Faith and Family

I found this beautiful quote by an unknown writer:

“Our Family is a circle of strength; Founded on Faith, Joined in Love & Kept by God, Together…Forever.”

In my last post I outlined five topics that I was going to touch on throughout this blog and today I felt compelled to start with Faith and Family. So what does Family mean to me? In short, I believe our family is comprised of the people that we love.

The above is a rather simplistic explanation so let me elaborate. In my opinion, a Family is a tight unit joined, not only by blood and love, but by a commitment witnessed by God.  We live in an ever-evolving world with relentless sensory overload. Because of this, it is so easy to get caught up in the things of this world and forget the things that are most important. This is why I believe that in order for a family unit to exist in harmony, it must share the same morals and values that subsequently fuel it to thrive. This is why the quote above resonated with me so deeply. We all know there are dysfunctional families out there – we all have them – but when our family unit is not held together by something greater than our own self-interests, chaos and disjointedness can ensue.

In the case of my family, we follow one God – Jesus Christ. He guides our believes, and therefore, our morals and values. He is the foundation of our family and our faith in Him is what gives us the strength to respect one another as individuals, but also as a unit.

Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate. Matthew 19:6

We will forever be together – in this world and in the next.

Two Hearts, Forever One

This post is dedicated to my soul mate…My best friend…My partner for life. I love you with the entirety of my heart and with every fiber of my being.

I loved you yesterday. I love you today. I will love you tomorrow. I will never stop loving you.

Happy Anniversary!

We love our milkshakes. Sharing is caring. ❤

David and I at an autograph session at Macy’s.

Yankees: The Love-Hate Relationship

Since I’m not Nick Swisher I can probably write this post without receiving hate mail.  Probably, being the operative word. I’m going to come right out and say it, being with the New York Yankees is both a blessing and a –for lack of a better word – curse. When the Bronx Bombers drafted David in 2008, we couldn’t have been happier. Who wouldn’t love to play for America’s team? It soon became evident, however, that playing for the Yankees comes with its fair share of challenges.

I have the upmost respect for every single individual within the Yankees organization. I think it is safe to say that they have the hardest jobs in Major League Baseball. What A-Rod said on the last day of the season pretty much sums up what it’s like to play for the Yankees: “I love New York City and I love everything about being a Yankee. The highs are very high and the lows are extremely low.” In 25 words he managed to sum it all up.

As a wife, I have an insider’s perspective. While I can’t attest to the feelings of individual players, I can tell you what it’s like to sit on the sidelines and watch your husband fight for his job on a daily basis. No position in sports is safe and A-Rod is a prime example of that. What transpired the last few days of the season proves that no one is invincible or omnipotent. My heart truly goes out to him and every other guy on the team who poured his heart and soul into this year.  Overall, it was a great season for the Yankees, but they fell short at critical moments.

The behavior of fans and spectators alike is the hardest aspect of this sport. As much as 90% of this game is mental, and when you don’t have the support of your fans it makes it a lot harder to succeed. I love the passion that New York has for its team, but I think we can all recognize there is a lack of compassion and understanding that goes in hand with said passion. While it can be argued that this type of “tough love” can fuel your fire, there is a point where your tank is still empty; using negative comments to encourage success is a sad way to go about this lifestyle.

This past year I experienced, first hand, nasty fans that made terrible comments about the Trenton Thunder and its players. Most of the time I bit my tongue, but there were times I turned around and kindly said something. I never had to speak up for David, but I did find myself standing up for the team and his teammates. Fortunately, I was never met with anything but understanding. It seems when people know you are a wife it’s much harder to speak poorly to your face – even if it’s just about the team. It’s good to know there are still fans with hearts out there.

There were several times I vented to David about the actions and words of the fans but every single time, he had the same response – “get used to it, this is what playing for NY is like.” Of course, I was quick to reply, “BUT IT’S NOT FAIR. WHAT IF I DON’T WANT TO GET USED TO IT?” David has become well aware of the scrutiny that accompanies playing at Yankee Stadium and subsequent to that, I’ve had to as well. It takes tough characters to stand tall and not crumble despite adversity and criticism and every man who has stepped foot onto the field, in a New York Yankees uniform, fits the bill.

