If You Build It, They Will Come

Last weekend I had the awesome opportunity of helping in a Miracle League baseball game. The Miracle League was founded in 1998 under the belief that "every child deserves a chance to play baseball"- no matter what their abilities (check it out: www.miracleleague.com), and Utah just organized their first league! The teams played their first games on Saturday, and I went to cheer on the NAC team, and to take a ton of pictures!

(I wish I could post some of the pictures I got of the kids batting and crossing home plate, but I can't violate the participants' confidentiality. I'm sure you would've enjoyed them as much as I do!)

The teams played on this new "Field of Dreams" in West Jordan - a 100% wheelchair accessible baseball field.

It was such a treat to watch these kids, who never before were able to play baseball, finally get an opportunity to do this.

I love my job! :) More on that later.

What Have You Got? FAT BIRDS!

Allow me to introduce you to the most obnoxious birds on the planet. The one on the left is Lady (so named because she loves singing along whenever Lady Gaga is on the radio), and the one on the right is Gunther.

Gunther and Lady belonged to Philip (Jacob's brother) and used to reside in his room until Jacob and I recently moved in. It was unanimously decided very quickly that the birds were no longer welcome, so they moved out to the family room. Of course, that doesn't make them any less annoying, it just makes it easier to ignore them.

The other day I was peacefully eating breakfast in the kitchen when Gunther started up his usual racket.

Gunther: SQUACCCCCKKKKK! Twitter twitter twitter, cheap cheap! SQQQQQUUAAACCKK!

Me: Gunther! What the heck is wrong with you? Could you be quiet for five minutes?

Gunther: *pause* (looks at me curiously) SQQQQQQAAAAACCCCCKKKKK! SQACK SQACK SQACK!

Jacob (from another room): Beka, they're just happy to see each other.

Me: They're not talking to each other! That's only Gunther!

Jacob: ...Really? How can he be making that much noise?

Me: I don't know! It's unfathomable!

The good news is that we finally realized that Gunther will actually quiet down if I hush him over his noise. The trick is that you have to anticipate him starting again and begin shushing him before the sqwacking begins.

Gunther: SQQQQAAACCKKKK!

Me: SHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!

Gunther: (looks at me curiously, then opens his mouth again)

Me: SHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gunther: (again, looking surprised, then about to open his mouth again)

Me: SSSSSHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!

Gunther: (eyes me suspiciously, then closes his eyes and goes to sleep)

The other trick, of course, is that I have to stop yelling at him in order to shush him.

Philip might come home to find that the cats have "accidentally" eaten his birds.

We're All in the Mood for a Melody

My in-laws have a piano, and it suddenly makes sense why I've been lugging my piano books from apartment to apartment during the last six years. :)

The last few days have been lovely...and very unproductive.