Growing Process

There is much going on around the Workman abode these days.  If you didn't know, we have sold our townhouse (well, actually God did it...in like 18 hours.  Yay!) and plan to move in less than a month to a "perfect for us" home...with a (drum roll) huge yard.  Woo Hoo!!!  It has been an exciting, overwhelming, and crazy time! (Hence, the lack of blogging these days) This is the first time we have ever sold a home, so we have been learning A LOT, especially in regards to patience, timing, and what constitutes as a little or big bump in the road. This week we have been experiencing the most turbulent bump in the road that we have encountered so far in this journey. We have been dealing with an issue, that is completely out of our control, and one that the sell of our place is completely dependent upon.

But as with EVERYTHING else in life, it is NOT out of God's control.  Not one bit.  And really, how many things do I really and truly have control over, anyway? That is one thing I have been learning this week.  Along with the fact that God doesn't really need me to step in and work everything out.  Nope.  He is quite capable.  Plus, in my own strength, I tend to just make a big ole mess of it, anyway.  Yeah, God knows that, too.  That is why He is often gently nudging me OUT OF THE WAY.

In light of all of this, I sent a message to a dear friend today, who is also in the midst of a move and buying a home.  I stepped back after I sent her the message and thought, "Wow!  That thought was really blog worthy."  So, here it is.  Not because I think my words are so profound, but because I think what God is doing is so profound.


"God has showed me so much this week. He has showed me where there are some "holes" in my faith. I am so good at trusting God when things are going according to plan (my plan), but when there is a bump, I tend to fall apart and try to come up with my own solutions to work it out. Big solutions that are not mine to make. Anyway, God has given me so much peace this week amid a very stressful and uncertain time. What He has put in my heart is, "I will work this out...you just don't know how I am going to do it. But you don't have to know the answers..I just need you to trust me and not get in my way. Don't let fear consume you, because I have other work for you to do this week, while I take care of this. So, just go about your business while I handle this."  It has been so freeing. God has been so faithful. I finally LET GO of something and have experienced the peace of not stressing out through a difficult situation. This may be the first time in history that I have done this. Growing, growing, growing...right?!"

Always growing.  Always learning.  May my precious Lord never give up on teaching me, in spite of my really hard head.


P.S.  God totally worked out the situation for us.  He is pretty awesome like that.

P.P.S. Hopefully, I will have more time soon to get the ole blog caught up or at least get some pictures of the new house on here!

Soccer Season is ON!

I woke up early this morning to find Seth on the couch, in full soccer uniform-cleats, shin guards, and all- ready to play! 

 

If you know Seth at all, you know he is NEVER the first one awake in this house.  However, the excitement of his first soccer game of the season was enough motivation to get him rolling early this morning.  And before anyone else.

 

 

Seth has gotten quicker, stronger, and much more focused than he was a few months ago.  He charged out on the field, ready to play and did an awesome job!  He scored two goals in his opener and did a great job on defense! 

 

 

 

One guy who you will not see on the soccer field this season is Biz.  It is a little bittersweet since he has played the last seven seasons, and we will certainly miss seeing him play.  But he is giving flag football a try this season and really enjoying it.  His season starts next week. 

 

Today, Biz took on the role as family photographer.

 

Yay for the beginning of soccer season!!!

 

Notes of Sweetness

My heart runneth over...

"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing." 

1 Thessalonians 5:11

THOSE shoes!!!

Have you ever just loved something so much that you couldn't let it go?

Those must be Caleb's sentiments toward his old white Asics.  

I did not know this until a recent incident.

He actually wore these shoes THREE pairs of tennis shoes ago.  Somehow they still linger in our home.  Somehow.

The bigger mystery is how in the world does his big ole foot still fit in these bad boys?

Over Christmas break, we bought Caleb a new pair of Asics.  While he was at school one day in his brand new shoes, I took my opportunity to discard the old ones into the trash.  I really thought they would not be missed. 

A couple of weeks went by and I totally forgot all about the shoes.  One day, while the boys were at school and I was putting some clothes away in the closet, something caught my eye.  I had to do a double take.  Could my eyes be playing tricks on me?

