EXTRA, EXTRA...SEE ALL ABOUT IT!

COLTS WIN! PLAYOFFS HERE WE COME!

Well........ WE DID IT! The Colts won the game tonight to punch their ticket into the 3A State Playoffs of Alabama!! They have not been in the playoffs in 16 years!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How awesome is that? It feels sooooooooo good...after a "convincing" win like this...but I will say all glory goes to God. I had "my sword" "on" me tonight. I wrote scripture from 2 Chronicles 20:17 on my hand before I left for the game. Last Sunday when I was in Waco at our former church the message came from this passage and I decided to claim if for Forrest and I and the Colts tonight. 2 Chronicles 20:17 " Take your positions, stand firm, and you will see the deliverance that the Lord will give you. Do not be discouraged, do not be afraid for the Lord is with you!" As my sweet father-n-law once said...."God did not MOVE/ bring you and Forrest over there to not have favor on you." It's so true. There is a purpose for us being here...although it's hard to see at times. Being the head coach is WAY different than being an assistant...the head coach position is a LOVE/ HATE deal....and we've just felt arrows being thrown our way here and there....but a victory like tonight...will help build trust, belief, and validation. So thank you for your prayers and support...you will never know how much they mean to us. My ONLY regret tonight is that I didn't leave my camera on "video" mode to capture the team "doucing" Forrest with not 1 but 2 gatorade coolers. He got soaked and it was quite chilly/ windy out there tonight. What a night...what a sweet memory!
Pictures....Top L: Two senior/star players...RB & QB...throwin' up the "C" during the alma mater after the game; Top R: THE FINAL SCORE; Lower L: After game alma mater...new tradition "the coach" started; Lower R: after game prayer. Next week is our last regular season game. I can't believe how fast the season has gone. Have a great weekend.... GO COLTS! Sleeping better tonight, Forrest & Elizabeth

SAD COLT DEFEAT...LAST FRIDAY...

Here is a GREAT pic of the Head Coach himself. (Taken by the local newspaper). The Colts lost to Lexington 42-14 :( I chalk it up to him not having his #1 cheerleader there. They HAVE to win this Friday in order to be in the PLAYOFFS for the first time in 16 years! If you remember please pray for Forrest and the team this week and the coaches, community, school....I know it's just football but it'd be great for us to win in many regards...personally and professionally. Thanks friends. GO COLTS!

{Keep up with the Colts by clicking on above link}

Latest Canvas...

Well I can't remember my username or password to http://www.simplystatedbyej.blogspot.com/ so I will just have to post my first ever "drawing" canvas on this blog. I think it turned out pretty cute. I made it for a friend in Waco for a woman who has been trying 8 years to get pregnant and finally is....to put in her nursery :) I hope you like it Jennifer...what did your friend think?

'HOME' COMING...IN TEXAS

Well here is my collage for my amazing weekend back in Waco, TX at Baylor Homecoming 2006! I'll share more of my thoughts very soon. Here is another pic of the Homecoming Parade held on Saturday morning before the game. It is the largest collegiate Homecoming Parade in the USA...pretty cool huh? [Click on the collage to see a close up view, then click on the box on the bottom right corner for an even closer view] You may have to click on the picture once enlarged until the box appears at the bottom right. Enjoy!

