Back to School

A few weeks ago I was approached about taking a job as a substitute teacher for the remainder of the school year. The job was going to be 7^th grade Social Studies at the school I resigned from last year. At first I didn’t really know what to think. It seemed exciting to picture myself back in the classroom, working with the people I loved so much last year. The challenge of teaching a new subject area also provided some allure but then it hit me, remainder of the school year means end of May. End of May means into the baseball season. Into the baseball season means staying behind while Steven plays….and that’s just the start of it. Then there was the reality that I would be the third teacher these kids had had this year, not to mention the reputation this group had. All of a sudden that excitement turned in to fear. I found myself not wanting to go and clinging to the idea that I would leave in April and travel with Steven. I knew this was something I needed to pray about and there was a reason I was given this opportunity.

As the days went on I started to realize that God was answering my previous prayers and this was something I absolutely needed to do. I realized what an honor it was that my former administration and co-workers thought I would be able to handle this position and create the classroom environment necessary for the students to be successful. I thought about my New Year’s resolution to do better and give more and knew I had to do it.

Luckily I was able to find someone who was willing to rent me a room for a few months and allow Mira too. At that point, I officially accepted the job and spent the last week preparing my classroom and myself for Monday when the kids are back in school.

I’m sure that in no way will this be easy and I’m sure there will be times when I wish I would’ve just gone with Steven but I know there is definitely something to be gained from this. Plus, who can turn down a few more months of sunshine?!

Its Always Sunny in Peoria

Now that Steven and I have been living in Arizona for a month I thought it was probably time to get everyone up to speed, especially before Spring Training officially kicks off and things get crazy!

We drove from Wisconsin down here with stops in Kansas and New Mexico. The drive went well and Mira was great both in the car, and in the hotel. Steven did most of the driving but we didn’t pull any 16 hour days like we did on our way to North Carolina. We pulled in to our driveway in Peoria, AZ on Feburary 1^st and were joined by our roommate James the weekend.

The past month has gone by pretty quickly. The boys stay busy with baseball and video games and I’ve expanded my cooking repertoire. While they are “working” at the field I have stayed busy tutoring 5 nights a week and babysit for a few different families on occasion. Hopefully I will start doing some substitute teaching soon as well.

This past month has allowed us the chance to really slow down and enjoy life. For example, we get to eat lunch AND dinner together every day, which definitely won’t happen during the season. We’ve been able to have a house tennis tournament (that ended when I beat both of the boys) and Mira gets a long around the neighborhood regularly. We’ve had friends over for the Super Bowl and to grill out. I’ve been able to catch up with old friends and climbed South Mountain last weekend for the American Cancer Society. We’ve been able to attend church every weekend and even hang out with friends from other teams. Soon Steven will be starting a Bible study with his teammates and I am joining a neighborhood group through our church to do some community service.

It really is almost always sunny in Peoria. Mira is in dog heaven and with a pool in our backyard, I’m in my personal heaven as well. It is very easy to feel blessed here and see all of the good God has put in our lives. I see this time as the calm before the storm and hope when the craziness of the season starts I can remember these moments. After all, the next blog could easily be “Its Always Rainy in Tacoma” or “Its Always Humid in Jackson”….with baseball you just never know!

On the Road Again

It's that time of the year again. The time when football is wrapping up and preparations for Spring Training are in full force. This year Steven and I will be traveling down to Arizona early (in about a week) so he can workout and throw in weather about -2 degrees! The packing and planning has been taking place since December when the hunt for housing began. We were lucky enough to find a great place at a reasonable price and even found one of his teammates to live with us. We've all spent plenty of time together both during the season and this offseason so I am very excited about all of it. My parent's house has been our storage unit for the offseason so they will finally be getting some space back. It seems like we've spent the entire offseason preparing for this, yet not really wanting it to come...or maybe that was just me.

I know that we're both ready for the warm weather, seeing old friends and teammates, and of course a pay check! I know that Steven is ready to get back on the mound and ready for a breakout season. I know that no one promised that at any point this lifestyle and I don't expect it to get an easier in the big leagues. I know this is exactly what I signed up for when I started dating him, but that doesn't make it any easier. I read a blog earlier today written by a baseball wife about how it makes her feel when people tell her what a hard life it is. “Thank you for your concern. It really is hard. I panic sometimes thinking about how our lives are at the mercy of so many factors that are out of our control it’s terrifying. And I worry everyday about having enough money to do all the things we’ve both dreamed of. And I even get sick some days wondering how we can raise the family we want with a life like this. And my eyes water at the thought of ever having to say another long goodbye. And I’m scared about how to make the best decisions when we don’t know what will happen to us in five months, let alone five years. But, you know, I came into this relationship with my eyes wide open. And somewhere along this road filled with the fear and the unknown and the trials, I decided my husband and our relationship was worth all of it. So, as naïve as it may sound, I am positive that as long as we’re together we’ll always be okay. And when you believe that, the hard just doesn’t really matter too much.”

Let me tell you, those comments don't make it any less hard for any of us. I don't know if the intention is to seem sympathetic or maybe to make us second guess ourselves, but either way, it doesn't go over well. I've had those exact thoughts, and I'm sure most women in baseball or professional sports in general have too. The thing is though that we can't change the lifestyle and the alternative is finding a new significant other. Some women eventually choose the latter but for me, that is not an option. So guess what, I decided that I don't want it to be easy. If it was easy, I would have no appreciation for the good things when they come our way. If it was easy, I wouldn't have this common bond with other baseball wives and girlfriends that others can't relate to. If it was easy, I wouldn't be as proud as I am that we have made it this far. In A League of Their Own Tom Hanks says to Geena Davis "If it wasn't hard everyone would do it. It's the hard that makes it great". You know what? He's right. If it wasn't hard, every girl that met a baseball player would walk down the aisle and live happily ever after, there would be nothing great about it. The difficulties we face test our commitment to each other and to chasing the dream. At the end of the day knowing that it has been hard but we're still together and going strong, makes it worth it, makes it great.

