Express Christmas

Every holiday season there is that time span when the most classic movies are played over and over leading up to the big day. When Christmas rolls around you can count on seeing “Home Alone”, “Home Alone 2”, “National Lampoons Christmas Vacation”, and “A Christmas Story” leading up to the big day. However, this year it was a tv show that really captured the Christmas spirit for me. Modern Family had an episode called “Express Christmas” and it was perfect. The family can’t come together on Christmas Day so they have to get creative and have Christmas early without any time to plan. The day is filled with wild family antics and surprises. For the first time Steven and I are trying to celebrate all of our family’s holidays together which has meant not one, but several “express” Christmases.

So far, we have had two of our Christmases. The first was in Lake City, Minnesota with my mom’s side of the family. It was great to be able to get together with aunts, uncles, counsins, and the whole extended crew since baseball tends to make it hard for Steven to be part of family gatherings. It was our version of an “Express Christmas” completed with an evening mass and delicious meal.

The second Christmas we’ve had was with my parents and between Steven and I here in Wisconsin. Since we will be traveling I will miss my immediate family’s Christmas so we decided to have that early too. Usually my family has our Christmas early so it wasn’t much of a change from other years but I did miss having my sisters there.

Our next celebrations are in North Carolina which means at the end of the week we’ll pack up the car, throw in the dog, and start our 16 hour drive to Asheville. Steven was there in the fall and I haven’t been back since last Christmas break so we are both excited to see family and friends. Although we get to spend just over a week there our schedule is already filling up. Somehow, Steven has even managed to get a hunting trip in there! I’ve never hunted and definitely never killed anything so it should be interesting to say the least. Aside from all of the Christmas celebrations, we will also be celebrating Steven’s birthday.…a quarter of a century!

After the 1st of the year we have to head back since the schools start up which means back to work and teaching for me. Managing all of the Christmases, celebrations, and a road trip has definitely required some organization and been hectic. It’s required us to work together and compromise and I’m sure the 32 hours in the car will really put us to the test. Just like in Modern Family, hijinks and mishaps are to be expected by the time all is said and done. Christmas this year has been and will be different than our family Christmases from the past but as Gloria says, “Family is family. Whether it’s the one you start out with, the one you end up with, or the family you gain along the way.”

A Tale of Two Off Seasons

The off season looks a little different for each athlete and their family so since it has officially started for us, we're doing a joint post on what we have going on.

Ashley:

For me, the off season is in the summer when I'm not teaching, so during this time of year I'm busy working. Since I'm not teaching full time this year I am staying busy subbing in the area and working with a program at UWEC. I'm really enjoying getting to work with different grade levels and teaching different subjects when I sub. I've even been able to work at the same school as my mom a few times.

Although I plan to take a break from traveling until Spring Training, at the end of November I got to take a trip Florida for a PAO conference. I was able to connect with new people and hear some awesome messages.

In my spare time I've been working with Mira on some dog training and watching Packer football! For the most part, I'm just enjoying having family and friends around and taking the in the moment before its back to baseball.

Steven:
This offseason has been a lot different for me this year than it has been in the past. I have usually went home to my home in NC and hunted and hung out with family and worked out at the RUSH facility. Since Ashley and I have decided to try to have a "normal" relationship (where we get to see each other more than once a month), I decided to spend my offseason in Wisconsin with her and her family. She is able to get plenty of work teaching and also works at the university in town.

We just got back for a Professional Athletes Outreach (PAO) conference in Florida. I can't explain how God worked in both of our lives during this 5 day conference. It truly was a blessing to see God move in our lives. Since being back from that I have had my wisdom teeth cut out and it has been a nightmare. I am currently writing to say that there isn't a lot I wouldn't do for a cheeseburger right now! Went back to the doctor today and I have dry socketed myself. Ha Ha. Anyways that is just a little glimpse into the offseason so far. I hope that God continues to bless and His glory and honor grows more and more each day!


Don't let Steven fool you, he's been doing TONS of hunting too. Hopefully we'll be able to post of a pic of a kill soon :)

Back Where it All Began

This last week I was able to spend some time in Arizona with Steven while he played in the Arizona Fall League. This was my first trip back Southwest since moving in May. While I was there I met up with old friends and helped my former roommate move into her first house. I got to see Steven pitch a few times and added another ballpark to the list of places I've been. I loved the sunshine, pool time, and the familiar feel of Arizona. I realized that while baseball is sure to take us all around the US, I will always feel a little at home in Arizona and look forward to whatever time we get to spend there because that’s where it all started.

