My Love/Hate Relationship with Baseball

I love baseball. I love the smell of hot dogs on the grill. I love hecklers. I love that bottom of the 9th, bases loaded rush. The team mom's that sit at the gate and make me pay $5 at every game. Ok, maybe that last one was a bold face lie. Still, I can't get enough of it. From the bottom of my heart, I LOVED cheering on Billy and his team through college and even on to the NCAA World Series. I love the relationships we have developed with parents, team members, fans--baseball friends/family make up a huge portion of our social network in the city.

This was taken at the game that got them into the world series championship. I am so glad that one of the girls talked me into going to this game. I was so proud of those boys. 

Baseball, once it gets in your blood, there's no getting it out; Billy's especially--and not that you'd even want to lose it. Billy wanted baseball to be his career, As any player would dream of, he'd have loved to had gone pro.. buuuut he's too short and slow. {Bummer for our wallets.} But he could light you up in a heart beat if you tried to steal second. When Billy is behind the plate, don't even bother, dude. Unfortunately a catcher can't get drafted on his arm alone, so instead he majored in Math so that he could teach and coach at high school. He would still love to be a full-time baseball coach if the opportunity ever presented itself.

Billy is now coaching high school baseball while finishing up his masters degree in education. When school is not in session, he is coaching with Team Elite. I am so glad he ended up with Elite, because he has been able to learn so much from the other talented coaches, meet so many people involved the sport, develop life-long friendships, and gotten to influence young boys' lives. Not to mention, they have a boat load of talent, but you'll hear me brag more on the Elite boys in June on draft day.

As much as I love Billy's career/hobby, it really is hard to handle sometimes. Summers are especially difficult. Summer ball is starting to pick up steam and will soon be a whirl wind. He will have practice practically every week day. When he doesn't have practice he will be on the road at tournaments throughout the South East. These tournaments are so that kids to be able to be seen by colleges and scouts, so they are unavoidable and very important.
When I started jotting down all of his practices and tournaments to my calendar (so that I am able to plan my Summer), I noticed that between all of the above, most weeks he may have only one or two weeknights that we could spend time together. I work normal people hours, his job starts when we all get off work. So rarely do our paths cross.
You see, Billy and I have kind of made the decision to not live together until we are married, or at least engaged and on the verge of being married. That decision really puts a strain on our relationship in the Summer, because there are 2 and 3 week stents that we regularly go without seeing each other. Other weekends that he is in town, our quality time is spent with a chain link fence separating us. It comes with the territory, and I wholeheartedly accept that's what I'm going to be in for if he decides to ask me to change my last name. It is just especially hard, right now, where our relationship/living situation stands. I feel that once we take the next step, things won't be easy, but they'll be much easier to deal with as at least we'll cross paths when he comes home for bed.

I loved being a baseball girlfriend. I love being the coach's girl. I love the sport. I love the community of friends I have built for myself at the ball park. I love the baseball lifestyle, I really do. I just hate the strain we are about to take on.Wish us luck! and stay tuned for future posts this summer about widow girl and orphan pup.

Play ball!!

Saturday Instagram Recap

I am usually pretty low key when it comes to IG. For once, I posted quite a few pictures this week and I have enough to justify a post full of them.

Road Trip Ready

He's kinda cute. 

These are some of the best friends a girl could ask for. Celebrating Tyler and Amanda's engagement.

Low Country Boil at the wedding shower

Tyler got a hooter's calendar as a wedding gift. The girls got more enjoyment out of it than he or the other guys. Here is the scratch 'n sniff portion of the calendar. 

As of May 14th, I will have been with my wonderful company for 1 whole year. As an anniversary present, they gave me Buckhead Life Dining Card! Oh My Lanta there's going to be some good, fancy eating going on. 

Crafting up some decore for the Kieninger wedding coming up this weekend. 

Today while I was running through the car wash, it stopped working. yikes!