So in that spirit…

“I can't wait to get on the road again. On the road again goin' places that I've never been. Seein' things that I may never see again and I can't wait to get on the road again. On the road again like a band of gypsies we go down the highway. We're the best of friends, insisting that the world keep turning our way and our way is on the road again.”

To Do More (Making Good on a Resolution)

It's that six letter word that has become all too common, yet no one wants to hear: cancer. These days, cancer has reached all of us in one way or another and it doesn't seem to be slowing down.

In 2007 my grandpa, Al Heisler, passed away after a battle with cancer. There are many things I remember about his battle but one that stands out is the sense of humor he had in his remaining days. At a time when he could've felt bad for himself and wanted pity from those around him, he chose to laugh and make others laugh. Cancer can be scary and uncomfortable and so many other terrible things that I think one of the best gifts he left me is that I remember him being funny, and not any of those other sad things. Of course I also remember what a supportive grandpa he was (along with my grandma Jeannine) showing up at basketball games, piano recitals, school plays...you name it. Not every kid grows up with all four grandparents around but I was lucky enough to spend my childhood surrounded. I also remember trips to his store where I always was able to find some type of treat or toy. I even remember going with him and my grandma to some type of flea market and I think I tried to sell a lady a fur coat! There were trips to Arizona and Mexico and family vacation in Black River Falls. Not only do I have great memories of my grandpa but I also have great respect for him. He was able to overcome so many things and make so much of his life that it would be impossible not to respect him.

When I first moved to Arizona in 2008, I met a fellow new teacher. He had taught in the district but was new to my school and was a fellow Midwest native. Clayton was a Vikings fan but a pretty good guy regardless and began dating my friend Emily. Eventually Emily became my roommate and I grew to know Clayton very well. He was diagnosed with cancer early and life but went in to remission. Cancer struck again, he battled, and came out victorious with the scars to prove it. Since being in remission again, he and Emily married and are expecting their first son in February.

I think about my young cousins and cousin's children and realize that they will not remember my grandpa as I do. Some won't even know him. I think about all of the other families that have lost loved ones and children who are left without fathers or mothers. It would be easy to think that cancer is as certain as taxes, something we all eventually succumb to, but I'm not ready for that. I don't want to think that every family will have to be negatively impacted by cancer. I don't want to think that for the rest of my life nearly 1.5 million people will hear "you have cancer" and have little hope.

This year I am once again participating in the American Cancer Society's Climb to Conquer Cancer in Arizona to honor my grandpa, to thank those who helped Clayton, and to give hope to the 1.5 million. Although I have done the hike before, I have decided to take an active part in fund raising for the American Cancer Society so that someday soon we can find a way to slow down cancer, and maybe even stop it. If you are able, I encourage all of you to join the American Cancer Society's efforts and help me and my team (Clayton's Crew) by clicking the link below. If you are unable, I encourage you to find out what the American Cancer Society is doing in your area and participate any way you can so we can help people stay well, get well, fight back, and find cures!

Click here to support me and the Climb to Conquer

New Year, New Chances

Steven and I spent the last 10 days in North Carolina visiting his family and friends for Christmas, his birthday, and New Year's Eve. The 16 hour drive went well thanks to Steven, who did most of the driving. Mira made the trip with us and did a much better job traveling than when I took her from Phoenix, AZ to Jackson, TN.

Time flew by in North Carolina and we seemed to always be up to something. We spend a few days after Christmas near Steven's college town (Elon) doing some hunting. It was my first time and I enjoyed it although I am definitely not the hunter Steven is. We saw a movie, had a bonfire, visited the French Broad Brewery, and ate many delicious meals with great company. Mira spent most of her time running around with the 3 dogs at the house. She loved having other pups around to wrestle and play with. It was hard to get her settled down at night but I know she had fun. As a Christmas gift from Steven's dad, I was able to spend a day at the Grove Park Inn Spa with Steven's aunt. I had never had a "spa day" and it had been a few years since I had a massage so I thoroughly enjoyed my time there. I think the highlight of Steven's trip was just being able to spend time around the people he cares about.

One bonus of our time in Asheville was that we were able to meet up with Steven's mom and her family a few times. They recently relocated back East and were in South and North Carolina for the holidays. We both enjoyed talking with them and spending time together, as well as meeting some friends of theirs. Who knows whether it will be baseball, the Packers, or a holiday that will bring us together again but we look forward to it!

Amidst all of the hustle and bustle was New Year's Eve. Earlier in our trip we saw the movie "New Year's Eve" and it made me think a little differently about my resolutions this year. Of course I have the standard type (give up drinking soda) but this year I also wanted to make one that would lead to bigger and better things. The movie says New Year's is all about getting another chance, "a chance to forgive, to do better, to do more, to give more, to love more." Everything we had heard at PAO resonated and it was clear that making the most of that chance must be my resolution.

In less than a month we will pack up and head to Arizona for another baseball season. From there, only God knows what will happen. Being the planner/organizer/maniac that I am, it worries me. However, I am learning that worry is useless and instead, I am resolving to make the most of whatever chances come my way. I look forward to embracing whatever we are confronted with and seeing it as a chance to make this year the best yet!

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 :)