Monday, September 27, 2010

Organized Sports

For those of you who don't know, Jackson is freakishly good at sports. He can connect with a baseball thrown to him 99 percent of the time, he can shoot a basketball from any place, he can pitch both left and right handed to an exact spot and can hit a golf ball farther than his dad. We have never pushed him to play any sports, it must just be in his blood because the kiddo just LOVES to play any sport.

So...when Jackson was asked to be on a soccer team with some of his buddies from his class at Westminster we said yes knowing how much fun he would have. His first game was two Saturdays ago and I was so excited. I made the comment to Renzi that "this was what I had been waiting for since the moment I found out I was having a boy. Organized sports."

Jackson did great and I don't think we parents have laughed that hard in a long time. Here are two videos from that morning. One is of Jackson "warming up." Please note his arms in the air when he tries to kick the ball. HILARIOUS.

The second video is of "Uncle Tim" interviewing J at half time about his teams' performance. CLASSIC.

Enjoy!
LAS

Monday, September 20, 2010

Missing him.


I was at work today and I turned on my computer and somehow I found myself looking at this picture. It made me smile and it made me sad all at the same time. While I was sitting at work...and then I got teary eyed and I remembered my last post about the book, "If you have to cry go outside." And then I started to laugh. Strange emotions to have all at once I tell ya.
So, I thought in this post I would let you all know how I am doing after four months since Isaiah passed away. I feel like I need to write about it today, so that's exactly what I am going to do. I hope this helps any of you who see me out and about and are scared to ask me how we are doing, or wondering if you should bring "it" up or not.
After four months it still hurts like h-e-double hockey sticks. Sometimes it feels like fresh hurt and sometimes it doesn't hurt as bad as it did the day before.
At first I wondered if I would ever really be happy again or ever really laugh again. And then, one day you find yourself really really laughing, a real laugh, where your face hurts and you think about how long its been since you laughed like that and vow to do it more. Then you thank God for that moment.
Someone will ask you how you are doing and you say you are doing OK, and you really feel like you are doing ok, then as soon as you are alone you burst into tears. And after a good cry, you actually feel a little better and wonder why you held it in for so long. I am so grateful when someone asks me about him. I love talking about BOTH of my boys. It feels good to talk about both of them. And if I cry when I talk to you, I cry. And if I don't, I don't.
There are Sundays when I don't want to go to church. Since Isaiah's memorial is at our church it has scared me to go back there and I don't want to open up a wound when I don't have to. Then, there are Sundays that won't come fast enough. I have been to church the last two weeks and am overwhelmed with how comforting it is to just be there. It's like he's there with us wrapping his arms around us and I feel his love.
I have some nights when I can't fall asleep because I am thinking about him and some mornings when it takes all of my strength to push forward. But I do. And in the mornings, during the half-second between asleep and fully awake, I feel the dreaded feeling that something is wrong and it then it hits me all over again: he's gone.
But..through it all, I am grateful that God picked me to be his mommy. I hold his picture sometimes and kiss it, remembering his soft skin. I will find a shirt or a blanket of his and try as hard as I can to smell him and then cry because I can't. I sometimes play his videos on the computer and ache to hold him one more time. And then I wonder if I am crazy, and then feel better because other moms tell me they have done the same thing.
I am so humbled by the prayers offered up to our family from people I have never met and grateful for family and friends who have loved us through this. I pass people, in the grocery store, at the soccer field, at the gas station, and I wonder what sadness they are carrying around that no one knows about. I pray now for people as my day goes on. If someone pops in my mind, I pray for them. You never know who needs a prayer at any given time.
There are days when I am full of questions. What if this, or what if that, or how come this and how come that. But then I remember that God's soverign plans are perfect and Isaiah's days were appointed before he was even one day old.
Most of all, I am grateful for Isaiah. Grateful for his short life. I know that if given the choice between not knowing him and not knowing grief or knowing him and experiencing a grief like you have never known before...I would pick him. Over and over I would pick him.


Wednesday, September 15, 2010

My New Obsession.




As I have posted in previous blogs, I am a HUGE reader. Love it. Love to read. Love the thought of reading. Love the coziness of reading. Love it. I read every night before bed and I actually used to make people who spent the night at my house read "Babysitters Club" books before they went to bed whether they wanted to or not.

