Manager of the Year

My husband has loved the Chicago Cubs ever since he was a kid growing up in Hendersonville, Tennessee, a mere 463 miles away from Wrigley Field. He played baseball on a little league team under the Cubs moniker in the age of Ryne Sandberg's Golden Glove. Over the last twenty five years his allegiance to the Cubs has proven it's loyalty in the face of adversity, as year after year a championship evaded the famed team. Blake pores over Chicago Cubs statistics and team news. Two years ago he made a prediction that the Cubs were on track for a winning season in 2016. Last Saturday, Blake and I enjoyed watching the Cubs play the Braves in Atlanta. As we watched Jake Arrieta pitch fast balls at break neck speeds, I realized how extraordinary this year's team truly is. We were witnessing history unfolding as Anthony Rizzo, Javier Baez, Jason Heyward, Kris Bryant, Dexter Fowler, Ben Zobrist, Addison Russell, Chris Coghlan, Albert Almora, Jr., Matt Szczur, Miguel Montero, and others took the field and played their hearts out.

Blake was keeping score and grinning from ear to ear during the game. The Chicago fans outnumbered the Braves fans 4:1 that day. We took our place in the sea of blue and cheered on our beloved Cubs. Many commentators have attributed the Cubs' success this season to their manager Joe Maddon, who has become known for his outlandish and wacky style of leadership. He intelligently manages his players while keeping the game fun. Under Maddon's authority, the group has bonded and seems more like a family of friends than a sports team. He deserves Manager of the Year just as sure as the Chicago Cubs deserve a championship. Blake and I are enjoying watching every game we can and looking forward to more wins this season from our Cubs.

This morning I held our little girl's hand on the way to the kitchen. She and I sat and talked for a little bit about Daddy and Father's Day. She climbed into her chair at the table and we made pictures and a card for Blake. Our daughters love their daddy so much. No matter how busy he is, he always makes time to get down on the floor and play with them, much to their wonder and delight. The girls and I have been sick lately and Blake has taken such good care of us. When I think of all the things we have been through - from living in a crack house, to getting robbed, then three and a half years of seminary, our first child's open heart surgery, serious illnesses, hospital stays, surgeries, deaths of family members, deaths of friends, heartbreaks, long distance moves, two babies that went to Heaven before we were ready, another three years and counting of grad school, a long distance study abroad stint, my near-death experience - these first eight years of marriage have been a "trial by fire" kind of season in life.

I am so thankful for Blake's loyalty in sickness and in health, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, til death do us part. Here we stand, two beautiful children, a few gray hairs, and four and a half degrees later, "pressed but not crushed, persecuted but not abandoned, struck down but not destroyed," eight years and nineteen days from the day we said our vows. We may be a little bedraggled and windblown but at least we're still standing, by God's grace. Today I want to publicly honor my husband, the father of my children, the greatest Cubs fan ever, for his faithfulness, his kindness, his perseverance and relentless determination towards excellence in everything he puts his hand to. He plans wisely, works hard, plays hard and keeps the game of life fun. Blake McKinney gets our votes for Manager of the Year over ol' Joe Madden every time (and we really like Joe). Happy Father's Day to our favorite Cub!