First Try at the SJGT

This past weekend Katie and I headed down to Fort Gaines, GA for her first SJGT tournament. Since Katie aspires to play college golf, Will advised her to start playing on the tour so she could get experience competing at a higher level. The SJGT is a prestigious tour for juniors and one that has a lot of name recognition amongst college scouts.

Boy was this weekend an eye-opener! Katie was a basket full of nerves. Fortunately, Katie's friend and fellow golfer was playing as well and they were paired up for both days. If you don't think junior golf is serious, let me correct you. Will was right, this was a totally different level than we had ever played. It put the high school matches to shame. Katie came in 4th...out of 4 girls in her age bracket! But, I was very proud of her for sticking with it. Two days of walking 18 holes each day, carrying her own bag, hot weather and not so great golf play made for a tough weekend. Believe me, there were times I thought she was going to just walk off the course.

Todd and the staff of SJGT were top class and very understanding that this was the girl's first appearance in a tournament of this caliber. The two girls in the lead both shot 75 each day and had to go into a sudden death playoff that was decided after two holes.

We left there with our heads held high, a list full of things we need to work on, and the understanding that Brian will have to be at all the remaining tournaments. Katie suffered through my lack of golf knowledge and patiently accepted my pep talks from the side line. I have promised her that I would not speak of her score, only of how we will improve from here. I have included a few shots of her warm up on the first day and shot of Katie and Anna Logan headed off the tee box.

Love You Always

Barbara Burns Schmidt Singleton (1947-1992)

Thanks Mom….
For loving me before you even knew me.
For caring for me from the moment I was born.
For holding my hands as I took my first steps.
For taking time with me after a long day.
For reminding me that laughing is sometimes the best way to cry.
For not just talking the talk, but walking the walk.
For praying with me and for me.
For not just being proud of me, for actually saying it.
For holding me so tight, and for letting me go.
For being the example I needed when it was finally my turn to be a mom.
For teaching me that death is not the end, it’s the beginning.

Can’t wait to see you on the other side completely healed and basking in the Light of our Savior. ~ Buffie

"I am fooling only myself when I say my mother exists now only in the photograph on my bulletin board or in the outline of my hand or in the armful of memories I still hold tight. She lives on in everything I do. Her presence influenced who I was, and her absence influences who I am. Our lives are shaped as much by those who leave us as they are by those who stay. Loss is our legacy. Insight is our gift. Memory is our guide."
--Hope Edelman, Motherless Daughters, epilogue

I'm in A Funk

Mother’s Day always puts me in a funk. Mother’s Day is still a few days away and I have already had several crying spells. Don’t get me wrong, I am grateful to be a mother and I am blessed with a family that showers their appreciation on me. I have also been blessed to have several wonderful “mother” figures in my life.

The real issue with Mother’s Day is that in 1992, cancer made me a motherless daughter. I don’t care how young or old you are, it is really hard to lose your mom. Time is a great healer, but seventeen years later I still leave Hallmark crying. I want to buy her a card or send her flowers. Honestly, what I really want is to be able pick up the phone and hear her voice. I think I have forgotten what it sounded like.

I remember the last few days of my mom’s life like it was yesterday. Even though we had watched her suffer and deteriorate for over a year, I wasn’t ready to let her go. I thought I was, but I wasn’t. I prayed for one more conversation (she had been unresponsive due to pain medications for many days). God granted us that last conversation the day before she died. I will remember that conversation until the day I die. Sometimes I wonder why I only prayed for one last chance to say goodbye. I should have prayed for more…more years with her here.

So, like I said…I am in a funk. I want to honor her. I want to share with you what a wonderful mother she was and what a beautiful testimony she had. But I can’t do that today. Today I just want her back.

A Full House

I'm home today with a sick child. I hate that he is sick, but am enjoying the opportunity to catch up on laundry, paperwork and blogging. We had a full weekend with a full house. Daddy and Dee-Dee drove over and brought Trent, Kelson and Jace. I think it was the first time in a while that they had more than one day to play together. They play so well together. It's interesting that the grandchildren came two by two so each one has a playmate their age. I asked Cole what his favorite part of the weekend was and he said "it was fun to have other people to play with," he went on to say that he has gotten a little old to play with Colton so it was nice to have his cousins here. The humor in that statement is that Cole is 9, Colton is 7. Not a huge age difference. Jace is 6, Kelson is 10 and Trent is 15. I guess Cole sees himself as closer to Trent's age. Oh boy, I have got my hands full!

