Blog Brag on my Pirates

I must start this blog with a disclaimer... there will, no doubt, be a bit of biased opinions displayed throughout this blog entry, they are based on a bit of maternal instinct and a bit of love of all things Whitworth... there, I'm covered for the attorneys.

I am the mother of 2 boys/men children. They are Tyler and Trent and they are 2 1/2 years apart in age. They delight me. They, for the most part, always have. There were some times in there during the toddler years that I questioned my "delight." I am also mother to a darling girl, but sorry Megs... this post isn't about you right now.

My boys are runners, Bruce and I are both runners and pretty much LOVE that our boys are runners. There was a time when Tyler was a senior in high school and Trent was a freshman in high school that they were both on the same team. The West Salem Titans. I told Tyler that year that he was allowed to treat Trent like a freshman, but not like a little brother, that was the code. He did. They were district champs, Trent made varsity, represented, it was a good year to be a Dudley.

Fast forward to now... Trent decided to also attend Whitworth University, the very same institution his brother attends. I think that the coach was a big influence on this decision as was the fact that Trent witnessed the TEAM in action for these past 3 years. We've been fortunate enough to feed them several times at our house before meets and go to enough meets that we've grown quite familiar with Toby and the TEAM dynamic. I could go on and on about it, but instead I'm going to fast forward again to today, which was their conference meet.

Trent had been running poorly in the first half of the season, he'd been having good workouts but the races were horrible. It was just a "thing" he was having to work through. Toby and his teammates were helping and we were trying, but yeah, it was a tough start.

As luck would have it, the conference meet was hosted by Linfield and was quite near Salem, so the TEAM was able to come to our house and eat the night before. This, basically, makes me so happy... pause for the happiness quotient.... not enough, but I'll move on. I pretty much LOVE having 27 runners in my house... seeing the shoes in my entry way... their smiling, hungry faces... watching my crazy dog freak out and run from kid to kid for a pet.... my heart is so full. Toby's smiling face and, oh yeah, this time he brought the new Athletic Director along... so, yeah, I'm pretty much firing on all pistons.

They arrived... they prayed, they ate, they had fellowship with each other and the parents who were there and they left... it was awesome as always. My parting shot as they thank me is "Run fast" that's all I really want, my competitive nature is just to win.

Now, it's race day, we had the parents of the captain spend the night, Sue and Jim Jenkins, amazing, quality folks who reared an amazing, quality kid, go figure! Sue and I had discussed that the kids seemed a bit subdued at the dinner, not as goofy or loud as usual, we couldn't put our finger on it, but the adjective we came up with was "focused". We felt good about it, but being the crazy running moms we are... we both woke up feeling nervous for them, so silly, but yep, we were. We arrive at the course super early. Chatted with coaches and other parents... poised ourselves to watch the girls run and do a "dry run" for the boys' race.

Boys' race: Oh my... that's all I can really muster for this re-telling... I have in my mind this really cool movie footage from the race that "Seabiscuit" ran in that movie... all goes silent... and then the old time announcer voice comes on... and announces the race. Basically, the Whitworth boys ran out of their minds and won! I screamed my face off! I think I pulled something in my back... my throat is hoarse... my head was pounding from yelling. Aaron and Trevor ran awesomely... Tyler ran out of his mind... Eli outkicked Willamette's #4 in the last 50... Mark ran his face off.... I could go on and on. I was high on Whitworth runners and their amazing showing. I sort of hobbled over to the finish area and found them all and hugged/high fived/stared in dazed confusion at them... I had done the math and thought they won, but we were still a bit scared.

Then, the TEAM gathered together, no coaches around, just this young group of boys... they prayed, they thanked God for their race, they circled up and just glorified God. There were some moms crying... I wasn't among them... and then I realized why. I LOVE this TEAM... I have a senior on this TEAM... but I am so fortunate that I also have a freshman on this TEAM... I don't need to mourn the loss of it yet. I was immediately sad for those moms. I feel their pain and in 3 years somebody better get a really good counselor to help me.

