loved to watch football. We all love the Washington Redskins and to us there really was no other team. No matter how the Redskins are doing we love them.
I know now that I have pasted on that love of the game to my son. This past week has been very interesting and busy for our family. Alex came to me at the beginning of summer and told me that he wanted to play football. We are in Texas and although I have lived in many places I have never seen a sport that is so supported by everyone than it is here. High school football is a very big thing here. Every high school has a huge stadium that makes me think of a college stadium. The girls attend a high school that has a jumbo tron screen to show all the plays. Here we have two types of football for the kids that are in Elementary school through 6th grade to play. Flag football or tackle football. After doing our research it was recommended that if my son wanted to play football in Junior High and High school that he should register with the Boys and Girls Club for their tackle football program. That they have wonderful coaches that will teach the kids not only the fundamentals of the game, but also that it is about having fun as well.
So August 23rd came and Alex and I went to the Boys and Girls Club and we registered him for tackle football. They we had to sit and wait for the draft to take place. Alex was chosen for the Bucs and we are very happy with this. The Coaches for the Bucs have been coaching for the longest time here and are a great set of guys. Coach Nicks is the head coach and he is great with the kids. Coach Coke coaches Defensive Line and then we have Coach Locke that is the Assist Coach. I was worried in the beginning because Alex has never played before and most of these boys have been playing since they were 7 years old. All the Coaches assured me that I had nothing to worry about and that they would make sure that Alex learns all the fundamentals and most of all has fun.
Alex started practice last week. His first day they went over the basics and the boys did conditioning so they did not use pads at all. This continued all week although they did add the helmets on the third day. During the first two days the coaches looked at the boys abilities and ran them to see how fast they were and what positions the coaches felt that they would excel at before making their decisions on Thursday as to what positions they boys would play. The Coaches have decided that although Alex is a big boy that he is very fast on his feet so they put him in as Right Guard. Alex will be playing both sides of the ball, meaning that he plays both offense and defense.
One thing Alex has learned in this past week is that football is very physical and I believe he has learned about muscles he didn't even know he has now. Although he is sore, that soreness will where off the more in shape he gets and the more he plays. The team plays their first game on Saturday, September 25th. So this year I will not only be rooting for the Redskins, but I will also be rooting for the Bucs and their girls high school which we are at every Friday night the Bull Dawgs.
Happy football season everyone!
I know now that I have pasted on that love of the game to my son. This past week has been very interesting and busy for our family. Alex came to me at the beginning of summer and told me that he wanted to play football. We are in Texas and although I have lived in many places I have never seen a sport that is so supported by everyone than it is here. High school football is a very big thing here. Every high school has a huge stadium that makes me think of a college stadium. The girls attend a high school that has a jumbo tron screen to show all the plays. Here we have two types of football for the kids that are in Elementary school through 6th grade to play. Flag football or tackle football. After doing our research it was recommended that if my son wanted to play football in Junior High and High school that he should register with the Boys and Girls Club for their tackle football program. That they have wonderful coaches that will teach the kids not only the fundamentals of the game, but also that it is about having fun as well.
So August 23rd came and Alex and I went to the Boys and Girls Club and we registered him for tackle football. They we had to sit and wait for the draft to take place. Alex was chosen for the Bucs and we are very happy with this. The Coaches for the Bucs have been coaching for the longest time here and are a great set of guys. Coach Nicks is the head coach and he is great with the kids. Coach Coke coaches Defensive Line and then we have Coach Locke that is the Assist Coach. I was worried in the beginning because Alex has never played before and most of these boys have been playing since they were 7 years old. All the Coaches assured me that I had nothing to worry about and that they would make sure that Alex learns all the fundamentals and most of all has fun.
Alex started practice last week. His first day they went over the basics and the boys did conditioning so they did not use pads at all. This continued all week although they did add the helmets on the third day. During the first two days the coaches looked at the boys abilities and ran them to see how fast they were and what positions the coaches felt that they would excel at before making their decisions on Thursday as to what positions they boys would play. The Coaches have decided that although Alex is a big boy that he is very fast on his feet so they put him in as Right Guard. Alex will be playing both sides of the ball, meaning that he plays both offense and defense.
One thing Alex has learned in this past week is that football is very physical and I believe he has learned about muscles he didn't even know he has now. Although he is sore, that soreness will where off the more in shape he gets and the more he plays. The team plays their first game on Saturday, September 25th. So this year I will not only be rooting for the Redskins, but I will also be rooting for the Bucs and their girls high school which we are at every Friday night the Bull Dawgs.