Ok so here's are my thoughts on my first trip back to Waco. It was pretty hard yet sweet at the same time. I didn't really tear up until I saw one of my favorite students and she gave me a hug as they were practicing their Bonfire/ Pep Rally routine. It was strange not to be "in charge" but I think I refrained pretty well and let my successor, Jennifer, handle it all. :) The Bonfire/ Pep Rally was great...the squads looked great and hit the routine (yay!) You can see all of my adventure captured in photos HERE! Then the next morning I headed out early for the parade (see below) It was fun to actually watch and enjoy and not be managing a big group of students....aka doing my job. Then the game on Saturday...it was good to see alumni from the squads I worked with and we won the game with 1 minute to go...36-35 vs. Kansas....can't ask for a better game than that huh? We hadn't won a Homecoming game in 9 years....and 2 more wins puts us in a bowl game! I of course teared up at the end of the game just thinking what a "familiar" scene this was for me and now it's not. How I miss college gamedays! (Yay!) After the game, I came back to Kim's cabin and had 2 of my former students over for a grill out. It was so laid back and just what everyone needed from a crazy week/ weekend. It was just like old times! One has graduated and loves her job and one is graduating in May. Then on Sunday am....went to my old church and old Sunday School class. It was a sweet time to be back in fellowship with that group of believers. Of course I teared up during worship...because we have not found a home church here yet...and I miss that very much. Then I went to eat with my church friends and that was great...oh how you take things for granted when you are comfortable and enjoying life huh? The lessons I have learned from this move is to never take people or experiences for granted...to complain a lot less and to hug a lot more and to edify others and truely listen even to those around you. I nearly missed my plane by a 1 minute time window in the Waco airport. Thank you Lord for that. To all of my/our Baylor & Waco Family...we love you and miss you. As I figured out how to put it into words ...it's best understood as this "we left a piece of our hearts there and that's why it hurts when I/we have to leave." Until our next trip back...blessings everyone!

PS- Some of you have asked about "the brick with my name on it." It is in the ground outside of the new BU basketball arena/practice facility in my honor for the 4 years of work I gave to the Spirit Squads. It's so neat that it'll always be there even when I cannot be. Thanks you know who! :)

COLTS WIN! BULLDOGS WIN!

Well from the first picture you can tell that WE WON ON FRIDAY NIGHT! Read all about it! And another article about Forrest starting a tradition at Clements in his first year there :) Read here. (see above picture) :) This was a special one because our friend, Kim, from Texas/Baylor....flew in for the weekend. Thanks for being our good luck charm, Kim. It was a great win and helped us take another step closer in reaching our "playoff goal." We have to win this Friday in order to secure a spot. Semi-bummer....I will be flying to Waco for the weekend for Baylor Homecoming. I hate to miss Forrest's games...but we planned this back in May...so he understands. He definately knows I'll be there in spirit!

On Saturday morning, we have now started a semi-tradition of getting up very

early and trek the 3 hours over to Starkville to see the dogs play. It was again special because our friend, Kim, had never been to a SEC game...and it was MSU Homecoming...so she was in for a real treat. Tailgating was of course amazing and the cowbells she thought were pretty neat. She even rang one! :) The Bulldogs played tough and won 35-3 over Jacksonville State. At this point in time in Dawg football...a win is a win right Bulldog fans? A fun time was had by all and we enjoyed our time on "the farm" back at Forrest's parents home in West Point after the game. It always very relaxing there. Well we're back at it this week....I'm dropping Kim at the Huntsville airport this morning and then headed to the doctor to see if I have strep throat. :( I gotta get well before I fly over to Texas on Friday!

FACING THE GIANTS

Well I'm finally sitting down to journal about "the movie." Forrest took his team to see it last Thursday night after practice. 38 of us loaded a school bus and headed 30 minutes away to Florence, AL to watch...what is now one of my most favorite movies! It was so touching and really sparked my faith in so many areas. We both cried at several points in the movie (me more than him) :) It really was amazing of how much the movie is our lives...I'd say 75%...I'd say all except the parents wanting to fire him and how poor they are...everything else was pretty close....so it made it that much more fun to watch!

It made me proud to be "in the club," the coach's wives club. There are many nights and weekends not spent together due to practice, watching film, and games...but when all is said and done it's worth it to see your husband successful...making a difference in the lives of high school boys and when the clock expires on Friday night and your husbands efforts and family sacrifices pay off.

