Runner Up

I have excellent news to post today. Jim, Jimmy, and myself spent this past weekend in Ruidoso watching me and my team compete in the USSSA NM State Tournament. We had a great time in Ruidoso and our team placed second. This is the best the team has placed at state since I've been a part of this team. All of the games were really exciting and our team played awesome!

When I got to work yesterday I received a team email saying that we have been invited to compete at the Midwest Nationals in Texas. This is an opportunity of a lifetime and our team couldn't be more excited. We played our last league game last night (we placed first in the league) and we're still trying to officially decide if we will attend. Nationals will be held just outside Dallas during the Labor Day weekend....it should be exciting if the team goes. Anyway, here are a few team photos and a few of our players receiving awards.

Getting Back In The Saddle

I didn't waste any time getting back in the saddle and playing some softball. We had a doubleheader last night and I was so excited to play. For the most part things went really well...although I'm still having some problems batting since I started playing golf. I did have a de-ja-vu moment playing the outfield again...another pop fly from the same batter that hit the ball that hit me in the forehead. No, I didn't catch it...it freaked me out and consequently I didn't get under the ball.

I originally had plans to have Jim hit balls to me tonight, but the weather is horrible and cold. I'm still hoping that Jim can hit balls to me so I'm hoping maybe we can find an open field before we start playing on Saturday morning. I just feel like I need to get it out of my system so that I don't have any problems this weekend.

Jim, Jimmy, and I leave for Ruidoso tomorrow for our State Softball Tournament and I'm really looking forward to it. Ruidoso is a beautiful town and I can't wait to go. We plan on leaving after Jim gets off work and I'm hoping to hit the batting cages in Santa Fe before leaving town. I need to correct the golf swing that I've got going...it's really starting to annoy me popping the ball straight up just behind the infield, which happens 50% of the time now.

I have no pictures to post today but I plan on taking the camera with us, so maybe I'll shoot some good photos that I can share.

One Week Later

Well it's been one week since my stupidity hit me square in the forehead. Currently, there is very little swelling in my forehead and my eyes still look like they have permanent eye makeup covering them. My colorful eyes are getting better but I'm guessing it will be close to another two weeks before my eyes look normal again. It also still hurts to chew on the left side of my mouth. I'm actually starting to get worried at this point, hoping it's not some other underlying damage that we don't know about yet...like a broken or chipped bone. During the last week I have felt improvement in the pain but it hasn't improved at all the last three days.

As promised here's an updated photo that Jim took just a few minutes ago. The stripes on my forehead are still holding up well and I'm not sure when they will fall off on their own. If they're not gone by Wednesday then I'll take them off myself...one week should be long enough for them do what they need to do. Anyway..

Stef, I hope your flashbacks to when I was six will start to subside now...

The Three Stooges

Quick update on my injury; my forehead and eyes continue to look better day by day. The incision has started itching today and it's pretty hard not to scratch the hell out of it...I've been trying to rub rather then scratch. Earlier today while I was trying to rub my forehead I realized that I don't have a lot of feeling above the incision..it's still numb. I really hope the nerve endings come back because it feels very odd. I plan on having Jim take an updated picture on Saturday afternoon...one week post injury and I plan on posting it here.

Once again this weekend Jim and I will attempt to play some golf...providing neither one of us does anything stupid before Sunday. Unfortunately I'll be in the office all day Saturday, which means I'm really looking forward to some golf and getting outside.

Anyway, I had a request to post some updated pictures of the animals. The last few days I've taken some pretty cute pictures of the cats helping me read the newspaper and one cute picture of Jim tormenting Sasha. I also have one picture of Nanook.

I'm a Legend

It's been a couple of days since my last post and I thought I would once again update everyone. The swelling in my eyes have come down, but they're still very colorful. When I look closely I can tell that the bruises are subsiding and I need to remind myself that they will return to normal with time. At least I don't need eye makeup for awhile. And, for some reason they have also itched the last several days. So bad that it borderlines on annoying...I can't wait until that one goes away.

