25-0

Rusty's team did it again!! The junior white strasburg team beat Mt. Jackson 25-0. We are now 3-0, way to go team. I don't have any pictures from the game, uh well uh, someone forgot the camera. Ok, ok that would be me, sorry. I just can't remember everything at 7:00 in the morning. Our game wasn't until 12:00 but we got there early to watch one of the other teams Rusty helps coach and then the other junior team. Out of 4 games today we only lost one, so all in all it was a good day. The senior team (6th and 7th graders) had a time, the other team was punching our players, trash talking and just being bad sports in general. They had 6 or 7 personal fouls called on them. The last play of the game one of their players tackled my friend's son and then proceeded to punch him over and over in the ribs. After the game over half of their players wouldn't shake hands with our coaches. Our teams play clean and our coaches don't put up with any of that mess and see who wins in the end. Good sportsmanship is very important to our coaches, we want to win, but the coaches want these kids to walk away and take something with them. I think they are doing an excellent job and our kids and coaches should be very proud of themselves. Once again, WAY TO GO RAMS!!!

The End of Era...

I just found out that "For Better or For Worse" ended. For those of you who have never read it in the comics or have been unfortunate enough that your paper didn't carry it, it was started 29 years ago and the whole comic strip has been the life of the Pattersons. We have seen them have children, their children grow up and have their own children, the grandparents passed away and Ellie and John (the parents) grow old. It's not like other comics where the characters never age or move on, they have been part of our family. My parents, brother, grandparents and myself have been reading it for years. When Ellie had April we all waited through the whole pregnancy to find out what she was having and when April was born my Mom yelled upstairs to my Dad (who happened to be in the bathroom) "Ellie had a girl!!" Now, we aren't dilusional we know they aren't "real" but to us they have been family. I am devestated. Go on, go ahead and laugh I know it really is silly but I just can't help but be upset and sad. I called my Mom and she got upset. She got on the internet to find out if Lynn Johnston had maybe died because other than something horrible happening why in the world would she leave us like that. Mom did find out that she had gone through a divorce and is sort of retiring. She will still be doing the strip but she is starting back at the begining again and writing it over, in her words "she is a better story teller now", I thought she was great before. How many other "comics" could touch you and pull into their world like that? I do feel kind of silly but on the other hand this was something that my Mom and I have shared since probably middle school. I think I am entering a deep state of depression, pray for me.

33-6

We won our first game, the kids played great and had fun in the process. Rusty has 34 kids on his team and he has to make sure everyone gets to play which can be really hard with that many kids. What is really sad is you have some kids who do not want to play, they are only there because their parents are making them, they cry through the whole practice but their parents make them stay. So Rusty has to still rotate the kids who don't want to play with the kids who are loving every minute of being on that field, but he's a genius when it comes to football and he really has it down to a science so everyone gets to play. He has some really great assistant coaches this year that love the game as much as he does, if that is even possible.

That's my little guy, #58, that was Rusty's number in high school.

Rusty congratulating the kids after a great win. (He's the one leaning over)

The coaches finally taking a rest after a job well done.

Way to go Rams, way to go!!!

WE'RE PLAYING!!

Yea!!! Our game was rescheduled for today at 3:30, wish us luck. Check back later for hopefully good news.

We had our county fair a couple weeks ago and of course we had the derby. Now the derby is a big deal around here, people actually travel around to different county fairs during the time of the year with their derby cars. One of our coaches does the derby every year and he did a car for our football league this year. He brought it by practice so all the kids could sign it, it was very cool.

Have a great day!

Rain

We were supposed to have our first football game today and .....it rained. We are getting the remnants of the hurricane, oh well. We are going to have a make up game tomorrow so at least the kids won't miss a game. It seems like we have been having practice forever, they need to finally see the outcome of all that practice.

On another subject, I wasn't very excited about this election it just seemed to be missing something, but I think it's been found.