I graduated from college in 2008 and had a job lined up in Avondale, AZ. Another girl from my hometown had a job lined up as well so we decided to live together without really knowing each other too well. I don't think either of us would've guessed what that year together would hold but I definitely made some of the best memories of my life. This is where Steven comes in. Our group of girls liked to go out on the weekends to the Westgate area, particularly Margaritaville. There were always live bands and the crowd was usually a little older so we could kind of let our guard down and dance. In early January we were doing our usual weekend routine when a certain baseball player was sent to Arizona and for whatever reason, ventured to Margaritaville. It took a long time between meeting Steven that night and the point where we started dating. We were friends and I would do his laundry while he'd beat me in Wii Sports. When spring training ended and he left for Clinton, IA I realized that I really liked him but he was definitely not ready to settle down in any way. We stayed in touch and when he was moved to California and I took the opportunity to visit him a few times. It was during those visits that I first really fell in love with him. I always tell him that I loved him before he even knew it, and it’s true. Luckily I was smart enough to know if I told him how I felt or pushed a "relationship" he'd be out the door, timing was everything. We continued to keep in touch after the season and when he was back again for spring training I decided it was time to kick it up a notch. If there is one thing you need to know about Steven it is that he WILL NOT doing anything unless HE wants to. This meant more waiting for me because he was not going to make me his girlfriend until he wanted to. Eventually he either gave in or just realized what a great catch I was and we started dating. Like any baseball couple, dating meant seeing each other for a week then not seeing each other for a month. During the summer I traveled to see him and he was able to come to Arizona to see me a few times as well. After doing that for what seemed like a century we decided that we wanted to be like any other couple and live in the same place. It seemed like a good plan but of course baseball had other plans so we are still traveling to see each other. This year will be the first time that I will be able to spend the offseason with him so after three years I feel like I'm getting the boyfriend I was always waiting for!

Like any other couple we've had our ups and downs but with each twist and turn we find ourselves growing closer together. Being back in Arizona reminded me of where we started and how far we've come. I'm excited for future trips back, not only to see friends, but also to take that stroll down memory lane and maybe even grab a margarita while we're at it.

Bad Trade

In the opening of "Bull Durham" Annie Savoy says "Sometimes it seems like a bad trade. But bad trades are part of baseball - now who can forget Frank Robinson for Milt Pappas, for God's sake? It's a long season and you gotta trust" This is a line that constantly pops in to my head because whether its the big leagues or the minor leagues, baseball is full of bad trades. Some times it is literally a bad trade like Robinson for Pappas or the Oakland A's trading away McGwire, but other times it is extra innings when you had dinner plans or spending months apart. The focus with professional sports is money, fame, and a luxurious lifestyle. You can ask any minor league baseball player, even the bonus babies, if life as an athlete is that simple. Its not. It is full of bad trades. These are the minor league (and sometimes major league) details that people often miss.

After the 9th inning announcers commonly say that the crowd is in for some "free baseball" and free is a good thing, right? I can't tell you how many times we had hopes of catching a late night movie or dinner before restaurants are closed and "free" baseball was all I got! Imagine sitting in the stands thinking you finally get a date night only to realize inning by inning, you don't. Most of the time this means I haven't eaten since about 1 o'clock when we had lunch before heading to the field to drop the boys off. I'm caught between eating over-priced, unhealthy, and generally gross ballpark food and growing hunger pains with every pitch. Definitely a bad trade.