This book is my new obsession.
"IF YOU HAVE TO CRY, GO OUTSIDE. And other things your mother never told you."
By Kelly Cutrone.

To be honest, I think I have a slight obession with Kelly Cutrone in general. Ever since she stepped onto the "sound stage" of the Hills on MTV I have liked her. Maybe its her uncanny knack to speak EXACTLY what is on her mind at any given time. (I actually think I am a little jealous of this trait. How I long to say EXACTLY what is on my mind.) Maybe its her take no prisonors attitude. Maybe its her hard as nails work ethic. Love her or hate her, you have to respect what she has made of herself and her company.

I can not even tell you the last time I actually felt the need to UNDERLINE text in a book (besides my bible, of course!).

Here are a few of the quotes I have underlined from her book. (and I am only half way through!)

"Sometimes, if not most of the time, you find out who you are by figuring out who and what you are not."

"I hope that you too will choose to have a journey instead of just a life."

"There are people we are related to physically, and then there are people we're related to spiritually, emotionally and socially."

"When you are the most happening person at the party, it's time to leave."

"Sometimes the best way to fake it is to shut up."

"If you don't let what you don't know stop you from doing your best in every situation, you will surprise yourself over and over in life."

"You can't fake hard work."

"Sometimes in life seasons don't come in order; instead of fall, winter, spring, summer, we get three winters in a row. But that doesn't mean spring won't come eventually."

"True friends love us no matter what and are willing to call us out on our BS."

So...I just thought I would share these quotes from a great book. Oh and I also just posted a picture of the cutest boy in the world today while at lunch at Pops at Lake Arcadia on Route 66. I love his smile!

Hope everyone is having a great week.
Love!
Lee Anne






Friday, September 10, 2010

The things we do for friends....

I have always considered it a plus to know Amanda Morgan Clark. Not only is she one of my bestest friends since college...but...a few years ago she opened up a Boutique in Norman on Campus Corner called, "Blush." Now, I have a place to buy all of my clothes at great prices AND get to hang out with Amanda while I shop. BONUS!

Both of my boys have literally grown up at Blush. When Jackson was only 2 weeks old, Blush was one of his and my first ventures out into the "World." I put him on a blanket and he was just as happy as could be while his mommy shopped.

Isaiah also got to experience Blush at a young age. He wasn't as quiet as Jackson was at that age, but at the time Amanda had just given birth to Chloe so Isaiah and Chloe would hang out at Blush together while Jackson ran around the store like a wild man.

Amanda is a great friend. Always has been. Always will be. So, when she called me Wednesday and asked me for a favor I was quick to say, SURE! ANYTHING!

Little did I know what she was going to be asking of me.....

Here is a link to what she had me do......

http://www.news9.com/Global/category.asp?C=116601&autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=5100406&flvUri=&partnerclipid=

We had a great time and I didn't fall on my face! :)

After the show was over Amanda, Angela and I headed over to Bin 73 for a little girls happy hour and catch up time. So good for the heart to be with good girl friends!

The moral of this story is...head on over to Blush in Norman TODAY for amazingly cute things. You can also visit her website at www.blushnorman.com

Happy Shopping!
Lee Anne

Monday, September 6, 2010

We did it!!!!!


Well, we did it! Ginny, Jackie and I finished the half marathon and I couldn't more proud of us. Here is my official time from the Rock N Roll Half Marathon Virginia Beach Half Marathon:


02:41:19
22571
Lee Anne Stone
Oklahoma City, OK
Age: 30 | Gender: F
Overall: 10822 out of 14767 · Division: 1026 out of 1451 · Gender: 5462 out of 8380
Here are my thoughts from the race: I ran the entire way. I did not walk once! Mile 9 was the hardest. I was really proud of my cardio training because I didn't get out of breath at all during the race, but about Mile 9 my body started to get tight and my legs started to burn. Mile 11 I got a burst of energy and ran faster and actually recorded my fastest mile...10 minutes. The last mile seemed like it took forever and the last .1 was seriously brutal. All in all, it was a fabulously wonderful experience and I am soo glad we did. Go TEAM ISAIAH!

