Patrick and his medal from the tournament.

School is in and I never updated from our trip. Figures!! Well, rewind to the world series. It was so fun. We got there friday and had a banquet and opening ceremonies. The boys traded pins with the other teams. It was so neat to see boys from all over the south, all great baseball players. We played Saturday morning against the Jefferson Parish (LA) team and it was a great game. The score was back and forth, but ultimately we lost 8-7. We took the boys bowling that afternoon, because we didn't have another game until sunday morning and our motel did not have a pool. Sunday morning we played another LA team and lost 16-11. For a team that was not supposed to go to the state tournament, much less the world series, they played competitively against a state champion and runner-up! Since it was a double elimination tournament, we went home after our second loss. It didn't matter-they got to go and they had a ball., Literally! We also got to see the "Miracle League" play. Our team even gave them the gifts we brought to trade. The Miracle League was so awesome. They are teams of handicapped kids and adults, either physically or mentally handicapped.

Patrick up to bat

Giving the gifts to the miracle kids

Since Sidney was supposed to be on vacation that week anyway, we went on to Atlanta to spend sunday night. We visited the cocacola museum monday morning and it was well worth a visit. Monday afternoon we headed to Charleston to see Judd and Gloria. When they found out that we were heading their way (kinda), they insisted that we come and visit. Judd took off and showed us some really neat stuff. We visited Cypress gardens swamp, where parts of The Patriot were filmed. We got to ride through the swamp with a guide. It was very beautiful. Sid and Patrick even took their own boat out after the tour. They saw baby alligators in the wild. WE went to the beach a couple of mornings and went to see the oldest and largest live oak in the state, the angel oak. It was so beautiful, rumored to be 1400 years old, but how do they know? Stopped to get corn at a roadside produce market and visited the petting zoo there. Patrick still enjoys petting animals, even though he is getting so big! Judd and Gloria took us out to the Rosebank farms restaurant on Kiawah Island. Very good, and unusual. We went to the old market downtown and walked on the riverwalk. We had a blast. We had a great surprise on Thursday. Katie came up. We were so glad to see her. On our last night there Judd, Sidney, Patrick and I went to a charleston Riverdogs game. They are a "A" team for the yankees. The dogs won and Patrick bought a cool hat. We came home on Saturday. Had a couple of weeks to catch up until school started on the 6th of August. Patrick worked the last 2 weeks at the Rays, tearing down an old shed. It was good for him and it got him used to gettting up early in the morning. Last Wednesday, the 6th was the first day of 7th grade! He likes it pretty well so far. He says much better than elementary. Jon starts to school this monday at East Mississippi community college. He is nervous and not sure about leaving home. He has a camper to stay in on a very pretty farm out in the country just about 6 or 7 miles from the school. We will go this weekend to get things set up and try to get him some electricity. the spot has water and a septic tank, but we have to set a pole and they have to get some electricity to it. I know that I will miss him. He will be home on the weekends and on the days that he works. He won't know when that will be until he gets over there and his teacher sets him up on a schedule. I pray that he will stick with it and do well. Sid and I? well, we are just working!

Sid and Belinda at the Coca Cola Museum

Patrick and Sidney at Kiawah Beach

The Angel Oak

cypress garden swamp