Living in hotels and team set up housing must be nice, right? Wrong. It’s another bad trade here. This summer my time was spent sleeping on a mattress on the ground. Some had airbeds and some were really lucky and could rent a real bed from a local store. In most cases, several guys are living in a two bedroom apartment so a dining room turns into a bedroom. I've been lucky to always stay in a real bedroom but not everyone can say the same. A couch or tv is also a bonus, although tv's are temporary and have to be returned within 90 days. I made the mistake of trying to be a little "homey" and putting up a picture, air freshener, curtains, and flowers. They were nice touches but curtains don't look the same when they're held up with pushpins and tape, and flowers do not survive after a road stand. The real problem is that not only do the apartments lack any personal touch but the boys live out of two suitcases and a baseball bag from spring training on. If you think there is room for decorations much less pots and pans, you're crazy. Even if there were room, everyone knows it isn't practical since at any point you can change teams......"home is where they send you". At least half of the year is spent not knowing if you're coming or going and all the while, trying to perform your best in hope that the move is a good one. Again, bad trade.

Distance. I don't think this one even needs a full paragraph. Whether it's a wife, girlfriend, or family, the distance is easily one of the worst trades. Sure you get to create this new nomadic family, a band of gypsies, but everyone has someone they are away from. Some are lucky and have family that can visit or catch a game but many spend from Spring Training on without seeing those they care most about. I know military families deal with this same thing and for much longer periods, but that doesn't make it any easier. Having a 5 day sleepover with your roommate on the road is definitely not the ideal exchange for spending months away from loved ones.

Well at least there is the money right? Wrong. Minor league baseball does not pay well and the cost of living, dues, traveling, etc easily take away from whatever money might be left over. Signing bonuses can be helpful but unless you're on the fast track to the big leagues, they run out too. Being a teacher I fully understand what it means to live on a budget and think carefully about money, adding a professional athlete to the mix does not mean my days are now filled with drinks by the pool and shopping sprees! The big leagues make this lifestyle a little easier I'm sure but like Notorious BIG said, "mo money, mo problems" so we'll cross that bridge when we get there. I'll mark this trade down as questionable for the time being, knowing full well that it may never turn in to a good trade.

Last but not least, the fame. Baseball cards, autographs, team merchandise...this has to be a great trade. Not really. It might be nice to have someone ask you to sign something before a game but it is definitely not nice to be sitting in the stands and hear the fans when every pitch isn't a strike. People may know your name to cheer you on but they also know your name to heckle when you can't get a guy out or go 0-4. It's hard to hear that and not want to say something. There is also the downside of knowing that a bad outing shows up in the paper just like a good one and although there is more to the game than stats, that is all some people see. Having a team jersey auction is cool unless no one bids on your jersey. The organization’s top prospects will always take the top bids while some guys will be lucky to even get the minimum. Kind of puts you in your place. Baseball cards are definitely cool and even cooler when a deal is landed and a little money can be made. The part that isn't so fun is finding them on Ebay for 99 cents....not really on pace for the cover of Sports Illustrated!

Even with all of these bad trades, it only takes one good trade to make it all worth it: the big leagues. Within all of the burdens and inconveniences lies the possibility to play at the next level and it drives us all. Regardless of the motive for wanting to get there, getting there is goal. The thing I’ve found is that to keep pursuing that goal you have to look for the good trades, even when they are small ones. Without baseball I never would’ve been to most of the places I’ve been (Jackson, MS is not a tourist hotspot) or started my state magnet collection, which I know is nerdy but my students looked forward to coming back from breaks to see what new states I had added. Finding specialty cupcake shops or a good sushi place became mini adventures and when discovered, made new places feel more like home. We would not have met many of the amazing people who have welcomed us in for dinners and to live, been company in the stands, and offered insight through baseball chapel. I’ve learned more about the game than the sports I played myself and gained some great friends through teammates and their significant others. We’ve been able to be a part of some fun events like all-star games and soon a PAO conference. We’ve learned the importance of flexibility and communication and how to grow close together, even with miles between us.

Waking up every morning remembering that they are getting paid to play a child's game and are one of the lucky ones who has made it this far seems help put it in perspective. Not everyone can say at the end of their life that they pursued and accomplished their childhood dreams so being able to support that and watch it unfold is truly the most rewarding part. Sure there will be bad trades along the way, but it is a long season and you do have to trust that it will all work out.

Welcome

I am still figuring out how to customize things on here but wanted to get things up and running since the off season will be over before we know it! I'm hoping that we will be able to use this to chronicle the happenings of our life that you can't read about in the game recaps or online stats. I can't promise that every post will be entertaining or informational (who knows what we'll come up with) but I can promise that it will at least give you an idea of what is going on in our world....and maybe even a picture or two!