I'm back in my hometown for the day. This is a fond memory of my younger days. This guy was a regular at the restaurant I was a server at in high school. His name was Steve -- Jesus Steve, if you will. We swore he was homeless, because he always smelled and was just plain weird. He would come in, and just drink amber bock drafts every single night. Once he brought a guitar and played music that sounded like a cat giving birth without asking while the entire restaurant was packed. He was asked to leave and never came back. 

I started cleaning out some of my old things at my parents house, and found this gem. A sweet friend gave me this for my birthday in 4th grade. 

I also found this little diddy in my old cd collection from back in the day. It's crazy to think I will be making my childhood dreams come true Friday night when I go see them in concert at the Fox Theatre. 

Friday Letters

Dear Work Family, Thank you for being the bomb. I love all of you, even though you drive me absolutely batty sometimes when you get lazy and don't think. You have made this past year on my own in a new city, in my first big girl job so much better than I could have ever imagined. I can't wait to celebrate it up next with with you all next week. Dear Whatever sickness you are, I don't know if you are my sinuses getting the best of me or a stupid head cold, but whatever you are. I hate you. I believe it is time for us to go our separate ways. Please? Dear Atlanta Drivers, Drive or DIE! Traffic would keep moving smoothly if you would not tap your breaks whenever you get within 500 feet of the car in front of you and if you changed lanes before you exit, and not at it. Dear Next Week, I can't wait to see you. We are going to have such a fun filled week and weekend. I swear, we are going to be besties. Dear Boyfriend, I love you, and I have loved having you around while it lasted. This break between seasons has been well overdue. I know baseball is very time consuming, and you have fun doing it, but please don't forget that I am still here. You orphaned puppy and you widowed girlfriend will miss you while you are off rekindling your bro-mances. Dear Vampire Diaries and Scandal writers, Holy episodes last night. I did not see those curve balls coming in last nights episodes! I failed a gladiator in a suit; I mean, Billy Chambers? You guys really shouldn't leave next weeks finales on a horrible cliff hanger. It's really heartless and mean to leave us high and dry for so long until the next season comes back. Dear Hobby Lobby, I have a feeling I am going to be paying you a very well overdue visit. I only ask that you do not let me get carried away with myself. I have been in crafting remission for quite some time and I feel that I may not have all my urges under control just yet. Heck, I probably shouldn't have even be released from Pinterest rehab yet. I just want a little entertainment, but I don't want to buy 807 bottles of paint, 35 rolls of ribbon, 2 hot glue guns, or a huge clay cowboy boot. Dear Bed, I cannot wait to reunite with you tonight and have an extended stay beneath your comfy, cool sheets. I promise we'll spend all of tomorrow morning together. I know, I know, I miss you too.

Time flies

I can seriously not believe how fast this year has gone by! 

Sunday, May 5th, marked 1 year since I graduated college.

1 year ago today, I moved into my new apartment in Atlanta. 

May 14th is my 1 year work anniversary!

It's crazy how much things have changed, but I wouldn't trade it for the world! If you would have asked me as a child if I'd be living in Atlanta, I would not have believed you. This small town girl? pshh yeah right! I remember traveling to the city several times a year to visit my grandparents, but I never imagined that I would one day be working in one of those sky scrapers.

I am so proud of how far I've come in the past year. I have found a wonderful circle of friends who mean the world to me! I love spending as much time as possible with these awesome people. I have adjusted surprisingly well to city life; learning the streets, getting used to the crowds/traffic, learning the way the city jives, and discovering all the little businesses and stores. I have supported myself 100% over the past year, and have even put a pretty significant dent in paying back my student loans (yeah, that's something to be proud of). I can't wait to see what the next year holds, but I hope life has an adventure in store for me! 

You see.. what was SUPPOSED to had happen was

I don't know about where you are, but the weather SUCKED this weekend in Atlanta. I have had an itinerary of weekend plans scheduled this time last week. However when it came time to execute, I seriously had no desire to do anything because it was so nasty outside. Nothing we had wanted to do came to pass.. did I just go all bible on you?

What was supposed to happen Friday Night
Earlier in the week, I found out that my sweet friend Rachel was going to be playing her first show in Georgia in ages (or what felt like ages).

