Basketball Senior Night 2021

Last night was a special one as we honored the Seniors for both basketball teams, cheerleading, and dance team.  While we didn't come away with the win against Barren County (in overtime), it was still a winning night.  When you can do something that feels "normal" this year, it feels like WIN.  Basketball has been a part of Karson's life since 2009.  

Tagging an early post from November 18, 2009:

 I'm officially coaching Karson's basketball team the Sparks.  We are composed of a whopping six girls and playing division I (which is 6 & 7 year olds). I had the opportunity to attend a coaching seminar featuring the Lady Toppers. Besides the team and Coach Cowles, I was the ONLY female at the coaches meeting =). The Tops were running all kinds of "plays", "defenses", and "fastbreaks" that you can run with your team(s). I was thinking to myself....hummmm, I doubt most of mine even know how to tie their shoes, much less set a screen, pick and roll, while cutting down the lane to the basket???? We'll be doing good to shoot on our assigned goal and not need a water break every five minutes. We had our first practice on Friday. The girls were so excited and did so well. I would have pictures to post on here, but being the coach and all, I can't multi-task that well =).

 

It's hard to believe this little Sparks player has turned into a lovely South Warren High School Senior basketball player.  12 years watching our girl play the sport she loves.  Basketball is a challenging sport both physically and mentally.  She's stuck with it - taped ankles, bruises, broken and torn off toenails, blisters, shin splints, wins, losses....memories!  

Through the basketball years....

This one made it to the digital board for Senior Night:

Karson kicked off the night as the first and only Senior Girl on the basketball team.  It was special.  Emotional.  Every game we are lucky enough to watch, and she's lucky enough to play, is a blessing.  As the season is winding down, her time on the court is coming to a close.   

Each Senior had a tribute board in the gym hallway.  We have the best booster clubs!

After the girls game, the boosters had a small reception area in the cafeteria with all of Karson's favorite snacks - Doritos, Zebra Cakes, Oatmeal Cream Pies, Donut Holes, dipped strawberries, Nestle Crunch Bars and Snapple Apples.  

Some great shots from this season:

Welcome to the 'Ville

It looks like our sweet girl is going to be a Cardinal in the Fall.  The University of Louisville gave her a D1 offer - in academics - hah!  We're super proud of how hard she's worked and know she'll continue to do that for UL.  She was accepted into the Honors College and in December received notification that she was also accepted into the School of Nursing Guaranteed Early Admission Program which automatically reserves her a spot in Fall 2023.  It's bittersweet for this mama as Karson is my best friend.  Her absence will be felt every single day.  There will be a hole in my heart knowing that she may never fully come back and be my little girl who needs me.  I'm just not prepared to say good-bye...I'm not ready...I'm not sure I'll ever feel "ready!" It gives me a great deal of comfort knowing I have extended family in Louisville who will love her and take care of her (Kenton I'm counting on you to be her rock).  She's also got an incredible roommate who she met in kindergarten at Plano - Piper Coleman.  These two have grown up together and remained friends to this day.  While we've not managed to make a campus visit, we plan to do so very soon.  COVID makes everything much harder but fingers and toes crossed, the light at the end of the tunnel is coming.

Karson only applied to UL and WKU.  Our mailbox and her email are constantly being bombarded with college admissions and requests to apply.  However, these two schools were her top picks.  This week she was accepted into the WKU Mahurin Honors College.  She was also invited to apply for the Cherry Presidential Scholarship which is an incredible honor as well and still on the table.

Tik Tok Tik Tok Another Deaton turns 16

Tik Tok is a black hole and guilty pleasure these days.  Once I get started, time passes and I've been sucked into the Tik Tok vortex of videos.  One of my favorites last week came from @didsome1justbumpmeh about the #secondchild #middlechild - it was awesome and spot on for our Isaac.  He's one of a kind and turns 16 today.  I can hardly believe it!  We have TWO drivers, crazy!  Isaac celebrated Saturday night with friends at our house.  If you want something inexpensive, quick and delicious, Kyoto Gardens is perfect.  Although they don't "cater," we ordered about 30 minutes prior to the party and everything was ready and boxed separately.  Since we're still living in this pandemic, I thought it was perfect and low touch.  We disinfected hands and served drinks.  Isaac didn't really want a birthday cake, and lately, he's been a big fan of GAD's.  He decided on a donut cake, and months ago, I'd placed an order with my friend and cookie artist Emily Priddy for some custom Titans cookies.  Again, I liked that both dessert options didn't involve a lot of touch - just grab and eat. 