I’m not going to get into the million reasons the Yankees don’t deserve to be treated with the lack of respect that they, at times, receive because I know that no matter what I say, people will still have a conflicting opinion. Unless you have lived the life of a professional athlete, you really can’t comprehend what they go through. Even as a wife, I have no clue. I can tell you what I know and I can share my experiences, but I will never know what it feels like to step out in pinstripes in front of thousands of fans and millions of TV viewers.

“You throw the ball, you catch the ball, you hit the ball. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, sometimes it rains.”  It may sound simple, but it’s far from it.

Remember – “It’s supposed to be hard. If it wasn’t hard, everyone would do it. The hard… is what makes it great.”

Walk in their cleats

Walk in their cleats

This post was prompted by my utter shock and disbelief regarding the world we live in today. There are too many examples to give that prove the state of duress our world is in, but I will start with baseball.

This wonderful yet, at times, brutal, microcosm we live in, is a prime example of what this world has become and is becoming. Let’s start with the Yankees, shall we? We all know that the Yanks are the team that people love to hate. What gets me is the extent of hate that is broadcast around the world. Who would’ve thought that Derek Jeter would break his ankle, and fans, or I should say, spectators, would be surfacing all over the world in celebration. Who could’ve foreseen, Nick Swisher being emotionally disturbed by the nasty comments flying out of the stands during one of the ALCS games? Not me, that’s for sure.

I think it’s safe to say, we all know these comments are uncalled for and plain inhumane. These men, those you root for, or against, are your neighbors, your brothers, your fellow Americans. So why? Why must you tear them down? Wish them harm? What do you gain by doing so? I don’t understand it.

There is friendly competition, and then there is plain, unadulterated hate.  What we really need in this world is less hate and more love. Love is what makes this world turn and what makes life worth living. Do you think for one second, that baseball players hate their jobs? Their careers begin at a young, pure, and innocent age with a dream: to be loved and to do what they love. Then they grow up and reality dawns. It hits them hard in the face and it affects their families and their children.

Even the strongest souls can go undaunted for so long. We are all human, and to think that the hateful comments don’t sting is naïve.  Some of us may do a better job of building a barrier with a moat full of defenses, but if you keep throwing cannons, one will eventually result in injury.

Before you speak another nasty word, think to yourself, “Would I say that to my grandfather, father or brother?” “Would I want the tables turned?” “What could he possibly be feeling?”  “I want to empathize.”

I ask you all to put your feelings aside and think of others. Are your actions and comments constructive or vile? Remember, you are a spec of sand in this endless universe. You are no better than anyone, not even the man who cleans the bathrooms at the stadium. This is a fact that most baseball players can acknowledge. Just because they get paid to do what they love and are admired by many doesn’t mean they think they are better than the world. On the contrary, it teaches you humility. Often times, you need to rise in order to fall. And those who do not learn these valuable lessons will fall.

I bid thee farewell…for now.

Throughout my blog I have touched on my lack of interest in social media. Having moved this year for baseball season to be by David’s side has opened up my eyes to things I wish I never knew. The expression ignorance is bliss is so utterly true yet with everything out on the Internet, being oblivious takes great effort. The harsh reality I have come to accept is – this is life. Or I should say, life in 2012.

All through college and for David’s career prior to his injury in 2010, I paid little attention to his day-to-day life. We spoke on the phone as often as possible but our schedules were, for the most part, opposite. This year, however, has been overwhelmed by change and by learning experiences. I see David every day that he is “home” and I watch all his games from the stands. When he is on the road I sometimes listen to the radio or watch game tracker. No matter how much or how little attention I pay to his career, the pressure is on and it’s relentless.

About a month or so ago my arm was twisted into joining twitter and in an instant I was on the bandwagon I once professed I would never jump on. I took to it right away and started following all the baseball media outlets. Although I was following some great people, I should have never given so much attention to the baseball scene. Suddenly, my phone became a walking newsfeed for all the happenings in the sport. While this was ok for the first few weeks, after some time it got old. I think that, we, as wives and family of athletes, sometimes forget that our husbands/sons/brothers/etc. play this amazing game for a living. It is no surprise to me that the MLB has strict social media guidelines for players. Even though it is much more exciting than that of most jobs, it is still that – a job. We need to respect it and know where to draw the line. This is a line that becomes ever so vague with outlets like twitter, that expand our accessibility.