What actually happened Friday Night
I had every single intention of driving out to see Rachel be the badass that she is. After I got off on Friday, death was setting in and this is what I did with my life instead. She will forgive me, so it will be ok. Regardless, I'm overdue for a visit with her and her equally as badass mom.

What was supposed to Happen Saturday
I had the corn hole tournament I was telling you about. Billy had plans to play golf. After we both finished, we were heading to Macon for a wedding shower.

What actually Happened Saturday
Because of the weather, the corn hole tournament was canceled/postponed. (I'm not actually sure which) Thank God! Whew.. that was a close one. Billy's golf outing was also canceled. Sad Day. However the good news, the shower was still on.
Saturday night, Billy and I went down to Macon to celebrate Tyler and Amanda's upcoming marriage with a low country boil! This was my first time eating low country boy, and boy have I been missing out!

Isn't he adorable?!

After dinner, they unwrapped all of their presents. I'm fairly certain the part about getting married that I look forward to most, is all the presents you get. I mean, look at this gem!

 Who knew the hooters calendar had scratch and sniff!?

What was supposed to happen Sunday
I have been dying to go take Baby Casey to The Ted for Bark in the Park. I mean, it's not like the dog ever goes to a baseball game or anything! We had also planned, that if we didn't go see Rachel Friday and if we didn't go to the Braves game, we'd go see Edwin McCain play in Duluth.

What actually happened Sunday
We didn't get back from Macon until about 1am. I was a one tired girl. I slept in, and then I took a nap before I even got out of bed. I felt like death (or maybe it was just allergies I was playing up to get Billy to wait on me.. shh). I still had intentions of sucking it up and getting out and enjoying the weekend, but when I looked out to see what to expect for a Braves game it was cold and dreary. I go to enough baseball games, I don't have to sit through a cold, wet one when I don't have to. I think because I didn't get up and moving, my sinuses got worse (seriously this time). We ran a few errands and grabbed lunch, and I went back to my couch for a cuddle sesh with my pup. 4:00 rolled around, which would be about the time we needed to start showering and getting ready to go to the show, but going out looking respectable in public was the LAST thing on my mind. Instead we went to pick some stuff up at the other Meg and Billy's, grabbed dinner, and went grocery shopping--all still in the rain.

What an exciting life I live! On another note, I need to post a help wanted add for all my friends in the Atlanta area! Roll Callllllllll.. If this rain doesn't stop, I'm going to need help building an arc. Who's in? If you help, you get to ride and bring all your pets (live or stuffed).

Don't you dare even think about it

Here I go again with the hiatus apologies. I know it's getting old.. but seriously, you really didn't want to hear from me. I have had my cranky pants on this week--and in a size XXL.
Everything that could go wrong did. Everything, even in the smallest dose annoyed me. Here is a list of things I believe people have been doing recently just because they know I am about to go Teresa Giudice on them. I swear, do not even think about doing these in my presence or I will flip a table on you.

Bad drivers in general -- I initially had a long list of things that have bothered me this week. I realized that 70% of them are all. Drive or die!
1. Why must people that drive slow in the left lane? You just look like a jackass, and I hope the death stare I give you shaves years off your life.
2. Don't wait until the last second to get over to exit. This especially drives me nuts during rush hour. You drive these streets everyday, there is no excuse for you not to know you are getting off in 1/2 a mile! Just because you are going faster for longer doesn't mean you get there sooner. Actually, because you have to slam on breaks and wait for a break in traffic to move over 3 lanes took longer. I'm looking at you, silver Dodge Charger that did this to me Tuesday. You stopped, making me slam on my breaks causing my lunch to fall to it's death. Obviously I haven't let it go yet.

Hashtag abuse -- This is especially prominent in old people and fake "hip" people of facebook. First of all, unless it's an instagram or twitter linked post, hashtags are irrelevant otherwise. Other things that make hashtags improperly used: spaces between the words, special characters, over use of hashtags (seriously, do you need 9?), and hashtags that prove you don't really know what hashtags are. This was a real hashtag I saw this week: #25yearsold=maturity These people also tend to share another one of my huge pet peeves, stupidity. It hurts.