I have been so impressed by everything I have read about her. She loves her family, loves her country, loves God and isn't afraid to stand up for what she believes in. So what if her teenage daughter is pregnant, that just makes her more human. I think McCain make a great choice. If you haven't read anything about her, take the time and do it.

My parents and Ashleigh live at Carolina Beach in North Carolina and thank God they didn't get hit too hard by the hurricane.

We had the first day of school last week. It is Wayne's first day of his senior year, that is so hard to believe. This is Blake's first day of his last year in the elementary school. Wow, where is the time going?!

Ok, has anyone tried these? They are the bomb, if you like peanut butter you have to try them.

Have a great day!

Party, party, party

Last Saturday we went to help Rusty's middle brother, Gary and his wife, Bev celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary. Let me give you a little background on them. Bev is 12 years older than Gary, when they met Gary was still in high school and Bev was divorced with 2 children. To say his family was not excited about this is an understatement. In fact when Bev told our other sister in law, Debbie, that Gary had proposed (he was out of school at this time lol) and that he was at that same time telling their oldest brother about the proposal she was not happy, I mean really not happy. I think her exact words were "Oh my God, we have to get to them, Bobby is going to kill him." But Gary knew what he wanted and no one was going to stand in his way. He was 23 and she was almost 35 when they got married. He also married her 2 children, Kelly 11 and Michael 7. When they got married he knew they would not have any children of their own and he was ok with that. When Debbie got pregnant Bev saw how excited Gary was but she wasn't sure she wanted to have another child. They were sitting in church one Sunday morning and she had really been struggling with this, she prayed sitting there in the pew that God would give her a sign that she and Gary were meant to have a child together. After she finished praying, silently to herself, the lady sitting in front of her turned around and handed her a paper saying "I think you may need this". On the front was a daddy sitting in a chair holding a baby and above that it said "Let God's love into your home". She just started crying, there was her sign. She decided if Gary wanted, they were having a baby. And so they did.

I guess you can figure he's on the left with his cummerbund(I swear that's spelled right I looked it up on dictionary.com because it didn't look right to me either) on his head. I love that kid. Well, he's not a kid anymore and he's been taller than me since birth, I think. Bev was pregnant with Jacob when I started dating Rusty. Kelly is their oldest and a graduate of UVA, Michael is a graduate of GMU, married with a 2 year old and Jacob is a student at Mary Washington College.

Jacob and Sherry, they met in high school and have been together every since.

Michael, Misty and Mason. Michael has a beautiful family.

My baby wearing his Daddy's cowboy hat. It was a very fancy, dress up party but Rusty still wore his cowboy hat and cowboy boots. I have to say I like it, I like it alot.

I know, I know I look naked. I swear it was not that kind of party ha ha, my dress was halter style, it is black and I loved it. You know how sometimes you find that one dress that you would wear everyday if you could, well this is it. I love this dress.

Wait, don't call the police or social services on us, it was apple cider. They didn't have real champagne because they wanted the kids to be able to participate in the toast. Blake, Rusty and Jacob were supposed to be filling everyone's glasses.

Bev and her sister Linda dancing and enjoying the band.

Gary and Bev cutting their cake. The cake topper is the same one they used on their original wedding cake. They didn't plan it but Gary and Rusty both wore cowboy hats, it's a Gibson thing.

Rusty and Bev dancing and enjoying the music.

Blake and Mason. Blake just loves Mason, every time we are together Blake heads right for Mason.

Mason helping out with the band. The little boy on the left is the grandson of another band member.

We had a great time, great food and great music. During the renewing of the vows each one of their kids said something also. They all had wonderful things to say about their parents, Kelly and Michael refer to Gary as their Dad and they think of him as their Dad and for all rights he is their Dad. He raised them, loved them and was really the only Dad they've had. Kelly said it"Thank you for marrying our Mom, loving us and being our Dad". How much more can one person ask for after 25 years when everyone said it will never last. Happy Anniversary Gary and Bev, we love you!

The following picture is for Melissa, yes I have one of these also. I'm on the left, my friend Vicki is in the middle and Beth is on the right. Gotta love it.