Athletes, in particular, live under a microscope. People are always going to have their opinions and understandably so. Nevertheless, those opinions really don’t matter, therefore, why feed into them? Why pay them any attention? Whether they are good or bad, they serve no purpose to us as human beings with bountiful God-given potential. It may be difficult to ignore the articles littered with judgments about your beloved, but that is precisely what needs to be done. In the end you cannot gain anything from reading them – positive articles ignite even the slightest bit of pride inside the best of us and negative ones provoke doubt and fear.

Over and over I have expressed how critical it is in this life to zone out all the “noise.” I have even addressed how adamant David is about paying it no mind, yet, with twitter, this became virtually impossible. While the media is great and here to serve a purpose, it is swarming with gossip. Early yesterday I went through the people I was following and did a mass purge. This was not because I wanted to alienate myself from them, but because I wanted to maintain my focus – our focus. No matter how much I fought having a reaction to all of the gossip, I couldn’t help but suddenly consider myself a hypocrite. Up until this point I was on such a good path and then, in what seemed like a flap of the wings, I was doing the very things I abhor. By paying attention to it I was giving it the power it didn’t warrant.

Fortunately for David and me, I have been able to nip this at the bud. After a liberating day from nagging news, I still felt it wasn’t enough. So with David giving me the nudge, I deactivated my twitter. I can’t say that I will be absent from twitter forever, but I am acknowledging that it really serves me no purpose – not right now anyway. As a society we are extremely over stimulated and losing touch with reality – the things that are truly important in this life. I am making my husband and myself a promise through the stretch of this emotionally and physically draining season, to zone out all the “noise” around us.

I must say, however, that this experience has deepened my understanding and appreciation for social media. Having said that, my gut has never failed me and it is the reason I find myself abstaining from unfulfilling abstract sources. This was yet another experience I can walk away from having learned something greater about myself, and the strength of my relationship with both David and God.

Love…Fight….& R-E-S-P-E-C-T

While my immaturity may have gotten the best of me when I was younger, I am happy to say that my intentions of being a Lover, not a Fighter are very much in effect these days.  This goes for my friendships, relationships within my family and with my husband.    As a Cancer ;), I am extremely emotional!  I empathize with most and I shed a tear for those I have never met.

Yesterday I found a 4-5 month old kitten I was ready to adopt on the spot.  She was so skinny that my heart broke, but I have to consider my other animals and my husband before jumping the gun and taking in another kitten.  Sigh.    Is it a lot to ask the Lord to grant me with the ability to rescue all those in need?   I really don’t think so, and I pray for that nearly every day.   If I could give you ONE reason I want wealth, that reason would be to give back.   Sure, I want the house of my dreams, but what makes me the happiest is seeing that I can save the lives of so many homeless animals and that I can also enrich the lives of those individuals that are less fortunate.

I tell myself every day that while I may not have the monetary wealth to make a world of difference at the moment, I have so much wealth in other areas of my life that afford me the opportunity to do more than I give myself credit for. I will come out and say it, I make excuses.   I tell myself I can do more when I have the money, but what about my bare hands?  What about my feet?  My brain?   There are so many ways that I can do more, but I am the only one placing limits on myself.    Moses and Jesus barely had clothes on their backs or food and water, yet they moved mountains.  I realize NOW that my faith CAN indeed move mountains.

If I could use one word to describe my ambitions for 2012, it would be philanthropy.   While my year so far is better described by words like change, deliverance and adaptation, I strive to use my abilities to do more for others less fortunate.   In the future, David and I will have a foundation that we can leverage to make exponential difference in the world, but for now, I will have to step outside my comfort zone and give more of myself – my whole self.