I got my stitches removed today and was kind of shocked when I made my second trip to the ER. Apparently, I'm a legend in the Los Alamos Medical Center Emergency Room. When I made my first trip there on Saturday the ER doctor told me it was the worse softball injury he's ever seen. When I went back today, of course there was different staff this time, and the nurse that saw me immediately said, "Oh, you must be the softball woman". Startled I looked at her and asked, "How did you know?" I was then informed that the entire staff had been talking about the injury and how bad it was. I have always wanted to be a legend, but not for this.

More good news for the day; the ER doctor that I saw today was very impressed with the stitch work that the original doctor had done. So impressed that he mentioned that he himself wouldn't have been able to do such a good job. Needless to say I was very relieved since this is yet another scar on my face. I've also looked into possibly seeing a plastic surgeon next summer (depending on how this scar heals). However, I think I'll try a scar cream before I make a move to a plastic surgeon for a consult.

Anyway, here's an updated photo for you that Jim took tonight. At least it's looking better by the day.

Better Late Then Never

I just thought I would take a quick minute to update everyone on my injury. Well I woke up this morning with my right eye swollen and just as pretty as the left one (at least they match now). I went to work today and I resorted to wearing sun glasses all day...to cover up my eyes. My co-workers are very surprised that I don't have a headache. My head really hasn't hurt much at all. You would think I would have a massive headache, but I don't.

Good news for the day, a package from my sister arrived in the mail containing pictures from my last trip to Maryland/Virginia...back in May. Mom and I walked around the National Zoo and here are some very cute photos for your enjoyment:

18 And Life

Most of you know that I'm really into softball during the summer months and I play any chance I get. I usually participate in a few tournaments during the course of the summer. I woke up Saturday morning very excited that I would be playing in the Jalapeno Popper here in White Rock. Jim and I also had plans to go golfing on Sunday. It was suppose to be a fun filled weekend for the two of us, then this happened...

During the second inning of our second game I was in the outfield when a pop-fly came my way. It was quite a ways in front of me and I had run up on the ball in order to catch it. I made it to ball but I never got my glove up in time to catch it. Instead the ball hit me square in the forehead. One of my teammates drove me to the ER and Jim met us there. After spending a few hours in the ER I walked out with 18 stitches...yes 18. I will end up with a very interesting scar on my forehead...it's shaped like a 'Y' with the bottom part of the 'Y' just below the edge of my left eyebrow. It was an extremely deep incision (we think it went all the way to the bone), and the ER doc that stitched me said it was the worse softball incision he's ever seen. Here's some answers to a few common answers:

1) Yes, it hurts (although not to bad at the moment).
2) Yes, I look very funny (you're more then welcome to laugh at me).
3) Yes, I plan on continuing to play softball (although this is my second trip to the ER as a result of softball).
4) No, I don't need to get my eyes checked.
5) No, I didn't catch the ball.

Here are also a few photos for your entertainment:

I came home with this mummy-like bandage. You really can't see much...except for the fact that my hair is sticking straight up. My hair was caked with blood and they wouldn't let me wash it.

I woke up this morning with my left eye swollen shut. Notice, I still haven't been able to wash my hair.I was finally able to wash my hair late this afternoon and gently clean the wound. This is what it really looks like....yuck!

The Big 30

For those of you that didn't know I turned 30 on Sunday. I feel like I took it pretty well. Or at least I took it better then my sister did when she turned 30. When my sister turned 30 she barely even got out bed. Anyway, the only thing that I had a hard time with was the whole goal thing. I was suppose to have my degree by the time I turned 30 and I was suppose to be done having children by the time I was 30. I'm still working on my degree (about two more years to go) and we all know the whole baby thing didn't work out.

So you may be wondering, what did I do for my 30th birthday? My birthday and my wedding anniversary (which is the day after my birthday) was very much of a disappointment this year. The highlight of my birthday...going to the grocery store. I'm guessing I just need to get use to it. Anyway, Jim and I did go golfing on our anniversary but that was the extent of it.

I took some time off from work to celebrate, so I've been enjoying a few days to myself. I've just spent the last few days lounging around the house. Jim and I have no plans to celebrate the 4th of July except to watch the fireworks. We plan on climbing on top of the roof to watch the show. I'll try to take some photos but I'm not sure how they'll turn out.