My first time hunting...

I have never been hunting. Turkeys are in season right now and Brad asked me if I wanted to go hunting with him. I felt that at some point I was going to have to cave and go “hunting” with him. For Brad its more about the peace and calm out in the woods he likes more than actually shooting animals. I agree to go. He tells me “Turkeys are very smart stupid birds.” That didn’t make sense to me, but whatever. Brad told me that turkey can see very far away and they spook very easily so you have to be quiet (which I’m sure he said to shut me up) and you have to be still (does he not know I have ADD?) He also told me turkey can even see the whites of your eyes moving. This is very important because this little tid bit saved me from freaking out in the woods.

We drive down Friday afternoon with his cousin Drew. Lucy decided to make her daddy liar when she took off every time we let her outside. This is something Brad said she never does and it must be because either 1. I’m here or 2. Jodie (brads uncles dog) is not here. Whatever the case she was very bad. We wake up at the crack of dawn on Saturday morning and start to get dressed. I am covered in camo from my head to … well my ankles. Brad looks down at my leopard print rain boots and asked me what I am doing with those on. Well DUH I am not wearing my new tennis shoes in the woods nor am I wearing my cowboy boots from JC Penny, so this was my best option. Apparently leopard print doesn’t count as camouflage! Still, they allow me to tag along. We ride up the road to the Lyons farm. This is where Brad likes to hunt. Its beautiful. I am not sure if the stuff on the ground was lilac or something else purple but the field was full of it. As far as I could see there was purple looking flowers/weeds on the ground. Right away we could hear toms gobbling. I had no idea how loud they were. It echoed through what Brad called the “holler”. I am still uncertain what exactly a holler is but if I had to guess, he meant that drop off into woods was the holler. That is where we were going, into the holler.

We start walking and all is fine, that is until we reach a barb wire fence. Ok Drew rolls under with no problem. Now let me set the scene of exactly what I looked like. I have on Brads camo overalls that are too long and the crouch area is somewhere near my knees. I have a camo jacket on and on top of that I have a vest on that has a butt pad that folds out. I looked like a camouflage busted can of biscuits! I get my big self down there and roll under the fence and all is well. We find a spot in the woods and we just sit. Brad had put the decoy up and he and drew start calling the toms in. I hear them gobbling all around me but I never see one. They decide the sun is up and the toms had found there mate, lets go back to the cabin. I get up and we make our way back. That afternoon we decided to go fishing. This is me looking like the Pillsbury dough girl! You can also see my leopard print boots!!



The next morning we repeat the process but in a different area. We sit down and wait. This time I am hearing a lot more other animals in the woods. A woodpecker is having the best day ever and I keep hearing a squeaky noise. I fall asleep several times. It was so easy to do. The gentle noises of the animals, the perfect weather not too hot not too cold made dozing off easy. I wake up and my eyes dart straight back at the decoy because in my mind a turkey can see the whites of my eyes. Don’t move, be still, don’t talk… etc.. I remembered what Brad said and I was determined to follow the rules and be a good sport. Brad gets up from his area and walks towards me. I get up and walk over to him and the decoy. Brad asked me “Kelli, didn’t you hear me making noises?” “No” I reply. Brad then tells me there was a bob cat about 10 feet from us and he was making noises in an attempt to draw him away! And this, my friends, is why I would never survive in the wild. I never even saw the cat! I would have been a fancy feast!

All in all it was awesome to be in the wild and with my husband and share something with him that he loves to do. I now understand why he likes it. It was so pretty being out there in the untouched woods. We did not come home with a turkey this weekend but I would say it was a success.

Heading to the ATL...

I am heading to CARD-lanta tomorrow to cheer my Louisville Cardinals on to the final four and hopefully a national championship! I am so excited to drive down there and be a part of this. Since the beginning of the tournament some friends and I had decided that IF the Cards make it this far we would make the trip.. and here we are!

Easter Sunday I watched my Cards take on Duke. This was a very scary game in my mind. The last time Rick Pitino and Coach K met up in the tournament…. I think we all know what happened that day.. if not, let me recap…KY was up 103 – 102 with 2.2 seconds left in overtime, a 75 ft. pass from Dukes Grant Hill lands in Christian Laettner’s hands. Swish.. Game Over Kentucky loses. It’s been deemed the “shot heard round the world” and to UK fans the sound of Laettners name burns on their lips. This also has been known as the “greatest college game ever played”. Twenty-one years later and this game is still talked about in Kentucky. So to say I was a little nervous to go up against Coach K was an understatement!