Empathy, being a common theme that governs my life, is something that I take for granted in other people.   I assume that everyone has the empathy and the understanding that I do.   It is for this reason that I have a hard time comprehending why others do things that I would NEVER consider doing.   The Golden Rule states that you should”Do unto others as you would want others to do unto you.”   I work on fulfilling this rule every day.  I want to give back partly for this reason.  But what if others don’t know how you want to be treated?  This rule also goes the other way around – don’t allow people to treat you as you would not treat them.    Recognize that this means you have to speak up and tell people when they are making you uncomfortable or are treating you in such a way that you do not deem appropriate – I struggle very much with this due to my dislike for confrontation.  Sighhhhhhhhhhhh.

Another important point to address is that when in doubt, put yourself in other’s shoes. Having the ability to understand that we are all at different points in our lives and going through varying situations allows you to see how others may be uncomfortable where you are not.

Now that my feelings are alllll out there, my question is…why don’t they just get it!?

I have a hard time understanding why the basic rules that govern my life can be soooo far off from those of others.   I run my life in a way that I consider other’s feelings – sometimes more than my own.  Why?  Because I want others to consider mine… DUH!   There are a million rules that apply to my life, that I find have no place in other people’s lives.   Maybe I am just different than most, or perhaps we live in a world where people have no regard for anyone but themselves… Yes, we are all somewhat selfish, I am definitely selfish sometimes, but I would never just impose myself on others.    Maybe one day the world will look a little different and we can all follow the rainbow to the pot of gold at the end.

For Better or For Worse, Through Sickness and In Health

Ok… so my ellipsis turned out to be slightly shorter than anticipated, yet as I’m finalizing my epic move, I found myself missing my blog posts.  A week originally seemed like a long time to go without writing, but now I know it is more like an eternity.   Alright, eternity is an exaggeration, but I’ve been really missing it.

Nevertheless, I am only checking in to write a short post and actually share something special I came across when looking back at my wedding website and pictures.   The day that David and I made our vows, we promised to one another, that we would always be there for each other.   That no matter what, for better or for worse, through sickness and in health, I will stand my his side and I know he will mine.  In a time when vows have little meaning and people are quick to divorce at the instant something goes wrong, I feel strongly that times will change.   I hope the days of annulments, 15, 30, 70, even 360 day marriages are soon behind us.   It is because of my faith and my belief in a promise, that I know David and I will never fall into the dreaded statistic.   

After reading The Vow and watching the movie twice, I have realized even more that vows mean something.   That even though times can get tough and with a twist of fate, unimaginable, breaking that promise is never the answer.   I truly hope that my generation will find value and meaning in the words of their vows and that in time, the 50/50 statistic will diminish.  

Below is a blurb my mother was kind enough to write for David and my wedding website.   I came across it a few days ago and it made me smile and reminisce.  I wanted to share it with you all.   I hope you enjoy.  

“She lifted her face to him, and he bent forward and kissed her on the mouth, gently, with the one kiss that is an eternal pledge.   February 6th, 2011 will forever mark the union of two hearts fully evolved into one soul.  Camille and David came together at the tender age of fourteen, while in the eighth grade at Grandview Preparatory School.  A fairy tale of sorts, their relationship endured the challenges of youth, skepticism and long distance.  Unconditional love and devotion took them to places where they both only dreamed of, where they will dwell for a lifetime of happiness, sheltered in the warmth of each other’s arms.  

Within this blessed union of souls, where two hearts intertwine to become one, there lies a promise. Perfectly born, divinely created, and intimately shared, it is a place where the hope and majesty of beginnings reside – where all things are made possible by the astounding love shared by two spirits. What greater thing is there for two human souls than to feel they are joined for life to strengthen each other in all labor, to rest on each other in all sorrow, to support each other in all pain, to be one with each other in silence!  On their eight-year anniversary, David gallantly asked Camille’s parents for her hand in marriage prior to a gentle and loving private proposal.

Two hearts with one soul, Camille and David were meant to be High School Sweet Hearts now and forever more.  Living their dream has shattered all doubts as they maintained their faith, vision, determination, dedication, and unwavering love, attesting that all things are possible for those who believe!”

 

Babies listening to Baseball with Mommy

Julius loves his big brother Charlie and grooms him to prove it. They are spoiled brats on the bed but I cave when David isn’t around to enforce the law. You can hear the Thunder opening game in the background. We are sad they lost but we’ll get them next time! Rematch tonight at Waterfront Park!