Ok, ok...the main part that made me cry is when "Brooke" (the wife) was sitting at the doctor's office (again). If you don't want to know what happens in the movie then don't read this part. She receives the "negative" pregnancy test result once again and leaves the doctors office. Keep in mind they have been trying for 4 years! And he gets tested and realizes that it's "him" that is the cause of the infertility. So then the nurses realize they have the charts mixed up with "another" B. Taylor....so the nurse runs out to the parking lot...but BEFORE the nurse reaches her....Brooke says "GOD I WILL STILL LOVE YOU." UHHH....how amazing is her faith and love for God to continue to stay after 4 years...and if it never happens...I'll still love you Lord." SUCH A GREAT LINE! Then the nurse shares the GOOD news and Brooke holds it inside until her husband's team goes on to win the State Championship game. He is overwhelmed by God's goodness ....all in one day...he wins a state championship which seemed IMPOSSIBLE ...and finds out he'll be a DADDY. At the end of the movie, she walks in and Grant (the coach) is playing with his little boy and she is pregnant AGAIN...with ANOTHER state championship trophy on the wall. NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD! I'd be fine with having "our story" end up like theirs! :) Go see the movie! Praise the Lord for being glorified on the big screen all across the nation!

THE WEEKEND...5 POINTS, $42.15, AND 3 OT'S!!

Hello fellow friends and readers. I definately need to catch up on my blogging so here goes! Friday we played our toughest opponent "Colbert County" ...have won several state championships...we were down 0-21 at the half and the mighty COLTS fought back and scored 28 points in the 2nd half...only to lose by 5 stinkin' points! We caught a touchdown but they called it back saying our QB had passed the line of scrimmage when he threw it (GGGRRR...DOUBLE GRRR!) We would have been up by 1 pt...with 2 minutes to go...and no doubt would have won the game. Forrest's boys played so hard...they have nothing to be ashamed about. I regret I did not take any pictures because I was too busy cheering! :)

The next morning we got up at 6:45AM to participate in our NEIGHBORHOOD GARAGE SALE! It was quite the experience to see almost every house in our neighborhood having a yard sale at the same time. We made $42.15 and my in-laws brought some "junk" from MS :) and made huge, homeade cookies to pocket around $75!! Then my BAYLOR BEARS...beat Colorado in Boulder, CO in 3 OT's!! If you click on the collage you can see the score really does say...Baylor 34....Colorado 31!! We are now 2-0 in Big XII play!! SIC 'EM BEARS!

Forgot a Homecoming picture....THE COACHES' WIVES CLUB!

I just realized I forgot a Homecoming week picture of importance :) This is me and 2 other coaches' wives. Velvet, is on the left, lived here a LONG time...and Jody, on the right, is our roomie and wife of Forrest's friend from HS who moved over here with us. We are enjoying the "Homecoming Bonfire."

Go Colts...biggest game of the season is tonight...please pray for a Colt win! As we listened to last night when we took some of the team to see ...http://www.facingthegiants.com/..."God cares about football because He cares about His children." If you can go see this movie please do...it sparked my faith in so many ways! *More to come on that very soon! :)

OUR WEEKEND...HOMECOMING...

[CLICK ON PICTURE TO ENLARGE]
Well, I'm sad to report that the Colts suffered a loss on Homecoming Friday night :( Uggh. We just didn't have it in us. Many of our starters had strep throat...so we were just behind the 8 ball all night. Final Score: 6-19. The good thing about it is they were a 4A school we are a 3A, so they are not in our district and it doesn't "officially" count against our record for the playoffs. Moving on...we play a VERY tough opponent on the road this Friday...so everyone say a prayer we pull up the upset of all upsets :) Forrest is planning on taking his team to see "FACING THE GIANTS" on Thursday so pray the logistics for that work out smoothly so he is able to bus them over to Florence (30 mins away) so the entire team can see a great, Christian made football film. This is a sign I made for the midget Colts cheerleaders I volunteer coach. They used it for the players to run through during pregame :) We went to KY on Saturday for our niece's (Caitlin's) 8th birthday and to see our nephew, Patrick, play in his little league football game. It was so great to hop in the car and drive 3.5 hours and be there. This type of thing could never happen when we lived in Texas. So it was great to be with Forrest's sisters family for a day. The last picture is of Caitlin, me, and their foster daughter, Novie, they will have for awhile. They had just gotten her a couple of days before we got there. She is precious....and Auntie E changed 2 diapers, helped give her a bath, and put her down for the night :) Whew hew. It was a great weekend had by all. Thanks for reading...enjoy your day of rest everyone! PS- One of our bestest friends (TX) lost his dad yesterday to lung cancer...if you all remember please say a prayer for the Campbell family during this difficult time. THANK YOU.