Monday, April 9, 2012

Prayer buddy.. And a golfer's adoption

I had the honor of praying for K at Percolating Petals this Lent. I was thrilled to find out I had gotten her name because she truly seems like a genuinely great person. I have followed her story over the years and I've always admired how she handled infertility with such grace. And now I love seeing pictures of her sweet baby girl.

She and I are at similar points in our journey, so she was on my heart a lot this Lent. I prayed for her throughout the day, offered things up, and Clara, Luke and Ryan prayed for her before meals. Then, a week ago, I was devastated to read this post where she wrote about losing a baby to miscarriage in March. Please offer up a prayer for her and her family if you get a chance.

K, I am so glad I was able to pray for you this Lent and I will continue to keep you and your family in my prayers.

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So I just had to share this with all of you...

Ryan had to work yesterday on Easter and when he left, he left the Master's on TV. I'm mildly interested in golf, mainly because there are few options when you don't have cable, but also because they usually do a pretty good job telling human interest stories that keep my attention. And if I can get into it, I like a good, close competition in any sport, which this Masters had.

So I'm watching the end and see that it's down to two golfers at the last hole. I don't know anything about these men and I actually find out later that I guessed incorrectly about which one has a foreign accent. Anyway, the scruffier-looking one wins and I immediately become interested when he starts crying. Then his mother comes out on the green and embraces him. Then friends of his appear, hugging him and looking more like skateboarders than friends a PGA golfer would have. Who is this guy? I wonder.

I recognize his name, Bubba Watson, although I couldn't have picked him out of a lineup earlier that day (although maybe I could have - he kind of looks like a Bubba). I figure he must be single since his mom was the first to greet him after his caddy, instead of a beautiful blonde with a couple of kids at her side. Then the announcer says something about his wife and baby watching at home. Okay, I think. That makes sense. He just had a baby. How sweet.

Because I desperately need to know more about him, I make sure to stick around through the commercial and watch as he is presented with his green jacket. Still crying, Bubba gives some awesome quotes which make me cry too, like "I didn't get this far in my dreams." Then they ask him about his wife and new baby boy, Caleb, and he really gets choked up.

Okay. Now call me crazy, because I know this guy was already crying for about ten minutes straight at that point and he just won the Masters and is a new dad, for goodness' sake, but I just KNEW there was something more to it. I know it might sound nuts, but I just completely recognized something in the look on his face, the way he couldn't talk when they asked him about his new baby. It was that look of indescribable blessings born out of suffering. I knew I saw it, as only the way someone who has experienced it firsthand can.

And I was right - the interviewer soon thereafter tells us Bubba and his wife adopted a month-old baby boy just two weeks ago.

Adoption! I start crying even harder.

I immediately start googling it and trying to find out if they experienced infertility. Why do I have this crazy drive to know that about people? Well, I guess it's probably obvious why. Nothing came up, though, until today. This article answered my questions. Here's an excerpt...
"It was only their first date, Bubba Watson said, when the topic of children came up. "Angie told me we would have to adopt because she can’t have kids," says Watson, 33, the new champion of the Masters."
They started the adoption process four years ago (not some quick, easy process that we sometimes think celebs and rich people have) and now they finally have a little baby. AND he won the Masters yesterday. It's been a pretty amazing couple weeks for their family, that's for sure.

And if the fact that he adopted isn't enough to make you love Bubba, oh just wait. There is so much more. Like, how about the fact that he's a committed Christian who is very open about his faith? Or that he tweets some pretty cool things, like bible verses and how he gets his hair to look so good? Or the fact that he owns the General Lee car from the Dukes of Hazzard? Or that his driver is pink yet it's NOT for Komen? Ya, that was my next google search after "adoption" and "infertility".

And then there's this (he's the one in the overalls). His wikipedia page had me at "boy band."

He is definitely my new favorite golfer (as if I had one before!). God bless their family. Adoption is such a miracle and even though we've never met, I can completely relate to his emotions right now.

Well, except maybe that whole winning-one-of-the-biggest-golf-tournaments thing. But infertility and adoption, I have that covered.

12 comments:

  1. Amazing!! It's true, though, it's it? When you've been through IF, you start recognizing it in other people, even before you know for certain.

    And, seriously? He owns the General Lee??? Ok, now I'm jealous. :)

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  2. I love when one finds these kinds of heroes! They are sent from God into our "lives" to cheer us up as we root them on!

    He sounds like my favorite golfer now too!

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  3. My step-brother is Bubba's caddy. Bubba really and truly is a good guy, and I'm glad he won the Masters (especially for my stepbrothers sake!).

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    1. No way! That is so cool! Congrats to your step-brother, and I'm glad to hear he really is a good guy :)

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  4. WOW. This is a small world!!

    I loved the new's story you linked. Even celeb's have to jump through all the hoops of the ICPC....yet, they can afford to rent an apartment while waiting for clearance from FL to return to AZ!

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  5. lol, you're so funny. I know what you mean, though, about seeing that "look" on people. It's like an energy that those of us who have experienced infertility can pick up on. Crazy!

    And I am thinking of your friend K even though I don't know her - miscarriage was the most devastating experience of my life (both times) and I wish that grief on no one.

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  6. Makes me kinda glad that I watched the end of the Masters with Mr. JB! Thanks for sharing this!!

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  7. I watched it too and got a sense about him also! Now I know why. So sweet.

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  8. My husband watches golf and though it's not the most thrilling sport, I really like some of the golfers! Bubba is one of his favorites, because he is funny and current!

    The pink driver is for cancer, every time he hits a tee shot over 300 yards (which is apparently every time) someone donates $150 to breast cancer research. So far he has single-handedly raised $15,000!

    I didn't know the little boy was adopted! Now I love him even more! What a great guy. It's nice to see good guys in sports.

    Also, you may like Phil Mickleson (spelling). He is a great guy. Both his wife and mom are battling breast cancer and he is working on raising money for that and when he won the Masters he wore the green jacket (you aren't supposed to leave the course with it) and took his kids to Krispy Kreme!!!!

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  9. That is simply awesome about Bubba! Now I wished I'd watched the end.
    Thanks so much for sharing! I dislike golf, but now have a favorite golfer, thanks to you!!!

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  10. What a great story! I think I have a new hero.. and I may have to start watching golf just for Bubba or at least have a favorite golfer. ;)

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