Movie Review: Homerun

This morning, David and I went to the theatre to watch the recently produced movie, "Homerun".  I didn't know too much about it, except that it was supposed to be a really good family movie.  I wasn't disappointed! It was great - I'm super glad I went to see it.  Probably one of those that we will want to get on dvd when it comes out.

The movie centers around Cory Brand, a baseball star who is on the cutting edge of his career as a player for the Grizzlies.  On the field, he's as incredible as he looks - talent and all.  But off the field, he's a broken man struggling with his alcohol addiction, a fierce anger problem, and emotional scars from a childhood with an alcoholic father.                                                                

       Things start getting messy when Cory's outbursts of uncontrollable anger show on the field during a game.  Word gets out about his drinking addiction, and he is suddenly faced with a tarnished reputation. Not long after, his drinking gets  him in a serious car accident; his brother is put in the hospital and the media gets hold of the story.    Desperately trying to save face and redeem his career, Cory's agent sends him to a small town to coach a little league baseball team and attend an eight-week addiction recovery program.  

No sooner has he begun his coaching than he realizes that one of the players is his own young son, and the existing coach is his former wife, both whom he abandoned years ago to pursue his promising baseball career.  

All of these circumstances make for a touching story about forgiveness, reconciliation, and God's grace.   

The focus of the film is how very possible it is to overcome an addiction through Christ.  When Cory has hit rock bottom in more ways than one, he finds God and begins his journey, dealing with his past head-on.  As a third-generation alcoholic, he declares that "change starts here, right here".  

Possibly one of my favorite quotes of the movie was "Nothing great happens when you hold back."

It was so refreshing to see a clean, wholesome movie, where recurring themes of grace, forgiveness, and redemption in Christ were present.  No bad language, didn't have to worry about certain scenes. It was all good!  

I won't recommend a certain age for seeing this movie, since all families are different. However, viewers should be aware that there are many scenes involving drinking, and the effects thereof.  Outbursts of anger are shown.  Since the focus of the movie is addiction recovery, scenes revolving around this theme are present.                                                                                         Thumbs up for a great movie.  Really.  It was one of those that made me want to tear up at the end.                                                                                              But it would have made my mascara run....so, no go. :-)

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Alabama Trip Photos

So, finally, here are the pictures from Dad's and my trip to Alabama a few weeks ago. :-) 

On the road here.  The drive from Arizona to Alabama is about 22 hours....we basically drove it straight, and you can see the rather deleterious effects in this photo.  Coffee helped, lots and lots of coffee.  And of course, we traded off, napping while the other drove.  But when I wanted to sleep most (midnight and beyond) was when I simply couldn't let myself doze.  Dad was on the verge of falling asleep at the wheel at one point and I wasn't much better....and that's when we decided to just pull off and rest a few hours.  A few.  Very few.  We did this whole driving thing in a day and a half! Kind of exhausting, but way better than dragging the whole thing out for days on end.

Our trusty GPS!  The second day of driving, which was pretty much mid-Texas on, we drove through rain the entire time.  Every single state along the way was in downpour!  And I happen to believe we drove through a tornado-ey patch in Mississippi.  It was green, silent, not windy, but super cloudy and rainy.  

The girl we made the trip for!!  She got into the honors program and the whole point of the trip was to be there for her induction ceremony.  It was just a good excuse to visit her, really. :-)

Church on Sunday.

Trusty Waffle House, our road-trip friend.  I always get their chocolate chip waffles (*yum*).   Being in the deep south, everyone is "amen-ing" and "hallelujah-ing" around there, and our meal this particular day was no exception.  While waiting for our food to come, we had a quick prayer.  As soon as I had finished, our waitress, who had been standing next to our table the whole time, placed our check on the table and gave her hearty "A-mayn" to the whole deal, with that super-thick southern accent.  It was pretty funny.  You just don't get that in Arizona. :-)

I spent a few days with Courtney in the dorm, and as I walked with her around campus, met her friends, and went to her classes, everyone  kept telling us how crazy it was that we were nearly identical!  People even thought we talked the same.  They kept laughing that we were like carbon copies of each other.  One person even thought I was Courtney when Courtney was out of the room momentarily.  Do we really look that similar, really?  