No, they were not.  

Those holey Asics were staring back at me in the back of the closet.  

But how???

It was almost as if they were sneering at me.

I closed the closet door and walked away, defeated.

Then I laughed my head off.

When Caleb got home from school, I showed him the shoes.  He got a sly little grin on his face, and I was like, "How did you find them?"

"Well, my chore is emptying the trash."

Touche.

After Caleb's valiant rescue effort, I didn't have the heart to actually escort them to dumpster myself.  I made the condition with him that if agreed that they would NEVER leave our property again, then he could keep them.

He agreed.  

Ugh.

The shoes are still here.

Reading Tent

Here is proof that the Workman's set up camp anywhere...

Tante and Uncle Tim's living room last Friday at a sleepover

The boys' bedroom floor

The second tent still remains.  Caleb marketed it to me as a "Reading Tent," because he knew that would be hard for me to argue with.  And he is a smart cookie.  So, I have allowed camp to stay set up.  It actually does serve its purpose pretty well.  I often find him in there, hunkered down with a book.  Not a bad idea, Mr. Workman.

Side note:  Thumbs up is Caleb's new thing.  Now when he sees the camera, he flashes those thumbs.  Love it!

Scrabble Love

If you know me very well, you know my love for Scrabble.  I just love words, as evidenced in my excessive use of them on a daily basis.

Alas, the only time I usually get to play is when Mom or Becky is around, since it is just not the game for Eric.  Sad, but true. Hmm, how did I miss this before committing to marry him?   TOTALLY KIDDING!  He has many other wonderful attributes.  Avid Scrabble player is just not one of them.

BUT all is not lost.  There are two other people who live in this house.  And one of them came to me recently with the Scrabble box in hand.  Woo Hoo, Caleb!  I think a small tear of joy escaped my eye.  Anyway, as we were setting up the game, another little Workman asked to play.  Sheer joy!  My hope was just one Scrabble convert, but two.  It is just too much.

Due to bed time, we had to put the game on hold.  I captured this shot of our first board together.  I will hang it on the wall next to my grand children's pictures one day.  Ha!  We did actually make it pretty far in the game over the course of about three days.

Here's to many, many more games of Scrabble together!

Maybe, just maybe, we will one day convert Eric, too.  Probably not.

But maybe.

The Upside of Yuck

Seth spent all of the long MLK holiday weekend with the yuck.  The upside was that it only lasted a couple of days and Granny was here, so he got lots of cuddling in.

And few things are better than Granny cuddles!

Trail Rides

We were blessed to have some extra adventures last year, and one of my favorites came along with our Asheville excursion. Eric had a surprise up his sleeve while we were there-one that didn't include the Biltmore or the swanky, ultra hip downtown area. Both were so much fun to experience and explore, and such contrasts to one another.  Biltmore transforms you back to a time of over the top grandeur, lavishness, and tradition whereas Downtown Asheville could not be more modern with its celebration of diversity, artsiness (is that a word?), organic EVERYTHING, and bucking anything that wreaks of tradition.  Yes, Asheville is an interesting place.  Two different worlds colliding, yet coexisting well.

The adventure Eric had planned for us took us away from Asheville all together and into to the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains.  It was a more laid back, slower paced adventure.  One that was more our style of fun, one that, although a very brand new adventure, catered more to our comfort zone, and one that was more US.  (I love how well he knows us.)

And, it just so happened to involve horses.

Yep, this Kentucky girl had never before ridden a horse.

I can't say that anymore.

Eric had planned for us a two-hour trail ride through the mountains.  I had no idea what to expect.  Sometimes that makes for the best adventures.  I hopped on my horse, who was named Becky (how sweet is that?), and hoped for the best.  The trail guides gave us a very quick crash course in horse riding and then it was up to me and Becky to make it through the ride unscathed.  Oh, but Becky was great!  Just as gentle and sweet as the wonderful person she reminded me of (in name, not looks, Sister).  She listened and was very patient with me as I fumbled with the reigns.  Only once or twice did I have any inkling of fear and that was only because she got just a little too close to the side of the mountain, and I was afraid we were going to tumble right down it.  However, Becky had probably carried thousands of people over that trail, so who was I to doubt her and her proprioception?  But still, I mumbled a few silent prayers on both of our behalfs.  Yes, I learned that horseback riding takes a lot of faith.  And I also learned that it is one of the most relaxing and fun experiences I have ever had.