Isaac has some pretty wonderful friends - many that he's been in school with since kindergarten.  They played games, watched movies, threw lacrosse, and a handful spent the night.

He got his drivers permit today.  It's official!

Happy 16th Isaac!!!  We're so proud of you!!!

A Pickle of a Holiday

 Whew, it has been one wild December.  I've been in an aircast since early December due to an injury on the pickleball courts at Basil Griffin park.  People, I am not in the greatest of shape in my 40's.  I do a lot of walking but very little high impact stuff.  My sister had arranged for a couples pickleball match with a few of her tennis partners/friends.  Matt was going to be her partner because Paul was on call that weekend.  However, he was able to participate but somehow we managed to get into the fold and play as well.  I knew Matt would be a one-man team.  I'm not great and have only played a handful of times.  Don't get me wrong, it's fun but lateral moves (heck moving quickly at all) ain't in my wheelhouse these days.  In our second match against my sister and Paul, I was attempting to get to drop shot and went down.  I honestly thought I'd run into something/somebody but nothing was around me.  It was the oddest sensation.  I never heard a pop, but it felt like I hit something hard.  I lived on Advil and ice packs for a few days until I got the boot from a friend and saw a PT who advised I go get it checked out.  The blessing was that I could still move my foot (and drive) but there was literally NOTHING down around my ankle to my heel.  You could feel a gap.  I went to see Dr. Malempati. Paul got me into to see him at the Franklin Medical Center.  He took some x-rays, did an exam and told me it was a partial tear.  It has been a TRUE pain in the rear during this busy time of the year.

 

My friends spoiled me by bringing me my favorite goodies.

All the blood from the tear moved down into my foot turning it black and blue. 

I'm doomed to pack on the pounds since I'm fairly immobile and November and December are full of food and loads of sweets.  We celebrated Matt's birthday at the end of November.  Shannon made him a strawberry cake and brought our family some Panda Express.

Matt's parents got him a fire-pit.  It's been a nice addition to our back patio.

THEN the COVID fun hit the fan in our house...starting on December 6, Isaac started feeling really bad.  However, multiple times throughout this fall, he's had something sinus/congestion/chest stuff.  He's had two rapid tests which have always come back negative.  We were a little more concerned this time because Matt's brother Seth tested positive and his dad Colvin hadn't felt well either.  However, Isaac holed himself up in his room and stayed away from everyone.  We opted not to get him tested but let him quarantine.  A few days passed and Matt started feeling really bad.  I had already been sleeping on the couch because Matt was congested (not knowing it was COVID) because his mouthpiece doesn't work well to prevent his snoring when he feels that way.  He was keeping me up so I opted to snooze on the couch.  He woke up to no taste and smell two weeks ago on Tuesday and felt terrible.  He went in for a rapid test and got a positive result.  Karson had JUST resumed basketball the day before (Dec 14) and had to go back into quarantine.  Bless her!  She waited a couple of days and got a two-day test so she could at least go back to work.  We thought it was best to wait a few days after exposure so the virus could "show up" if she had it.  Miles and I both felt fine.  All of us continued to keep our distance from each other.  I wore my mask in the house as did the kids.  I was constantly wiping down countertops and disinfecting surfaces.  It was rough.  Matt felt AWFUL.  We were living day to day and trying not to lose our minds.  Karson got a negative test result and eventually Isaac started feeling better after 14 days in quarantine.  I stayed on the couch for about two weeks.

Matt made his way out of it finally and was released for Christmas Eve.

It has been a doozy of a year, but we got to celebrate with my family.  Unfortunately, we didn't get to celebrate just yet with Matt's family because his mom Debbie tested positive this week.  She'd been feeling bad and decided to get tested.  Hopefully, we will get to celebrate soon when she gets out of quarantine.  Matt went to see them yesterday, but because none of us have actually had tests to reveal results, we didn't go.  I do plan to get us all antibodies tests soon to see if all of us have them.  It will give me piece of mind at least knowing.

We celebrated Christmas at our house yesterday morning.  The kids weren't up super early which is a sad part of them getting older =(.  Let's all hope 2021 is way better than 2020!  Let's also count all of our blessings though - in the end that's what matters most!