first day of school

a new journey

this one’s for you and me

it happened again

and more than anything
i have been struck by

his strength
his grace
his perseverance
his peace

it has been a humbling lesson for me
i strive to be more like him

probably his favorite song these days
*unedited version – some strong language*

you and i know what it’s like
to be kicked down
forced to fight
but tonight we’re alright
so hold up your lights
let it shine

’cause this one’s for you and me
livin’ out our dreams
we’re all right where we should be
lift my arms out wide
and i open my eyes
now all i want to see
is a sky full of lighters

and i don’t know if it speaks to him the same way it does to me

but i know one day
he’ll be standing there
surrounded by the lights

long road

from here

to here

7 months

christopher spent the entire baseball season on the sidelines with a fractured elbow
he got in one practice (at half speed) before his team traveled to cooperstown for a week long tournament

i wasn’t sure what his participation would be

he got to do a lot of this before games

and this during games thanks to unlimited runner substitutions

his team did well, really well
and with scores like this

he got to do a little of this

and even some of this

it was an amazing experience for these boys to play against teams from all over the u.s.
104 teams in all
and after 3 days of pool play they ended up ranked first for the tournament

they won their first two games and then lost in the round of 8
better than any team from clarence has ever done
‘1000%’ past all expectations (in the words of their coach)

but the highlight for us (and everyone else i’ve talked with) was this:

a walk off home run to end the second playoff game
his first home run e.v.e.r.

a moment

a memory
for a lifetime

(thank you jen for capturing it on video so we could share it with everyone!)

loser like me

this brought me to tears

it’s like someone has been listening to the conversations that chris & i have been having with christopher and turned them into a song

yeah, you may think that i’m a zero
but, hey, everyone you wanna be
probably started off like me

you may say that i’m a freakshow (i don’t care)
but, hey, give me just a little time
i bet you’re gonna change your mind

all of the dirt you’ve been throwin’ my way
it ain’t so hard to take, that’s right

‘cause i know one day you’ll be screamin’ my name
and i’ll just look away, that’s right

just go ahead and hate on me and run your mouth
so everyone can hear

hit me with the worst you got and knock me down
baby, i don’t care

keep it up, and soon enough you’ll figure out

you wanna be
you wanna be
a loser like me
a loser like me

push me up against the locker
and hey, all i do is shake it off
i’ll get you back when i’m your boss

i’m not thinkin’ ’bout you haters
’cause hey, i could be a superstar
i’ll see you when you wash my car

all of the dirt you’ve been throwin’ my way
it ain’t so hard to take, that’s right

‘cause i know one day you’ll be screamin’ my name
and i’ll just look away, that’s right

just go ahead and hate on me and run your mouth
so everyone can hear

hit me with the worst you got and knock me down
baby, i don’t care

keep it up, and soon enough you’ll figure out
you wanna be
you wanna be
a loser like me
a loser like me
a loser like me

hey, you, over there
keep the L up, up in the air
hey, you, over there
keep the L up, ’cause i don’t care
you can throw your sticks, and you can throw your stones
like a rocket, just watch me go
yeah, L-O-S-E-R
i can only be who i are

 

i hope that he can believe this for himself
and find a chorus of voices to sing along with

joseph and the amazing technicolor dreamcoat

just need to find the cord to the other camera now…

life experience

christopher had his first experience with school sports
he tried out for the modified soccer team

he made the first round of cuts

but not the team

it was a new experience for him

we tried to keep expectations low
knowing that the team is mainly 8th graders

but several of his friends did make the team

i think that’s what made it difficult

my hope is that he can take this experience
and become stronger for it
not bitter and angry

the period of greatest gain in knowledge and experience
is the most difficult period in one’s life.
through a difficult period you can learn;
you can develop inner strength, determination,
and courage to face the problems.

the dalai lama

and it seems to me he’s responded in this way
he has been attending a couple of skill development programs
and i think, if nothing else, they have helped his confidence

and next year – just something else to look forward to

first day

(like a month ago…)

and so far they’re lovin’ it!