Lazy People -- My job can be described as a support position. Everyone depends on me. However, this week especially, or so it seems, people are getting really extra lazy. They give zero effort to try to solve their problems themselves, and they expect ME to come to them for something THEY want. umm no.. ain't happening missy. I can't stand when I have to stop what I am doing to help someone who could have easily figured something out for themselves, but they choose not to, because I can do it for them.

So I would apologize for my absence  but I'm actually not sorry, because it could have very resulted in either one of you reporting me to a watch list of potential murderers. That would be bad, because it would get in the way of my plot to rid the world of stupid people. You can thank me later.

I have a confession..

Every year my company participates in the Atlanta Corporate Challenge where companies throughout Atlanta and the metro area compete in different an array of different events. Our company really gets into this and encourages everyone to sign up for at least one event. We were given a rather long list of different events ranging from dodge ball to darts to poker. There were quite a few empty slots and there had been for a while. It was getting close to the deadline and there were still a ton of openings. 

Well, let me tell you a little background about myself that is pretty necessary to understand how I got myself into this little predicament.. I was that kid in class everyone HATED. You know, the one, and only one, that ever answered the professors guided questions he/she asked during their lecture. Seriously, I also apologize for being that guy. I just hate that awkward silence knowing someone is waiting for an answer. 

Now back to our feature presentation: 

The deadline for signups was approaching and there were quite a few events that we lacked one or two people in order to qualify a team for. It was like the awkward silence. So akward, you just you couldn't take it anymore and you suddenly say the most outrageous, dumb thing that came to your mind first. Similar to that, I did something dumb, and boarderline outrageous--I signed up for corn hole, and I may have bitten off more than I can chew. However, you have to promise not to tell anyone I work with..

"So why is this such a big deal, It's only corn hole, "you ask. Well, yes, I have played corn hole before. BUT only once.. I wasn't ever a tailgater to play these games. I hung out with the athletes, not the athlete watchers. Therefore, I never played corn hole in college, unlike every other red blooded American out there. I know there's nothing to the game--you just throw the bean bag and try to get in the hole or closest to the hole as possible will do. I feel like a total impostor. I can't let anyone know either, because I somehow got named as freaking team captain!? How does that happen. 

Wish me luck this weekend in my acting debut as the corn hole team captain who has pretty has no experience at playing corn hole well. Did I also mention that I have the aim of a blind, armless, chimpanzee? This is going to be comical!

Speaking of people with good aim who would probably be more qualified to play corn hole than I.. Congrats to Tim Hudson for what should be his 200th win! He is the 213th pitcher to ever reach this achievement, and one of I believe only 5 active pitchers. Most of you baseball avid baseball fans, who too lean a bit towards the superstitious side, will appreciate that I have also been sure to schedule this post as to not go live until after this game has completed as to not screw with any of the baseball gods out there. ;) Way to go Huddy!

This weekend, I had a birthday

Yep, I turned 24 this weekend! I took Friday off from work because I had this roaming firm holiday I wanted to get off my plate. Plus, quite frankly, I just wanted to take the day off. Billy and I spent most of the day together running a few errands and getting a few things ready for baseball. We had a sweet lunch date and then he was off for the field for BP & to prep for the game. Meanwhile, I spent the rest of the afternoon cuddling and napping with the cutest fur baby known to man. The game was bittersweet, and South Forsyth closed out their 2013 season with a W! It's hard to see that group of seniors go, but it's nice to see Billiam have another season under his belt.

Saturday was MY day, and it was a pretty cold and nasty looking day here in Georgia, but I wasn't going to let it get in the way of me having a good birthday. I drug Billy to the mall with me to pick up a few wedding gifts for all of our couple-friends that are getting married this summer, then we met our party people for sushi at The Avenues. yumm! After dinner, we went to see some friends of ours from college play a show. I absolutely love listening to them so I thought it was the perfect way to spend a birthday. Sadly, I don't have hardly any pictures worthy of being shared. So I leave you with these. 

My sweet Ret, better known as the Luke portion of our duo. 

My handsome boyfriend.. and his boyfriend.