The coolest part of the race was this....As I rounded out of Camp Pendleton at mile 6, my IPOD died. I am a genius and did not charge it the night before. I was thinking to myself, "How in the world am I going to do this without music???" All of a sudden, a woman shouts out, "Team Isaiah! Lee Anne Stone!" I look over and she and three of her girlfriends all shouted out, "We LOVE your blog! Go Team Isaiah!" Talk about a grace moment!!! That fueled me through the rest of the race and I just reflected on my precious baby and our time together on this Earth. So...to you Virginia Beach ladies who cheered me on...THANK YOU. I needed you all at that very moment and am so humbled that you take the time to read my blog. What blessings you were!!!!

There are a lot of pictures from the race but this one is my favorite! My loves cheering me on at Mile 11. Love you both Renzi and Jackson for supporting me before, during and after the race. You all keep me going!

Much love!
Lee Anne



Thursday, September 2, 2010

Just trying to run....

A girl's just trying to run her first half marathon....I had strep throat towards the end of last week and now a hurricane! Seriously??!!!???

Earl to be off Delmarva coast Friday morning

September 2, 2010 - 8:16am
AP: f7b7932c-673b-47ac-ac07-8cf1ebc5a8a2
Seven year-old Garrison Williams, left, enjoys the large surf with his dad Gary Williams, of Purcellville, Va., as Hurricane Earl heads towards the eastern coast on Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2010 in Virginia Beach, Va. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
WASHINGTON - Hurricane Earl may be packing a punch in the Atlantic Ocean, but how will the Category 4 storm affect the D.C. area and the Delmarva beaches this Labor Day weekend?

"For most of our listening area, everybody west of Chesapeake Bay, the weather is going to be fine," ABC 7 Chief Meteorologist Doug Hill says.

Temperatures will be near 90 degrees on Friday and in the low 80s throughout the Labor Day weekend. Get the latest forecasts throughout the weekend at theWTOP Weather Center.

The biggest concern is at the beach.

A hurricane watch and tropical storm warning are in effect for Virginia Beach and the Maryland and Delaware beaches.

"We've been monitoring this storm very closely," Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan told WTOP Thursday morning.

"Everybody should be responsible and use good common sense. Let's wait until this event passes through," Meehan says.

Meehan isn't discouraging people from coming to the resort, but he recommends not heading out until late Friday afternoon.

Earl, now a Category 4 hurricane, is expected to be 150 to 200 miles off the coast of Ocean City Friday morning and mid-day. Meehan says with the storm out that far the winds will be in the tropical force range of 40 mph to 50 mph.

When Earl reaches the Delmarva beaches, Hill says people should expect waves between 6 and 10 feet in height, beach erosion, dangerous rip tides, hurricane force wind gust and very heavy rain squalls.

"The beaches of Maryland, Delaware and Virginia will be gorgeous Saturday, Sunday and Monday," Hill said Thursday morning.

"The concern is for late tonight and through mid-afternoon tomorrow when Earl will remain offshore, making its closest approach, probably bringing rain squalls and tropical storm force winds to the ocean beaches and treacherous and dangerous surf conditions."

The last time a hurricane did serious damage to Ocean City was in 1986 when Hurricane Gloria struck. That was before Ocean City had a sea wall.

"Our dunes are in good shape. Our beach is good shape," Meehan says.

"The closest effects I think we're going to see are on the Chesapeake Bay and tidal rivers, where the increasing winds may cause higher than normal tides, which is why a coastal flood warning is in effect," Hill says.

Earl is expected to bypass the Virginia coast early Friday morning, but forecasters warned any deviation of the storm's track to the west could change their prediction. Forecasters say people in the Virginia Beach area will likely see high winds and seas late Thursday.

A a state of emergency has been declared in Virginia and in Maryland.

Some Amtrak trains have already been canceled ahead of the storm.

Forecasters also have their hands full with two new storms that are forming.

On Wednesday, the seventh tropical storm of the season formed far out in the Atlantic. Tropical Storm Gaston had sustained winds of 40 mph and is expected to strengthen into a hurricane this weekend as it moves toward the Leeward Islands.

Tropical Storm Fiona remained north of the Caribbean with winds of 60 mph and is expected to move toward Bermuda over the next several days


We leave this morning for Annapolis and will keep watch on the weather throughout the weekend. Stay tuned to find out if they Rock N Roll Half Marathon in Virginia Beach is cancelled....and if its not....then stay tuned for our times!

Until next time....Muah!