Eric and I kept trying to remember his horse's name.  It was not quite as memorable as Becky.  We are thinking Sassy, but who knows?  She was a good horse, too, and a bit more rowdy than sweet Becky.

 

The views from our trail were so beautiful!  The weather was so nice and although it had been raining that morning, it stopped just in time for our ride.

What a fun morning together!  With the horses.
Thank you, Honey!  You rock!!

We did end up back downtown later that night...along with the rain.  Unfortunately, we did not escape the torrential downpours.  We didn't take an umbrella and got drenched!  It was all good, though.  There are SO many great places to eat in downtown Asheville, but we went back to the place we ate at on our first evening there...Tupelo Honeys.  Partly because we didn't want to keep walking around in the rain looking for a place to eat and partly because it is just THAT GOOD!  It had come highly recommended and now we highly recommend it.  YUM!!

First Snow of the Year

The boys FINALLY got their snow day!!

(And they didn't even have to sleep with their underwear on their head to get it.  Yeah, that little rumor just did not hold truth.)

Although most of the snow has already melted, the boys definitely made the most of it this morning.

 

 

After they came in from the cold, we feasted on blueberry coconut pancakes and hot chocolate.

Yeah, we set the snow day bar pretty high here today.

A Little Rumor

It is rumored that if you are expecting snow and sleep with your underwear on your head then you will surely awaken to a snow day (or ice day, in our case) from school....

This is one rumor that Caleb certainly took to heart.

Coach Seth

Okay, I thought that watching UK basketball was an event with Eric, but I think that Seth now tops him.  Since his trip to Rupp, Seth has become quite an avid UK basketball watcher.  He gets so excited when a game is on and will sit and watch it intently.  Well, that is when he is not running around shooting baskets and pretending to be on the floor at Rupp.  And he even gets a little mouthy.  It is really hilarious.

This past Saturday, UK could have really benefited from having Seth on the floor.  They did not have their best game, by a long shot.  They got bested AT HOME by one of the SEC's newest members, Texas A & M.    We did not get home until the last fourteen minutes or so of the game, and what we saw was not pretty. Not pretty at all.

Kentucky could not hit ANYTHING. Really, at one point they had an 8-9 minute scoring drought.  And Texas A & M could not miss anything.  Not to mention, A & M's Turner had the game of his life. Not a good combination for the true blue fan. 

But anyway, although the Cats playing was quite demure, the living room at the Workman house was quite entertaining.  It made the loss a little easier to bear. Seth was just beside himself during the game.  He was coaching his little heart out to no avail. At one point, Seth just threw up his hands and called out to the Cats, " Do you just want the other team to win?"

He continued to coach them down the final stretch, but they were just not listening to Seth's wise instructions.  They fell and fell hard to the Aggies...83 to 71. Ouch.

At the end of the game, Seth stood up, looked at the TV and said, "UK, you are better than this...," and went off to play.  Enough said.

Is it Friday Yet?

A friend gave me a sign plate, thinking that maybe Eric or one of his co-workers might want it for their office. 

The little sign never made it to Eric.  It was intercepted by Biz.


I walked into the kitchen to find this...

Yes, Friday homemade pizza night is still a beloved tradition in the Workman home.

The Final Workman Visits Rupp! A blog by Eric

As I type this Blog the sound of a wireless basketball scoreboard and a roaring audience fill the living room. Why? Because a five-year-old wearing a blue and white number 22 Kentucky jersey is, in his mind, running up and down the Rupp Arena floor 'versing' Marshall University. Ahhh....is this the result of brainwashing family tradition being passed down to my sons?

I believe so.

Actually, it is the result of a father/son pilgrimage and a rite of passage in the Workman family to the home of the Wildcats, Rupp Arena.

When Biz turned five, he, too, made his first trip to Rupp Arena.

