One Thousand Gifts…

A dare to live fully – right where you are.

Could you do it? I often think about this everyday as times flies by and baseball organizations tend to make life decisions for you. My fiance, Liam, is in Rochester right now on the Triple A team within the Minnesota Twins organization. That’s not where we ended last year and that’s not where we started this year. Let me go back a season and tell you how our story began.

Last year, Liam had the most amazing season of his career. He started in Double A New Britain, played in the Double A All-Star game, represented the Twins in the Futures game in Arizona, moved up to Triple A and then ended his season with a September call up to the Bigs. We couldn’t have been happier and I couldn’t have been any more proud. We had an amazing off season visiting with friends and family, spending time together, and then getting engaged right before spring training! It was the icing on the most perfect cake I had ever tasted.

Spring training went by in a flash and Liam excelled! We were happy to find out that he would be put on the starting rotation with the Minnesota Twins for the 2012 season. We were so excited! But as you know, baseball is baseball, and within the first 30 days of being on the Twins big league team, Liam was sent down to the Rochester Red Wings. It was a trying moment for both of us. His confidence had been blasted and I was left feeling very confused. You see, this was the first time in all the years of being together, that we actually lived together during baseball season. I had moved the pets up to Minneapolis from Florida and felt lost. Do I move with him to Rochester? Do I stay in Minneapolis? Do I go home to Florida? I didn’t know what decision would be the best. I wanted to be with him but he could be moved back again as soon as I move there, so what do I do?

In the midst of all this confusion and the decisions that needed to be made, I was given advice from an amazing friend. She said, “You need to do what is best for you and Liam. Nobody can make that decision for you. Stop letting other peoples opinions control the decisions that you and him make for your family.” I got to thinking and realized that she was right. We had to figure it out for ourselves. Whether that was to uproot our little family and move to Rochester or stayed parked in Minneapolis, only we could make that decision.

During the span of Liam’s baseball career, I have never lived in the moment. We have always been thinking of “what’s next?” or “hopefully we get that call”. I am sure a lot of you are just like me. You don’t want to get settled somewhere if the thought of moving to a new city or team is just on the horizon. How do you find joy in the midst of all the madness? What is God providing here and now?

[php]global $picID, $picCaption, $picTitle, $picAlign, $picUrl, $picSize, $picAlt, $picAdj, $picLightBox; $picID=”10″; $picCaption=”One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp”; $picTitle=””; $picAlign=”right”; $picUrl=”https://forthefieldapparel.com /wp-content/uploads/249052_10151776372085710_696296724_n.jpg”; $picSize=”medium”; $picAlt=”One Thousand Gifts, by Ann Voskamp”; $picAdj=”0″; $picLightBox=”false”; autoWrapImg();[/php]

I’m determined to find that answer. Today I am starting a book titled One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. It’s a practical guide to living a life of joy and helping you to wake up to God’s everyday blessings. I sometimes forget what a blessed life I live because of all the changes and loneliness I experience. Being a baseball wife is definitely an amazing opportunity and gift but it is also a life full of hours spent alone. I need to always remember that I am not the only person to have ever gone through this. We need to remind each other just how lucky we are and be there for each other- even with something as simple a hug and a short whisper “It’s going to be okay. I’ve been there.”

PS: I love to write while listening to music. I try to find songs that speak to me in the moment. Each blog will have a song tied to it. It’s like the soundtrack of my life. Music is a way to the soul.

Listening to: John Mayer-Born and Raised album “If I Ever Get Around to Living”