Photography....

And then, on Thursday, the Honors Ceremony itself, which lasted about an hour. 

Courtney's name was called, and she stood for about....five seconds?  Everyone clapped.  At that point we said, "well, that's all we came for.  Guess it's time to go home now!"  We drove all that way for five seconds!!!  Not really.  Like I said, it was totally just a good excuse to spend time with her. :-)

Explaining.....something.....it was important at the moment.

There was a small reception of cookies and punch afterwards.   Nice.  Really the best part of ceremonies, recitals, programs, weddings, etc.  Okay, ax the weddings.  Not true.  However that's the main part I do remember about weddings I went to as a little kid....those mints? And the cake?

\

We toured the HUGE campus library. There were signs everyone saying to be quiet and NO disturbance please, because it was a "study area".   Dad picked up this giant monster of a book that was written like.....centuries ago or something.  Does anyone really ever check this kind of book out?  Really?  I was like, where's the fiction section....(non-existant, by the way).

There was some peaked interest in it for a moment.  But Starbucks beats it.  Sorry, just have to say it.  Again, probably the best part of the library? Was that there was a Starbucks inside it.  

Kinda tired by this point.  This is Courtney's dorm, by the way!

We got a very thorough tour of the entire campus and the residence building where Courtney lives.  It was fun to see everything and get a feel for campus life!

Being goofy :p

All in all, it was a great trip!  Praise God we had safety as well as good health the whole time.  It was wonderful to spend time with Courtney, and then of course we hit Texas on the way home to see family and friends (see previous post).  I was so ready to be home by the end of it all, though.  There is truly no place like home:-)

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Fun with Friends in Texas!

Home.  After twelve days of being on the road, I am finally home and (trying) to jump back into normal life.  That would entail unpacking (yep, still working on that suitcase), cleaning up my area of the house, and going back to work.  It's good to be back.  

I have a whole lot of fun pictures to share, but I wanted to start off with some really cute ones from the end of our trip.  Dad and I first drove to Alabama to see Courtney's honor ceremony, plus just stay and see her for a few days.  On the way home we hit Texas, and stayed with family there.  It was a great opportunity for Kaylie and Ashlynn to drive up and see me - I met them at Summit last summer and they both lived like two hours from where we were in Texas!  I was so excited that they made the drive up and hung out with me for the day!!

Kaylie, Ashlynn, and me.

(You're so cute Kaylie!)

So this isn't exactly your normal kinda picture.  But I saw someone else do it once for a photo shoot and I thought it would be fun to try and replicate.  It was fun.  Slightly weird.  We decided we had enough of this type of picture when the neck-pain kicked in. (Aprox. one minute. Maybe less.) Something about the end of a splintery slab of wood right in the back of the neck.....

We had the best day together.  So much time to talk and laugh, (make faces too).  We went out for Subway AND Bluebell ice cream, stopped by the local vet to see a puppy that was up for grabs but turned out to already have been snatched up, and went hunting for a good spot to take pictures.  

What great fellowship and just plain fun we had!!!!

 I love these girls so much! We had a great day together.  It was, in actuality, one of the best days of the entire trip:-) For me anyway!

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Coming home....eventually.....

The last week or so, Dad and I have been in Alabama visiting Courtney!!  We had such a good time getting to see her and being present for her honors ceremony.  Very special.  Even got to spend two days with Courtney in her dorm....went to all of her classes with her and ate at her school cafeteria.  It was fun! 

 

 

Now, on our way back home, we are visiting my dad's uncle and aunt in Texas.  It's been wonderful spending time with them again.  We went to church this morning, had a really super southern meal out (mashed potatoes, fried chicken, rolls, the works) and now it's just one of those relaxing Sunday afternoons.  Tomorrow I am going to get to hang out with some very good friends I met at Summit last year that live just two hours from where we are!  That will be so fun. :-)

 

Anyway, just a little update.  I'll be home soon. Duty calls - babysitting, CPC, and a very special 5 year old's birthday the day after we get back!  :-)

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