Happy football season everyone!
Monday, August 30, 2010
It is official we are now Texans for sure!
Yes, although I spent most of my life on the east coast and most of my high school years in Virginia it is now truely official. We are a Texan family. Not that we haven't been for a while now, but now there is no doubt about it. Jon and I have talked for years about making a purchase and have really waited to see where we were going to end up and what the kids thought and what our life was going to be like outside of the Army.
So what am I talking about you ask? Hmmmm what is it that one mainly thinks of when we talk about Texas? All the cowboys that they have here. And what makes a cowboy? Well you need to have at least a horse right? We we have gotten a horse. His name in Tuff and he is a Buckskin colored Quarterhorse who is what is also called a reining horse, meaning that it is used for your traditional roping and barrel racing among other things. Tuff is a very sweet 6.5 year old male. He comes to Heather out of the pasture without a signal problem. The price isnt very bad not is his Full Boarding fees. We love the horse.
Heather loves to ride Tuff, but she also knows that she has to get all of school work done as well as participate in his upkeep and care. I was totally amazied to Heather in that she not only decided that she wanted us to have a horse more than a car, but that she also felted that since Alex wanted to take lessons then she would pay for the first 4 lessons for Alex.
Well below are all the pictures I took of the kdis with photos of Tuff. Enjoy!
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| Heather getting Tuff from the pasture |
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| Heather and Tuff |
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| Heather and Tuff getting ready to head out |
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| Heather and Tuff doing some barrel running |
First Days of School
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| getting ready for school before changing |
Next up Thursday, August 26, 2010. Oh this day is going to be interesting....Again what is so important about this day? Well this is the day that not only is it the first day of school for Heather, but it is also Tiffany's first official day of High school and she is officially a Freshman! Heather decided the week before that she wanted to go back to Cove High and be in school with her sister. This was really thoughtful of Heather, but it also was a great decision on her part as Cove has a better Ag program with more opportunities for her in her field of study in Animals. So just as I have done since Monday, my day started at 530am with getting Alex up and off to the bus and then making my traditional First day of school Breakfast for the girls. We were very blessed in the fact that a very good friend of Tiffany's Claudia was able to join us in our First Day of School traditions. So with the pancakes, sausage, bacon, eggs and oj made we all sat down to have a prayer for the girls to start the year and at 730am we headed out the door to take them all to school.
Heather and Tiffany are very fortunate in that they do not attend the one of the local high schools (Shoemaker) that we are in the zoning for as it is an okay school, but not the safest of schools nor is their education at the level that I expect and grew up with back at home in Winchester. I always wanted my children to attend a high that still has high school spirit and pride in their school and their programs and with Cove these girls are able to experience that just as I did at Handley. At 745am we arrive at the school and with me holding back the hugs and tears as I watch my oldest and middle daughter get out of the van and head into the school for their first official day and Tiffany's first day of high school I drive off. The girls have already gotten grades and I love the school in that they have a program for parents called the Parent Portal that I can check on their progress not just on their attendence but on their assignments and grades as well. I am very proud to report that they both have started off the school year on the right foot with their grades and I am so pleased with them both.
I was hoping to have more pictures of the morning and day, but with having teenagers I was banned from being the photo queen of the day and was limited on the photos that they let me take. Had I had it my way I would have had pictures of the meal, the drive, and them entering school but they refused to let me do so. So enjoy the photos I was allowed to take.
Happy school year everyone!!!
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| Heather getting ready to leave in her favorite outfit |
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| Claudia Tiffany's good friend |
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| Tiffany looking over her schedule and Claudia on way to school |
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Busy Busy Busy....
WOW!!!!
This is the only way I know to express things right now. We have been going nonstop since we got home from our wonderful trip home to VA and WV back in June. We had a wonderful trip home and it was so great to see everyone again. So we have had so much going on that I have not had much time to myself all summer.
I wish I could say that all of it has been wonderful and great, but that is not the case, however, many many months ago I promised myself that I would no longer look at things in a negative light and that I would find the positive in everything that happens so although we have had some rough spots this summer those rough spots came with many positive things attached to them that I am ever so great-full to God for. I learned long ago that for everything that happens there is a reason and a lesson to be learned. I am very thankful to God for those lessons and blessings.
