The softball tournament is over. We started out the game day by playing for the loser's bracket championship, against the team that kicked us into the losers' bracket. We went into the seventh trailing 14-13, then ended it on a two-run double, final score 15-14. Then we played the champs of the winners' bracket, jumping all over them early and holding them off 10-4. Then came the final game, winner take all. We fell behind early, then chipped away and chipped away before blowing it wide open and winning 19-6. Against all odds and discarding the baggage of a regular season record of 3-11, my softball team won the tournament last night.

World Pulse Festival was Saturday (see also 8-21-2001) and we went with some friends, John & Stephanie & Julia, and Mikey from Detroit. I was concerned about a repeat performance of last year weather-wise, since it was mostly cloudy all day, but it never rained for more than a few minutes once during the day and it was sunny enough for me to pick up a couple sunburned legs. The concert itself was fantastic. Andy opened the show again this year, followed by By the Tree, Mark Schultz (absolutely fantastic show), ZoeGirl, the Newsboys (also a great show), and Michael W. Smith, who Beth has wanted to see since 1984. Overall it was just an incredible concert. Sunday, Beth and I were planning to go to Michigan for Ryan's 4th birthday party but were too wiped. Mikey had stayed with us since the middle of last week (he wanted to get out of town until the Woodward Dream Cruise was over) and he stayed until Sunday afternoon since we didn't go to Michigan as we'd planned. Last Friday was Beth's first doctor's appointment. All's well so far; the early results say the due date is April 16.

The magical Cinderella run for our softball team continues! We won two games today, by scores of something like 22-12 and 18-13. In the first game, we fell behind 11-1 after the third inning and came back. The first game was at 6:00 and we had to wait until 9:00 for the second, so I went to Dollar General for a pack of cards and played Euchre with some other folks. The second game was a win over the team we beat last week. So, we're tearing up the loser's bracket. If we win 3 more, we're the champs (we're playing pretty well, but don't hold your breath)! I myself was 4-4 in the first game and 2-4 in the second. Overall for the season, by my calculations, I'm batting 32-66 (0.484). 2-for-2 in the next game gets me up to 0.500 again.

Beth called me at work today to give me some big news...she's finally pregnant again! A definite positive on an EPT. She was pretty stressed about it because of an ambiguous test she took Saturday, which seemed to indicate she wasn't pregnant, but she was still almost a week late. I bought her a dozen roses on the way home from work. She sees the doctor on Friday this week. Pray for us. On an unrelated note, deer ate most of our cherry tomatoes right off the plants. I'm mad enough to go hunting. We were just starting to get several a day and there were tons of green ones on the plants. I'm so peeved I could spit.

It's been a busy weekend. Almost like I didn't have one, it was so busy. Friday Beth and I had the Johnsons over so Beth could close Rachel's jewelry show and we were going out to dinner afterwards. While the women were working, Jack came over (family out of town) to see what was up. So we all went out together, and ran into the Gosnells at the restaurant and we all ate together. Euchre afterwards with Jim & Rachel. Saturday we went up for the day to Amish Acres' artsy-craftsy faire, which was artsy and craftsy, dry & dusty & hot. We went because Jim & Judy and Pam & Marve and Ric & Nickie & the kids were going and we wanted to spend the day with them. Beth and I only spent a couple hours before heading back to get ready to have them all over for dinner. Burgers on the grill, slaw, that sort of stuff. I think Sam is finally starting to warm up to me (it takes a while). Today (Sunday) was our church's annual picnic (your typical potluck fare) and the weekly movie night afterwards with the usual gang, tonight it was "Aliens" which Beth had never seen, and didn't dislike as much as she thought she would.

The softball team had entered the postseason tournament (every team gets in). Unlike us, however, we won the first game rather easily before dropping a close second game, which means we advance. In the loser's bracket, but still. In the first game, I was about the only one who wasn't hitting the ball...at all...until late in the game. I was 0-for-4, when I came up with two on and hit a real live inside-the-park home run. Admittedly, it might have been a double if it had been played right, but I touched 'em all anyway. A hard liner down the third base line that almost decapitated our runner at third, then the left fielder couldn't catch up to it before it hit the fence, then she couldn't pick it up cleanly, then she couldn't throw it as far as the infield...so I ran all the way around and scored standing. Good way to break a slump! I think it's only my second extra-base hit this year, and it's definitely the first homer of my life. I was 3-5 in the second game (all singles).

Friday we went to see "Signs" with the Johnsons...and Jim liked it! It was the first movie we've seen with them that he liked. I really liked it too. All those who complain about the wimpy aliens or the "dumb ending" just didn't get it. I imagine they wanted to see another "Aliens" and were mad they didn't get it. M. Night Shamalamadingdong is a master of using what you don't see for building tension. I really enjoyed it, I must say. Saturday Beth and I went up to South Haven with Pam & Marve and Stephanie & John and Julia for the Blueberry Festival...which is actually next week, so we didn't see many blueberries. I did run into Mr. Nemecek in South Haven; hadn't seen him for years. I spoke with him for several minutes. Sunday was movie night..."Notting Hill."