Hello, Hi and Howdy!

How is everyone? Sorry it has been a while since I last wrote. I’ve been trying to let things build up so that I would have a lot to talk about. Unfortunately not much has happened, but a few big things have happened. We’ve got the end of softball, hair/weight loss and my leave date.

Before I talk about the end of softball, let me start back at the beginning. The team I was on won preseason with a 5-2 record. We only had enough players for 3 teams so we basically dominated everyone. We had a really good team and we all got along with each other…here’s the team: Bowden (1B), Sonny (2B), Reese (3B), Squirrel (SS), Melvin (LF), Mo (LCF), Buzzard (RCF) (AJ – I think Josh wrote Buzzard, but it was kind of hard to tell), Kevin (RF), Red (P) and me/Brad (C). I know you don’t know them, but I had to mention them all. Bowden is a good friend of mine here as is Sonny. Sonny and I were co-coaches and it worked out well (He’s one of the Healthsouth guys. Really nice and he’s always in visit like me). So preseason is over and the regular season started but not so well for us. We began 1-6 thru the 1st seven games. We figure that’s it! Just enjoy the rec and let’s get this over with since all 3 teams would be in the playoffs. Then something happened…everything clicked into place and we went 4-1 over the last five games of the season to move into second place for the playoffs (1st place: 7-3, us: 5-7, 3rd: 4-6). Yes we played more games b/c other teams had rainouts and didn’t make them up. The first round of the playoffs was best 2 out of 3 with the championship being 3 out of 5. Well we lost our first playoff game by 2 runs, then trailing 10-7 in game two we exploded and won 18-10, and trailing in game three 9-3 again we exploded to win 17-9. Two come from behind wins to make it to the championship. No one on the compound gave us a change against the first place team even though we gave them a loss in their last regular season game. Well we won, but we did it in style!

Game 1: Trailing 7-1 in the 4th inning, we came back to win 11-7, in 7 innings (softball only plays 7 innings.)
Game 2: Trailing 10-1 in the 5th inning, we came back to win 14-10.
Game 3: Trailing 5-1 in the 5th inning, we won 7-5 in 7 innings.

That’s right! We swept the #1 team. After starting 1-6 we went 9-2 over the last games to finish 10-8. We’re waiting for our 6 pack of coke for winning. To me that’s an amazing turnaround!

So winning the softball tournament brings me to my next subject. Amanda had been asking me to grow a goatee, so I did (AJ – and I love it!). Then she asked me to shave my head, I said no. But then I started thinking “why not?” So I told the softball team at the start of playoffs that if we won the championship they could shave my head, and as you just read, we won. So yes, my head was shaved! They guys really enjoyed it and I got a laugh out of it. All I have is a little bit of stubble on top of my head. I was scared what Amanda would think when she saw it since she didn’t believe me when I told her on the phone. Luckily I have a round head, not some funky shaped head, so it doesn’t look bad, just have to get used to it. Amanda says she likes it, even though she laughed at me when I saw her Friday night. She can tell you what she thinks (AJ – See my latest post for comments ;o) my weight loss is going good…as of June 15th I had lost 92 lbs! (AJ – way to go baby!) My goad is 8 more lbs by the time I leave (AJ – You can do it!)

Speaking of leaving, I am outta here on July 15th (3 days short of a year). I have to go to the halfway house in Birmingham for 33 days, but I’m not here anymore! There is a chance I could be there for just 2 weeks or get home confinement (keep your fingers crossed), but I could still have to stay for the entire 33 days. It doesn’t really matter to me b/c I realize how close I am to having all of this behind me. I would love to go straight home, but if I have to stay there 33 days then so be it. 33 days is nothing once you’ve been here for a yea. I look forward to seeing everyone once I’m home. I’ve miss you all! Thank you for keeping me and Amanda in your prayers; you’ll never know how much that has meant to us. So, I guess you will here from me after I’m home and have spent some time with Amanda and the babies (dogs) :o)

Take care and God Bless you all!

Josh W. Jones