Now on to the great stuff....Heather got to go to NY for 3 1/2 weeks and she had a really great time with the Ortiz family. It was very hard for me to put her on the plane for the first time on her own, but I survived it. She made it safely there and back and had a great time.
Alex has been enjoying his summer but playing with his friends and on the computer playing Risk. He is also preparing for his first season as a football player. We went and registered him for NFC Football with the Boys and Girls Club. It is the only place that plays tackle football and he will be able to do this for the next two years which will take him up to the 7th grade when he can then play for the Jr. High School team. Wow! I can't believe he will be graduating from the 5th grade at the end of this school year and heading on to Jr High and in 2 years he will be in the 7th grade! Wow where does the time go...It was just yesterday that I was bringing him home from the hospital wasn't it?
Heather and Alex start school next Monday, August 23rd and Tiffany starts school on August 26th.
I hope to be able to sit and get my camera down loaded and all my postings from this summer done once the kids start back to school. I have a week from the time they start back until I go back so we will see.
This is the only way I know to express things right now. We have been going nonstop since we got home from our wonderful trip home to VA and WV back in June. We had a wonderful trip home and it was so great to see everyone again. So we have had so much going on that I have not had much time to myself all summer.
I wish I could say that all of it has been wonderful and great, but that is not the case, however, many many months ago I promised myself that I would no longer look at things in a negative light and that I would find the positive in everything that happens so although we have had some rough spots this summer those rough spots came with many positive things attached to them that I am ever so great-full to God for. I learned long ago that for everything that happens there is a reason and a lesson to be learned. I am very thankful to God for those lessons and blessings.
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| getting ready to get on plane |
Heather and Alex start school next Monday, August 23rd and Tiffany starts school on August 26th.
I hope to be able to sit and get my camera down loaded and all my postings from this summer done once the kids start back to school. I have a week from the time they start back until I go back so we will see.
Achieving Dreams....
Tiffany's summer has been so busy from the very beginning. She was able to come out for the weekend to visit with the family and then she flew home with Nana and her summer began the very next day, but this summer has not been about fun and playing for her. It has been about working hard and long hours towards a goal.
Tiffany got up every morning at 6am to be at the school gym by 730am and started Strength and Conditioning class. This class was all about getting into shape and really pushing her body to the limits. She worked from 730am until Noon every day and then on Tuesdays and Thursdays she would come home and rest for a few hours and at 430 she would be back in the car and off to the school again for Summer League Volleyball until 9pm at night. This schedule continued from June 7th until July 15th. She had from the 16th of July until August 1 to enjoy summer then at 6am on August 2nd she started what she called the most grueling schedule she was ever had.
At 6am on August 2nd the alarms went off and up her and I got. Now why would a 14 year old get up at 6am one would ask? To work towards achieving her dreams is the answer... And what dreams would that be? Well one of the very best Volleyball programs in the area is at Copperas Cove High School. This last school year they sent 4 girls to college on Volleyball scholarships. Tiffany has wanted to play volleyball for CCHS for 3 years now and the first part of her dream was to make it onto their team. Now some would say that shouldn't be to hard to do, not true at all. There were 40 girls in the 9th grade that were fighting for their chance to be 1 of 18 girls to make the Freshman Volleyball team, then there is the Junior Varsity Team that only had 15 slots available and 42 girls fighting for those spots, then the Varsity had only 15 slots available and again there were 37 girls fighting for those slots. So a grand total of 119 girls trying out for only 48 slots. Hmmm talk about some competition!
So every morning for three grueling days Tiffany would get up at 6am to eat a good high protein breakfast, pack her gym bag with clothes, her factor in case she gets hurt, a lot of Gatorade and water, snacks and her lunch and off to the school we would go to drop her off by 730am at 5pm I would be on the road headed back to pick her up. Then the day try-outs would end came. The girls all practiced and did their best to show that they should be on the team from 730am until Noon. Then the Coaches have seen all they can and send the girls out of the gym telling them to check the front of the gym doors at 1pm and the list of those who made the team will be posted.
Tiffany called me and asked me if I would come and sit with her and wait for the list to come out. So shortly after Noon I arrived. Tiffany came out and ate her lunch in the van and we talked. She was so nervous. We both prayed that the Coaches would see the skills that Tiffany has worked so hard on for the last three years and choose her....
