My morning took a different turn. My father was in the hospital and he wasn't having a good day, plus a couple of other personal issues and I fell completely apart. When I crossed the railroad tracks on Wares Ferry Rd headed to the field I was balling. I literally cried OUT LOUD to God. I remember exactly what I said " God, I am not sure you listen to me anymore. I prayed for my brother and he died. I prayed for my marriage and it fell apart. I am praying for my father and he isn't getting any better. God I need you to bless me with a Christian in my life to keep me on track, for my sake and my children's sake. I need someone to keep me on the right track in life. I need someone to help me keep my faith to be strong! In Jesus name amen"
I pulled into the parking lot, fixed my make up, grabbed my camera bag and walked into the gates at Faulkner.
Everyone knows I love taking pictures. I pulled out my camera and started taking pics of the side arm pitcher on the mound. I loved the form. I loved shooting the entire series of his pitch. Before I knew it I had taken 67 pictures of this guy pitching. I shot some pics of Preston at bat and in center field throughout that game.
After the first game I went and sat on the picnic table and started deleting pictures off my memory card that were not keepers. I looked up to see that pitcher walk off the field with ice packs tapped to his back. There was a man walking over to him, obviously his father to check on him. My youngest son had just recovered from stress fractures in his back and his Ortho had told me that so many athletes never realize they have the fractures, they just think its a pulled muscle. As his dad was walking off from him I ask what was wrong with his back. His dad walked over and explained his injury was nothing major.
We then began to talk about baseball, which one was my son, and how beautiful the weather was.
We talked about God, life, food, sports, our kids, our jobs and everything under the sun for about 45 minutes. He was heading back to work in Birmingham and I was going to watch the second game. Before he left he ask if he could take me to dinner sometime. He knew he could ask this because as I stated we had already talked about life. I said yes and provided my number.
About 10 minutes later I received a text message saying " it was very nice to meet you." I replied " are you texting and driving because that's not safe." His reply "are you already getting on to me?" I literally laughed out loud.
The next morning I woke up to a text asking me to dinner for that very night. We met for dinner, talked for 2.5 hours solid. We laughed, a lot!
Let me back up and explain something. His son was on the Varsity team and my son was on the JV team. His son had been ask that morning if he would pitch for the JV game to get some practice time in and he agreed. His dad decided to drive down for the game after getting word that morning. Yes, that was his son I had been taking pictures of and I didn't have a clue.
So while my morning was falling apart, God was already putting things in place.
So while I was crying out to God, His plan was in the works.
Fast forward to December 24, 2014. I was running around as we all do during this time of the year. Cooking breakfast for my kids, getting ready for my day, picking up desserts from my friend Paige and then heading to the lake to visit with my dad because it was his birthday. Then "he" called and said he was having to drive to town due to a coach complaining how a field looked." After I picked up the desserts he wanted to stop by and see him. So I did.
We walked around the field looking at the team pictures all over the place. How cool is it that my sons are both in team pics as bat boys when they were little and his son is on the World Series Team sign. Yes, we were at Faulkner. I immediately told him I saw nothing wrong with the field and could not believe the coach was complaining(Sorry Mac). The conversation changed a bit as we were walking and I sat down on THE picnic table. The one where we first met. Before I knew it, he was on one knee and I was in tears. He had arranged for someone, a dear friend of mine, to be there to take pictures. It was perfect and I said YES! It all took place where it all started!!
I was shocked! I was surprised! And I am beaming! We will not be making wedding plans until my youngest is out of high school and my oldest as well as his youngest further along in college. We will however continue to work on us, our relationship with each other, our relationship with our kids, our relationships with our families and most important our relationship with God. God is good & HE is in control.
