Curve Balls in Life

Lil' TK broke his nose. Well, the pitcher from the opposing team broke his nose. With a fastball straight to the schnoz. It was supposed to be a curve ball. The pitcher had been throwing a nasty curve ball for pitch #1 to every batter on the team. So far. This time, it didn't curve.

Ang thought it hit his helmet, from the sound of it. And from the way Lil' TK slapped at his helmet after the hit.

It didn't hit his helmet. That sound was the ball hitting Lil' TK on the left side of his nose...pushing it to the right. Only Lil' TK and the Umpire knew that though.

Everyone was kind of frozen. Until Kels yelled, "He's bleeding!"

Ang and Big TK have never moved so fast getting to the field.


Lil' TK never fell over, never passed out, never cried. He just did whatever all the frantic adults around him told him to do. Head back, head forward, relax, breathe, walk over here....etc.

5 hrs in the Regions Hospital ER. 2 hours home. Including a stop at Wendy's for a starving young man...with a broken nose.

He broke down for a moment in the ER...from all the stress and frustration, poking and prodding. Even in that moment, though, Lil' TK was strong. And brave.

Cousin JR was at the game as well. He was amazing helping get Lil' TK into the van and then the ER...never complaining. Supporting his younger cousin as best he could.

Kels accepted the 2nd place trophy from the game for her brother. The team moms took care of the twin sister who couldn't bear to go to the ER and see her brother in that condition. The pitcher's mom found Kels and got the address for the Shack...as she wiped away tears and wished Lil' TK the best.

3 days later...the good ENT doctor fixed Lil' TK's nose - moving it back to where it belongs.

The team that had watched their team-mate take a fastball to the face, signed a baseball and created a poster to put up in the recovery room. Lil' TK woke up from the procedure alert and bright eyed ("It was the best nap ever!")...and so thankful for his team and Nurse Sandy.

And then Ang and Big TK sent Lil' TK off to his buddy's lake home for 5 days to rest, relax and recoup. Just as thankful for good friends (The Marsh Crew) who love the crooked nosed kid just as much.

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(¸.•´ (¸.•' Peace and Love

August 2010

August started out with a sigh of relief that baseball and softball had come to an end and the weekends were free. Or so was thought!

8/9 – Ang, Kels and Lil’ TK went to the Vikings Training Camp with the cousins from SD and WI and super-awesome Aunt Sharon. It was way too hot to be comfortable but everyone had fun checking out practice, checking out the *hot* players and watching the younger boys have fun at the activities and autograph sessions. The cousins were able to get some cool Vikings gear so that they can cheer on the purple and gold with pride back home!

8/11 – Abby Lou’s birthday. 6 years old!

Kels has pitching tryouts for the 14U Peppers 2011 teams. First year trying out at that age level…said the older girls (16U and 18U) made her nervous but she did her best and even got to tryout with BFF MM.

8/14 – Andy and Jenny’s wedding in St. Paul. St. Thomas More church – incredible!! Again, too hot to be comfortable but a good time was had by all. Adopted Kopp Crew member, JM, gave an awesome Best Man speech. We laughed; we cried…it became a part of us. Oh – and the Vikings won the first pre-season game!

8/15 – Kels has fielding/batting tryouts for 14U Peppers 2011 teams. Weather was a little nicer, which was good since tryouts took over 2 hours! Gets a call a week later that she made the B team and will have the same coach she had her very first year in Peppers. Very exciting! Will also have her other BFF's from summer softball, KE and AL, on the team again!

8/16 – Lil’ TK starts Football practices. Is placed on the MNMYF West - Hickorytech Rams. Ang cannot wait to start cheering on #33. Pain heals, chicks dig scars…Glory lasts forever!

8/20-8/22 – VACATION at Mound Lake. Truly God’s country. Located by Burtrum/Upsala/Long Prairie/Grey Eagle. Lil’ TK’s adopted family – The Marshes – have a lake home there. Invited the whole Crew up. So blessed to have such great friends. No internet, no cell phone, no plans. Just relaxed riding the waves on the pontoon all weekend. Very sad to have to come home to reality but the Crew did miss Abby Lou - who was overjoyed to see us return. Although a quiet house and Gramma Nita to herself all weekend could not have been bad….

8/25-9/6 – Big TK is working at the Great MN Get-Together…the State Fair for the Vikings Locker Room. Blessed again with a great friend –JM – who offered to let him stay at his place in Bloomington the whole time he is working at the fair.

8/30 – Kels starts school volleyball practices. First match is 9/9.

9/9 – Kels and Lil’ TK start Dakota Meadows Middle School. As 7th graders. Ang is going to need to start buying a lot more hair coloring kits to fend off the gray hairs that will be coming…Holy Cow – 7th graders! Where has the time gone?

*´¨) ¸.• ´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•' Peace and Love