I Just Liked to Play Ball

A year ago today my Grandpa Ernie died, and to remember him I wanted to share the poem that my Dad wrote for his burial and memorial services. We love and miss you very much, Gramps!


I Just Liked to Play Ball

It's the start of a brand new softball year
Ernie is toeing the rubber, grooming the mound
Riser, Drop and Screwball without fear
One of the happiest young pitchers around

His motto, "I just liked to play ball"
He enjoys the competition as well as the team
It's not winning but playing that counts most of all
The only thing that beats ball is chocolate homemade ice cream

The boys of Hubbard Garage are the team of date
With a roster of two Berkeys, a Yoder, and a Barnse
Graham winning games on the mound with Palmer behind the plate
Teammates include a Grim, a Fobert, a Hatcher, and a McNamee

Mid-season finds three new players and the volume goes loud
Sharon, Jane and finally there is Pete
The team hits it's stride and Papa Ernie is so proud
Tournament wins a plenty with very a few defeat

Late in the year finds Ernie as coach with new mates
Ben at first, Tim at second, Jena at third, Erin at short; infield is tight
Joel is on the mound with big Matt behind the plate
Amanda plays left, Brady roams center, and Bri's big arm in right

As the last game finally arrives we find Ernie stiff and sore
The mind is weak and the body needs a new lease
With the last out recorded, Toots takes Ernie home to play no more
Not cut, not waived, but simply RELEASE

Now we know life is more than a softball analogy
It is more wondrous and more miraculous

It's the start of a brand new softball year
Ernie is toeing the rubber, grooming the mound
Bringing the high heat in the Higher League without fear
One of the happiest young pitchers around

The last picture I took with Papa Ernie, about a month before he died
The 9 of us grandkids at his memorial service

Time for a Change

It's time for a change, though I'm desperately fighting it. It's been a stressful week with a lot of discussion between Luke and I about our future in Salem. We decided, at least for the time being, to find a church closer to home. We love CAC and consider it our home church, but I just can't continue to commute 6-7 days a week. We hope that sometime in the near future we'll be able to sell our house and go back to CAC, but it's just not in the cards right now. I've been teary about it all week but I really think it's best. Please pray for us as we find a new church. I'm nervous but at the same time excited for what God has in store for us.

Off the Market...

...AGAIN. I just don't think it's meant to be. The guy across the street has his house on short-sale, and the guy just diagonal from us lost his house to the bank last week. We thought that might have been the case when we noticed that they weren't taking care of their lawn and we hadn't seen their cars for awhile. Luke went and mowed their lawn on Thursday because it was almost a foot tall. Then Luke was at Safeway this morning and ran into them. Apparently they've lost everything-- their jobs, their cars, their home, etc... It's so sad. So Luke came home and took the 'For Sale' sign out of our lawn and texted our realtor that we were done. Not sure when or if we will put it back on. Luke's coworker came over last week and is interested in renting our house, but I'm a bit nervous about it now. I was already nervous about the idea that 6 people would be living in our home, but now it sounds like it would be 10. His brother, wife, and two kids have been living with them until the brother can find a job. That is a lot of people for this 1700 square foot house. I'm sure they would take care of it, but it'll just get a lot more wear and tear than it does with the two of us. I don't know though, we just want to make the right decision. It sounds like we have a nice house to rent in Canby if we want, it's just a matter of whether it's worth it or not. And whether God wants us to do this or not. Ahh, so many ifs, ands, and buts. Can someone make the decision for us???