The game starts and things are neck and neck, nothing spectacular happening, until 6 minutes and 33 seconds hit the play clock in the first half. Kevin Ware goes to close out the shooter, the camera follows the ball to the rim, Swish… Chane Behanan hits the floor, Peyton Siva is praying on one knee and still, as I watch the TV, I have no clue what is going on. then I see it, Kevin Ware breaks his leg when he lands. Compound fracture to be exact. Tears fall from Russ smiths eyes as Gorgi embraces him. That’s when I saw something miraculous, everyone has been talking about the strength of Kevin Ware and what he said to help his teammates at that time, but I want to focus on Luke Hancock for a second.

         

Last summer Luke Hancock suffered a gruesome shoulder injury in a pickup game. He remembered how others were aghast. He also remembered how former U of L guard Andre McGee was the only one to rush to his side, to rush him to the hospital. He remembered how much that had meant. As he saw Kevin Ware laying on the floor he knew he needed to do this same thing for him. Luke kneeled next to Kevin grabbed his hand and told him he was going to pray over him. Luke closed his eyes “Lord, watch over us and let Kevin be OK during this tough time,” he began. “The Lord does everything for a reason, and He will get us through this.”  I can only imagine how Kevin Ware felt in that moment. He says he was in “shock” but in the 9 minutes it took to get Kevin off the basketball court, he found the courage to let his team know that everything was going to be “OK”. Luke Hancock’s prayers were answered. One day after Kevin Wares surgery he was walking on crutches. Kevin Ware will be “OK”. Praise the Lord.

The Cards came out in the second half and ended up beating Duke by 22 points. They waved the #5 jersey as they celebrated, honoring their injured teammate. Luke Hancock did not pray for a victory (because we all know the Lord does not choose sides in sports) but he did pray for Kevin to be “ok”. With faith the size of a mustard seed, we can move mountains. I truly believe that to be true. Both of these guys showed great courage and character during that time, and I believe it is in time of conflict you see the true character of someone. Coach K also showed his character that day. He told Rick Pitino to take all the time he and the team needed to continue, if his guys needed time to warm up again and to regroup that would be totally fine. What fantastic sportsmanship. Not enough can be said about these two guys and their long history with each other. Another game in the history books, this time it was Rick Pitino’s day. The Cards showed everyone what teamwork, friendship and faith looks like. For everyone who said college basketball is dead.. let this be a reminder that it is not! The Cards are not one and done athletes. They are student athletes, who have invested time and dedication to their school and who have pride in what they have done together. Congratulations to my guys for reminding us that friendship means something. This, to me, has been one of the greatest college game ever played.

Go CARDS!!!!

My first blog....

One moment happened recently while bowling with my mom and aunt Sharon. My aunt Sharon informed me that she had bought a new Bible. Since the passing of my grandmother my family as a whole have made an effort to attend church. Some of the family had already attended regularly and some had not gone in years and maybe some had never really been to church.  This is a wonderful thing. Peace only comes thru the Father and when you finally decide to let Him have control, you find a peace you have never known. This is something they desperately needed. Losing your parent has got to be one of the toughest things to go thru and no earthly thing can take that pain away.

In high school my senior superlative was “Best Christian Testimony”. I was so on fire for God. I loved going to church and being around other believers (mostly my youth group). What a fantastic part of my life! Somewhere between high school graduation and coming home from my failed attempt at college I lost my way. I have been in and out of church and have tried to find my feet again, but admittedly I am struggling with it. I said that to say this, when my aunt Sharon told me she bought a Bible it sparked an idea.

           

I asked my mother and Aunt Sharon if they wanted to start doing scripture readings once a week. We would pick a Bible verse, write it down and describe what that verse means to us and can we relate that to our daily lives. I suggested starting with Proverbs and Corinthians. I believe that is a good place to start. At this very moment no one knows that I have started this blog. My goal for a weekly blog is to incorporate this idea. This also helps with my question #2 “Do I have anything to say”. I encourage all my family members and friends that I invite to this blog to join with me in this conversation.

           

            As the thought of making a family crosses my mind, I want to make sure I am ready to set the best possible example I can.  I believe this blog is one step closer to getting me there.

Bible Passage of the week:

John 3: 15-17

¹⁵ That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

¹⁶For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

¹⁷ For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Yes I chose a Bible verse that many people know. To me, there is no more powerful verse than this. Take the time to think about this, even if God knew that only you would believe in Jesus and accept him to provide you with eternal life, He still would have sent his Son to die on the cross for only you. I said those words to my mother on Monday and tears came to her eyes. Some people do not feel “worthy” of love. Christ died for Kelli Nichole Jolly. Apply that to your name …