We started off Saturday morning with my first attempt at homemade cinnamon rolls. Mmmm...were they tasty. I have to thank the Pioneer Woman for the recipe. Delish! After lunch, we loaded up and headed to the golf course. There was fishing, golfing, football, baseball and good conversation. I am not sure the course was intended to be used in all these manners, but that's the benefit of being married to the guy who runs things and the only benefit to the fact that it is closed until July. I did manage to snag Brian's camera and snap a few shots.
Brian with his first brim. The brim was the only thing biting today. No keepers, just catch and release.
Brian and Kelson watching for fish.

Katie and her shadow. if you ever want to know where Colton is...look for Katie, he is usually with her.


Kelson, our softball superstar. That girl can catch...and you wouldn't believe how well she pitches. Cole is looking on as the umpire.


Trevor, Kelson, Katie and Trent. Not sure why I never got a shot of all seven. But, hey...at least I got some shots!

I saved my favorite picture for last. This is Jace, the baby of the pack. he doesn't sit still much. I'm glad I captured this shot.


It was a fun weekend! It's not often that we are all together. I really treasure these moments because I know they are fleeting. It seems like yesterday that Trent and Katie made their first appearance and now they are inching closer to the edge of the nest. The others are right behind them. My prayer is that they will always be friends and have fond memories of these times together.

Our pictures may fade, but our memories won’t. Anonymous

Just a Few Pictures

Evidently, we did get a few shots from the family reunion. Hope you enjoy my aunts and uncles doing the "YMCA" and Katie leading the "Macarena". I taught Katie the Macarena when she was about 3 years old...looks like she did not forget those moves!

Brotherly Love

This week was Spring Break in our neck of the woods. Cole spent the week hanging out with Gran in Auburn. Most days he got to spend several hours with Trevor and Colton. I think it was fun for them all to play with each other on different turf. The way I hear it, Colton demanded that Cole be at his house by the time he got home from school each day. I think Gran delivered! Gran told me that one morning as Cole was saying grace over his breakfast he thanked God for his time with Gran and thanked God for getting to spend time with his brothers.

When you combine families, you never know how the kids are going to get along. We are so blessed that ours really act like brothers. They argue and get tired of each other as most siblings do, but at the same time they are so loving to each other. When they are together, a quiet house becomes very noisy. But I wouldn't trade the noise of brotherly love for anything.

All for one and one for all
My brother and my friend
What fun we have
The time we share
Brothers 'til the end.
~Author Unknown

Janet's Lessons to a Cynic

By nature, I am a cynic. Webster defines a cynic as "one who denies the sincerity of people's motives and actions." Yep, that's pretty much me. I've never seen this as a bad trait or one in which I needed to work on until this week. This week, God spoke to me about this trait through a woman named Janet.

Janet has been without a job for about 6 months and is in the process of losing her home. She was referred to my office to complete some paperwork for financial help. I don't normally handle cases such as Janet. As a matter of fact, I gladly refer these cases elsewhere. Not only do I not want to be involved, I am not trained to minister in that area. I don't buy their stories, I don't trust their motives...you get the picture. The last time I was involved in trying to help someone, my tires were slashed. I'm a little bitter.

Janet is at the end of her rope financially. Little by little she is losing everything. I mean everything. We sat and talked for over an hour and I was taken back by how her heart was overflowing with love for her Savior. She is losing everything, yet she trusts in Him. She is not sure how she will feed her family tomorrow, yet she is confident God will provide. She is listening and watching for what He would have her to learn. She is obediently walking down the path that he has placed before her.

Janet's visit had a profound impact on me. It has taken me a while to be able to process all that God has spoken to me through Janet. Even as I write I am processing. I would like to think that he placed us in the same path so I could help her. In reality, He sent her for me. He used Janet to teach me that I have much, but my faith is often small. She has little, yet she is rich in Him. I really felt like I was speaking to Jesus when I was talking to Janet. I saw Him in her eyes and I am still overwhelmed by it all. To think that I was dreading having to meet with her, to think how skeptical I was...I am ashamed. I could have very easily sent her away. Would I have been rejecting Him?

Thank you Lord for sending Janet to break my prideful spirit. Thank you for loving me even when my faith is small. Thank you for Janet. You know every need that she has and you have promised that you will provide. Provide for Janet today oh Lord.