This little corner...

Growing up is weird when you think about it.... I mean really. What happen to those days when you talked about what you want to be "when I grow up"? They just kinda slip right on past you and you don't even realize that you've past that "when" phase and you're already there! And then BAM it hits you that not only are you already even past that phase, but even your little sister is past that phase. What? She's not old enough to have a job where she has to dress up every day!

You may be wondering where all of this came from... well, you know I'm gonna tell ya.

I grew up in an amazing little church - "this little corner we call Pinedale" - and they had their 60th Anniversary Homecoming this past weekend. Funny how I didn't realize how amazing it really was at the time. We don't go to church there anymore, but it's almost like you'd never know. It's home. I can't tell you how many necks were hugged on Sunday and how many "do you remember when..." stories were told.

At one point, I just stopped and looked around me.... I saw the other "kids" my age that I grew up with having kids of their own. People who had fallen away from everything they used to believe finally coming back "home". People who would do anything and everything they could just to help you through the tough times and celebrate with you in the good times. Women who were your mama, even though they weren't your mama. People who used to go to all the high school football games just so they could yell "Heeey Hope!" as I conducted the band. Men who were my baseball buddies even when other people thought I was crazy. It's amazing those small things that can lead to big things... I think, if they hadn't encouraged my knowledge of baseball, I might not have grown to love it so much, I might not have changed my major so I could have a job in baseball, I might not have ever met the man of my dreams. These are the people who helped make me who I am today... and they make me smile...