So folks, this blog ends with this... sending your kids off to college is a scary/sad thing, but I will say that at least for me, I have a peace about the place they landed. I pretty much love their coaches and feel like God put them where He wants them to be and for that, I'm most grateful and humble.

Go Pirates!!! Kick some major "Booty" at Regionals!!!!!!!!

Mama Duds

PS.. the New Athletic Director got to witness first hand his very first Conference Championship, so yeah, that is another awesome thing too. He's a baseball guy and was very interested in the World Series game that was happening during "carbo load" time... October is XC time, NOT baseball... sorry!

You Da Manns!

This blog is dedicated to the Manns... that is Josh and Bex Mann... and Mercy...

I had this thought that I would be able to let the fact that the Manns were leaving our life go by.... I thought that I would be able to say a very feeble goodbye at their last staff coffee and that would be a goodbye... I was very wrong. Let's start at the beginning, a very good place to start.. if you are Maria Von Trapp... I'm not, but let me try. I have a very vivid memory of Josh Mann as an intern at SAC. I was working with the Preschool staff, Tess and Nancy, in a not on official staff payroll sort of way, but getting paid sort of way. Josh was an intern under Erik and was doing events and in that arena was my eldest son's assistant pastor. My early memory is of Josh seeking to have lunch with Nancy and Tess and me... he made it happen and ate with us and asked questions of us... if memory serves, Nancy made a very inappropriate fart joke... you adjusted quite well, I was impressed by your young, Doogie Houser self.

Tyler, my eldest would invite his friends (non churched kids) to events and Josh was "the main guy" who would engage. I have major recollection of follow up conversations with those kids about the "cool church dude". Always engaging, Josh, from the beginning.

After those times, I just praise God for the fact that He placed you in my kids' lives. Trent has been blessed by you... a million times.. and Megan... the same. I can't articulate, I just feel like God placed you into the middle of the Dudley's lives... for real, I'm so blessed that you have been the Pastor that God placed in my kids' lives. I pause here, because I can't articulate the emotion I feel here. (Sob) just doesn't seem to do it justice, but suffice to say.... there are tears on my keyboard.

So, Bex, on to you... I pretty much love you, so THAT is awesome for my crying self.... I feel like you and I are a lot of the same person. We both married young and also, I feel like our young marriages have faced a lot of the same obstacles.... call me crazy, but I know what I feel, call me on this, I'd love to share.

I have a very vivid memory of you sharing about your miscarriage with me... I shared with you about mine. I had one before I became pregnant with Megan. I know that God orchestrated mine and yours and that He had a plan for both of us to have our darling daughters as His plan unveiled... so happy that I could watch both of those plans play out. I love that I got to meet your daughter... I wish that my daughter could have become her best babysitter, but perhaps her friend she met at YouthQuake... I love God's plan....

But Bex, I do feel like God put you in my life and me in your life for a reason... our stories are close. We married young, our husbands are similar... I feel like we are a pair... please keep in touch.

So, the last "thing" to this blog... I was at the front desk today because our Monday girl got sick, I was sitting there answering phones and in walks Josh.... He waves at me....I believe he was leaving a key or something for Tim... doesn't matter, He waves.... I wave and immediately realize... Oh my Goodness...!" I say, " Good bye! Thank you for Pastoring all of my kids." He says, "Your kids are awesome." I love that boy... I reply, "I hope Trent can intern at your church." To which he replies, he hopes so. I say, that we love you and he is gone.

I am, in a weird way, glad that I'm the last interaction Josh has at SAC... Bex was the "girl Friday" as her first job... Josh and I go way back for '"jobs" here... I feel like it's appropriate.

I pray for Fox Island and the Manns, I just love that God has a plan for them, praise You God for your plan at Fox Island. I can't wait to see what You have planned for them.