1pm came and Tiffany along with 118 other girls made the mad dash to the front of the Gym doors.....Drum roll please.....As my heart beat so loud I thought the whole world would hear it I sat staring at the front of the gym waiting to see Tiffany's face to see what I was going to need to do next. Do I give her a hug and tell her not to give up that she can work hard and do outside Volleyball programs and try again next year??? How upset would she be? Do I jump out of the car and cheer along beside her? Dang it I still can't see her...There she is!
SHE MADE THE TEAM!!!! Tiffany made the Freshman team!!!!! She was so happy that she was jumping and waving her arms. All that hard work for the last three years and that final push for the last 2 months as hard as it was paid off she was now a CCHS Lady Dawg Volleyball Player! She has worked hard and achieve her first dream. Tiffany's overall dream for High school is to play Volleyball and be the best so that she can get a Volleyball Scholarship to attend Penn State and play Volleyball for them.
My thoughts were that WOW she made the team okay so now we will slow down a bit...hahaha not so. The girls had a Team meeting and hour later and then practice for 2 more hours. Friday practice from 730am until 5pm again and their first scrimmage on Saturday August 7th, then the Season Opener on August 9th, another game on August 10th, practice every day and then Friday and Saturday we had a Tournament that the girls had to be at starting at 6am and did not leave until 8pm both nights. Sunday they had off and back to practice on Monday, Game on Tuesday, then practice Wednesday and Thursday, a game this Friday and Saturday and then we head into regular games every Tuesday and Friday. All of this so far and school hasn't even started yet. Tiffany is starting her Freshman year this year and is going to be the Graduating Class of 2014. Congradulations to you my dear and we all look forward to watching and assisting you in acheiving the rest of your dreams!
At 6am on August 2nd the alarms went off and up her and I got. Now why would a 14 year old get up at 6am one would ask? To work towards achieving her dreams is the answer... And what dreams would that be? Well one of the very best Volleyball programs in the area is at Copperas Cove High School. This last school year they sent 4 girls to college on Volleyball scholarships. Tiffany has wanted to play volleyball for CCHS for 3 years now and the first part of her dream was to make it onto their team. Now some would say that shouldn't be to hard to do, not true at all. There were 40 girls in the 9th grade that were fighting for their chance to be 1 of 18 girls to make the Freshman Volleyball team, then there is the Junior Varsity Team that only had 15 slots available and 42 girls fighting for those spots, then the Varsity had only 15 slots available and again there were 37 girls fighting for those slots. So a grand total of 119 girls trying out for only 48 slots. Hmmm talk about some competition!
So every morning for three grueling days Tiffany would get up at 6am to eat a good high protein breakfast, pack her gym bag with clothes, her factor in case she gets hurt, a lot of Gatorade and water, snacks and her lunch and off to the school we would go to drop her off by 730am at 5pm I would be on the road headed back to pick her up. Then the day try-outs would end came. The girls all practiced and did their best to show that they should be on the team from 730am until Noon. Then the Coaches have seen all they can and send the girls out of the gym telling them to check the front of the gym doors at 1pm and the list of those who made the team will be posted.
Tiffany called me and asked me if I would come and sit with her and wait for the list to come out. So shortly after Noon I arrived. Tiffany came out and ate her lunch in the van and we talked. She was so nervous. We both prayed that the Coaches would see the skills that Tiffany has worked so hard on for the last three years and choose her....
1pm came and Tiffany along with 118 other girls made the mad dash to the front of the Gym doors.....Drum roll please.....As my heart beat so loud I thought the whole world would hear it I sat staring at the front of the gym waiting to see Tiffany's face to see what I was going to need to do next. Do I give her a hug and tell her not to give up that she can work hard and do outside Volleyball programs and try again next year??? How upset would she be? Do I jump out of the car and cheer along beside her? Dang it I still can't see her...There she is!
SHE MADE THE TEAM!!!! Tiffany made the Freshman team!!!!! She was so happy that she was jumping and waving her arms. All that hard work for the last three years and that final push for the last 2 months as hard as it was paid off she was now a CCHS Lady Dawg Volleyball Player! She has worked hard and achieve her first dream. Tiffany's overall dream for High school is to play Volleyball and be the best so that she can get a Volleyball Scholarship to attend Penn State and play Volleyball for them.
