Pennies from Heaven

It has been a crazy start to summer vacation.  I spent the most amazing life changing week in Guatemala.  And though the chaos continues in my life here in Suwanee, I feel a peace I haven't felt in years.  If you want to see my blogs from there, you can read them at http://www.goperimeter.org/blog/journeys/guat12-6-3-10-prj-482.  It was a trip of a lifetime and can't wait to take CJ back with me. 

This blog isn't about Guatemala though...this is about the night we had last night.  Chase (10) plays baseball on a team that Mike created.  Mike hand picked all the families and kids to have a team that had as much passion for the game as he had.  Luckily Brannon Sims, the then assistant coach, wanted to keep our team together and Mike's dream alive and stepped up to be our head coach.  This is our 2nd season without Mike.  This year the boys have really improved.  We hang out together as friends and not just players. 

We play in the Lanier League.  This weekend started the the Lanier League Championship Tournament.  We had a great weekend of baseball and on Monday barely won in the bottom of the 6th inning.  Last night was the Championship game.  We played a team that went 18-0 for the season and I think in the last 3 years we have only beat them once.  All day yesterday I just felt Mike's presence and that he was going to be an angel in the outfield. 

The 1st inning was a disaster.  We had 4 errors, but somehow they only scored 1 run.  We got it together and at the top of the 3rd inning it was 2-1 them.  As the first batter came up, I saw on the ground a penny.  Now we have a silver box at home that is engraved with "Kisses from Heaven" and every time we find a penny, we believe that is a kiss from Mike and we put the penny into the box.  We find pennies everywhere and in places you least expect.  The kids love it and so do I. 

I picked up the penny and placed it on the arm of my chair and smiled that Mike was here at the game with us.  That inning the boys exploded and their bats came alive.  They scored 9 runs and hit around the line up.  Chase has a screamer up the middle of the field.  When he can back to the dug out, I got up and walked over to him.  I gave him the penny and told him where I found it and he put it in his back pocket.  We won the game 12-3.

I had to tell the penny story to the boys, so as they gathered after the game for the coaches meeting I asked to say something.  I told them all the story about the penny and how I knew Coach Mike was so proud of them.  What an accomplishment.  The coaches then each spoke about the game.  At the turn of Coach Todd, he was shaking his head.  He said, "I have to follow up on what Sue said.  I had been standing on the 3rd base line coaching.  At the top of the 3rd I moved about 3 steps toward the outfield.  I looked down and there was a penny on the ground.  I did not pick it up, because it was tails up and  I didn't know anything about the connection with pennies. I went back out to find it and it was gone.  I know Coach Mike was with us tonight." 

So we had pennies from heaven with us last night.  I think there were many angels in the outfield last.  Mike always loved a party!!  Thanks so much for helping us coach last night!!  We love you!!