It was a blast. Biz sat beside me totally zoned into the game, holding up 3 posters when the Cats drained a trey, and booed when the opposing team tried to concentrate on hitting their free throws. Biz has always been our energetic, up for anything, as long as there was noise and lots of people, kind of kid. Seth, our more reserved son isn't as easily enthused (see our epic failed trips to the circus and Disney on Ice). So when I scored two tickets from Meem and Peep for Seth and I to go to Rupp, I wasn't sure how it would go. But in the days leading up to our December 22nd trip, Tep (our name for Seth) displayed some excitement which made me a very happy Dada.

 In an attempt to avoid holiday travel traffic and UK fan traffic in Lexington, Seth and I left Granny's house in plenty of time to catch the opening song, player intro and fireworks.  We sailed right into the heart of Big Blue Nation without a hitch which gave us ample time to get the full experience. The full experience, which also included Seth having his first ever, very own Ale-8 to drink on the way. (Don't worry non bluegrass folks, who might have never heard of this tasty, unique to Kentucky beverage. It is completely non-alcoholic and a must have when we travel back home.)




Once at Rupp, we walked into a sea of blue clad fans. One of the very first sights we happened upon was a UK Stormtrooper. Note: The blue Stormtroopers are much more timid than his Star Wars ancestors. He allowed us to snap a picture before heading to the Kentucky Korner gift store.

We weaved in and out of the masses and Tep took inventory of the store so that he could pick out the perfect souvenir. He decided on a mini-UK basketball. This was perfect because on the second level concourse, there is the hardwood playing floor that was the former playing floor in Rupp. Seth got to dribble his new ball on the floor. He was so excited and even played the role of commentator while dribbling  "And Kentucky shoots and wins!"




 










One special moment was when we entered the actual arena. He saw the floor and I think that is really when it hit him where we were. This was the same place we saw on TV for so many seasons!

We were immediately approached by an elderly usher with blue framed glasses and a blue blazer. He asked if this was Seth's first time at Rupp. After Seth told him it was, he told us not to move and that he would be right back. He returned a few seconds later with a UK button for Seth. Seth's eyes lit up and he said to me, "This means I am special to the UK players."

It was a sweet moment.

 From the time the lights went out, spotlights danced around the arena, On, On U of K played, and the announcer heralded, 'And now YOUR University of Kentucky WILDCATS!' Seth was 100% zoned in and thrilled to be there. He cheered, he booed (against Marshall), he jumped, he laughed, we shared a Coke and popcorn, and both took in the atmosphere and appreciated just being there together. My little buddy would look up at me and ask questions initially. I showed him where the scoreboard was and how to see who was winning so he could keep up without asking me after every bucket. I pointed out and explained the shot clock, the game clock, everything a Rupp rookie needs to know to be a self-reliant spectator.

With three minutes to go in the first half, I asked Seth if he needed to use the restroom. He said he did and I asked him if he wanted to go now before the crowd beat us to the bathroom, or if he wanted to wait until halftime. He said, "If we go now, will I miss some of the game?" I said yes to which he responded, "then I'll wait until halftime." He didn't want to miss a second. Never mind the Cats were up 33-24 at the half.

He told me his favorite players were numbers 3 (Noel), 15 (Cauley-Stein), and 5 (Polson). I think he just added Polson because he's my favorite player as well. Although, numbers 3 and 15 are not far behind on my list either.

There are certain moments that a father will forever keep in his heart. Watching Biz, and now Seth, at Rupp are memories that I will always carry with me. There were times when I think I missed two to three minutes of the game just watching my little buddy's enamored joy by the action on the floor. He talked my ear off asking all kinds of questions. I was happy to answer them because I know there may come a time when he thinks ole' dad doesn't know much. It was truly one of the highlights of my fatherhood thus far.

When we got into the car after catching some of the Coach Cal show, Seth said, "Can we come to Rupp Arena everyday?" I wish buddy....I wish.

Thank you Jesus for giving me the privilege to be the father to two of the coolest guys I know. And thank you, UK basketball, for providing bonding time that none of us will forget.