My thoughts were that WOW she made the team okay so now we will slow down a bit...hahaha not so. The girls had a Team meeting and hour later and then practice for 2 more hours. Friday practice from 730am until 5pm again and their first scrimmage on Saturday August 7th, then the Season Opener on August 9th, another game on August 10th, practice every day and then Friday and Saturday we had a Tournament that the girls had to be at starting at 6am and did not leave until 8pm both nights. Sunday they had off and back to practice on Monday, Game on Tuesday, then practice Wednesday and Thursday, a game this Friday and Saturday and then we head into regular games every Tuesday and Friday. All of this so far and school hasn't even started yet. Tiffany is starting her Freshman year this year and is going to be the Graduating Class of 2014. Congradulations to you my dear and we all look forward to watching and assisting you in acheiving the rest of your dreams!
Sunday, June 13, 2010
It's sort of a family reunion
We headed home for vacation and to see my Great-Grandma McIntyre who was turning 100 years old. After her birthday party at the church, we realized for the first time in 7 years we had just about the entire family there so we wanted to get a picture.
I am sorry that we could not have the entire family as we all had hoped for this photo. Those who were missing in this photo were: Aunt Merri who is Uncle Rick's wife was able to be at the parties even though Uncle Rick could not make it, but she exscaped from the church and back to the house before we could get a photo. Their daughter Little Ricci was not able to be there. Brittany and her husband were not able to come because Brittany is deployed to Iraq right now. Aunt Terri's daughter Kristy and her son were not able to come down. Uncle Tom's wife Kathy and their two children also could not make it and finally the only other persons missing was my Stepdad Rob and my husband Jon both who were working and could not make it either.
Here are pictures of the family from the party.
After the party we went back to Grandmaw and Pops McIntyre's house for what ended up being an indoor picnic because it was raining off and on all day. Several people helped out by making platters, and different dishes so that making the food for everyone did not fall all on one person.
We also were able to take a photo of Mom with her two children which we have not been able to do since Tim and I were young kids.
Next we also took a Five Generation photo of the oldest kids. Which would be My Great-Grandma McIntyre, Pops (her son), Diana (my Mom), myself and my oldest Heather. Then we had a photo with Tim and I and Great Grandma, Pops, and Mom and Heather.
I also got some random shots of the family as they spread out around the house.
To the left is Kristy and Tim. The Right is David Samantha's Husband.
This is Samantha (Uncle Tom's oldest) and her youngest Luke.
To the left is Little Jimmy, Aunt Terri's son.
This is Pops
Tiffany
It was so nice to be able to be around my Mom's side of the family for the first time in 7 years. We all had a great time despite the weather and when I first saw the table of food and the number of people we had I was not sure if it was going to be enough to feed us all. The good Lord does always provide and he did this day as well. We ended up with more food than we knew what to do with. I am so grateful that I have a family to go home to and that I was able to spend these special moments with my Great-Grandma and my Grandparents as well.
This flower arrangement along with three others were created by my oldest Heather. She got everything to make them from scratch with no patterns or help from the dollar store. All the flowers except the roses were fake, and the roses were from Great Grandma's Assisted Living Center Birthday Party where she got 100 red roses.
I am sorry that we could not have the entire family as we all had hoped for this photo. Those who were missing in this photo were: Aunt Merri who is Uncle Rick's wife was able to be at the parties even though Uncle Rick could not make it, but she exscaped from the church and back to the house before we could get a photo. Their daughter Little Ricci was not able to be there. Brittany and her husband were not able to come because Brittany is deployed to Iraq right now. Aunt Terri's daughter Kristy and her son were not able to come down. Uncle Tom's wife Kathy and their two children also could not make it and finally the only other persons missing was my Stepdad Rob and my husband Jon both who were working and could not make it either.
After the party we went back to Grandmaw and Pops McIntyre's house for what ended up being an indoor picnic because it was raining off and on all day. Several people helped out by making platters, and different dishes so that making the food for everyone did not fall all on one person.We also were able to take a photo of Mom with her two children which we have not been able to do since Tim and I were young kids.
I also got some random shots of the family as they spread out around the house.To the left is Kristy and Tim. The Right is David Samantha's Husband.
This is Samantha (Uncle Tom's oldest) and her youngest Luke.
To the left is Little Jimmy, Aunt Terri's son.
Alex and Eli
This flower arrangement along with three others were created by my oldest Heather. She got everything to make them from scratch with no patterns or help from the dollar store. All the flowers except the roses were fake, and the roses were from Great Grandma's Assisted Living Center Birthday Party where she got 100 red roses.
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