First Dip of the Year

Just to catch up my oh so large and inquiring reading audience, the kids and I moved down to Gwinnett, GA to be with Joe (playing for the Gwinnett Braves, Atlanta's AAA team) about three weeks ago.  We unpacked, got all settled in, joined a gym, decided on a summer camp for Ellie, etc, only to find out six days after our arrival that the Braves were releasing Joe.  So, we packed up once more, moved back to our home in Charlotte to wait for a call from another team, and unpacked yet again. It took just under two weeks for Joe to get his next call from....drumroll!!... the team he's always dreamed of playing for, the San Francisco Giants!  What a gift.  God always seems to have a greater plan.  Joe found out the good news Wednesday evening and was on a flight out to Phoenix to the Giants' Spring Training facility by 6:15 Thursday morning.  Joe got off the plan and was immediately jetted to an imaging center for an MRI of his elbow and then to an orthopedist for a check of his arm's health.  He passed both and is just dealing with some normal remaining inflammation from his Tommy John surgery in June.  He'll play in some extended spring training games in AZ for a bit, until the Giants deem him 100% healthy and ready to go.  Once he gets the go ahead, he'll be sent off to Fresno to play for the Giants' AAA team, the Grizzlies.  We're thrilled!  The kids and I are waiting it out at home for a bit, until it all shakes out and Joe gets finally settled out in Fresno.  Family, here we come!  We are DYING to see you all and be with you again soon.

Our two weeks at home with Joe in Charlotte between the release and his pick-up by the Giants was, amazingly, quite vacation-like.  Joe was nervous and stressed, but by no means did it dominate our days or his overall attitude.  What a bonus that two weeks of unexpected family time ended up being.  We had great weather here in Charlotte, got to take the kids to the park almost every day, hung out with Auntie Noni and Uncle John a ton, and even had the kids take their first dip in the kiddie pool of the season.  As you can see from the picture above, Charlie was not a huge fan of the cold water at first.  He totally warmed up to the idea, but he was such a crazy wild man in the water that there was no chance of me taking my eyes or hands off of him to catch a picture of him enjoying it.  Ellie is a total water baby, like her momma, and I have just got to get her in some swim lessons this summer.  That little girl has NO fear whatsoever.