Well, May is here and baseball season comes to a close for the school year. It's always with mixed feelings that I unload the folding chairs and water bottles from the trunk of the car. Yes, I am tired of being away from home every afternoon, evening and many Saturdays. I get so behind in all my "important responsibilities" . But I love sitting at the baseball field watching my boys play. This year I noticed something - over the right field fence at our high school sits a yard that has parked within it a couple of camper trailers. You can actually see it in this picture. Many times during a game I've looked out there and seen a gentlemen sitting atop one of these trailers, watching the teams play. It makes me smile inside to see that he enjoys this and can spend his afternoon leisurely watching a game. I love sitting with sun rays warming my back or snuggling with Emily in a blanket. I love listening to younger children running around the bleachers or playing catch. I love going to games as a family, cheering each other on, and coming home together.
Here is Doug sliding into 3rd base. He was called out on this play. I'd like to send this picture and a pair of eye glasses to the umpire. UGGH!! "That's my boy you're calling out. C'mon Blue."
Like any mother I know, I hate it when my kids get injured. In this game, Doug was bunting and the ball ricocheted off the bat and hit him in the face. From where I was sitting I couldn't tell immediately how bad he was hurt. But the coach from the other team ran out there and I heard him say "Oh, S---!" I was sick to my stomach. Luckily, the ball did not hit his eye socket, break his nose or knock our teeth. Even the zygomatic bone was left unbroken. Whew! It stunned him for a few minutes and I think about a gallon of adrenaline was pumping through his veins, but he regained composure quickly and as he was pitching this game, he stayed in and continued to pitch. At the beginning of every inning, the umpire would check him and make sure he was okay. He went all 7 innings and they won the game. Yes, I'm crying over baseball again.
I feel like the luckiest mother and wife, to have so many boys I love spending time with.
For two years Doug has been studying piano with a wonderful teacher at CSU Stanislaus, Dr. Stephen Thomas.Our family is very sad that he has left the University and moved on to a new position at Brigham Young University - Idaho. In July he gave a farewell concert and invited Doug and a few others to participate with him. Here are a few video clips of the evening. I did not post the solo pieces that Dr. Thomas played because I haven't had a chance to ask his permission.
In the home of our lovely neighbors, Jerry and Kathy Callister, Doug is playing Liebestraum No. 3 by Franz Liszt
Prelude in G minor, op.23, no. 5 by Sergei Rachmaninoff
Ashley Callister Carter, a former student of Dr. Thomas visiting from Chicago and playing Fantasie-Impromptu in C-sharp minor, op.66 by Frederic Chopin
Dr. Thomas concluded the evening by sharing his feelings about music and nature and God. Jessica sang "My Heavenly Father Loves Me" accompanied by Doug and then Doug and Steve played it as a duet.
Friends often say to me how proud I must be of Doug. I am proud of him, but my predominant feeling is that I am happy he has found something he loves. All people should be so lucky to find early in life something that touches their soul. Most, spend entire lives searching for something that fulfills them. How blessed we are to have the Gospel and music.
I am proud of the work that Doug has put in. All accomplished musicians make a performance look easy. But even if someone has a gift, there is still a lot of work required. Doug has practiced what I would consider faithfully for a 15-year old boy and he is getting better at practicing and doing more of it. It isn't easy when others are watching TV, playing with friends or just relaxing to sit with a metronome and work at the piano. This summer, when the Callisters were on vacation, Doug regularly hopped on his bike twice a day, rode to their home and practiced, sometimes 4 hours in a day.
I am glad that he feels this talent belongs to him. When he first began lessons with Steve, of course he was nervous and asked me to come along. After a short time, he told me he no longer wanted me in his lessons. Since then, everything he has done has been between him and Steve. I am glad for his independence.
Again, we are so grateful for the wonderful person Steve is and the sacrifice of his family as he spent nearly every Wednesday evening in a lesson with Doug. He is a generous, kind, funny person and of course a beautiful musician. We will miss him and we are still crying (literally).
Bamboo grows in the large creek about a mile from our home. Recently, the city was cutting it down in order to clean out the creek bed. Doug asked me for days on end to please let him gather some to bring home so that he could build something with it. I wasn't too excited about loading the back of my van with long bamboo poles and I refused. Here he is after asking Dad one time. I'm glad he has a dad that understands why he would want to try to build something out of bamboo.
Doug, Thomas and their friend Ben love to play in Black Rascal Creek that flows through the edge of our back yard. In the summertime they get in the blow-up rafts and paddle around, in the winter when the creek is fairly dry they dig secret caves and clubhouses. So in the fall when the water is beginning to drain out, here is what they do.
A mother in our Ward asked Scott if he would help her son and some of the other young boys in the Primary learn the basics of a few different sports. Gladly he accepted the challenge and so he and Doug worked together to make a Sports Camp. Last week they played baseketball, baseball and soccer. This week they'll host 3 more days of camp. Come and play!!
Yesterday Douglas turned 13. I now have 3 teenagers. From day one, as you can tell, he has been wide awake. In the hospital picture for all of my other children, they were sound asleep, but not Doug. When he was younger he loved puzzles and legos. Now he likes playing the piano and saxaphone and baseball. He probably likes girls but he'll never tell me. Doug is very kind to his younger siblings and very helpful to his parents. Here he is playing church basketball on his birthday and then cooking green beans with mushrooms and onions (his favorite vegetable).
