The Island Green

The Island Green at TPC Sawgrass 

Golf is one of the few sports where the average player and the professional can walk on the same ground. One of the most sacred places in all of golf is the 17th green at TPC Sawgrass. It's up there with Amen Corner and the 18th at Pebble. 

I got to play this course with my dad over 2 of most glorious days of golf you could imagine. 

Walking into the clubhouse, they have the bag of raining Player's champion Rory Mcllroy reminding you that this course is played by the best in the world every year and is not a simple round of golf. Last year, Phil Mickelson got beaten up by the course and remarked, "I have no idea how I ever won here, this place is impossible." 

I have never experienced such a lush golf course. The course was beginning to grow out for the tournament in March, and the conditions were amazing. Due to Covid, several corporate events were cancelled, and we had the whole course to ourselves over the 2 days. It was truely a once in a life-time experience. 

As you play the 16th hole, you can look to your right and see the 17th green alone in the lake surrounded by stands where thousands of people will be gathering in a few months. Today, we had it to ourselves and made the long walk from the 16th green to the 17th tee in silence. 

I got to go first, and proceeded to hit a ball into the water like I've never swung a golf club in my life! My dad had this hole in his sights and hit an amazing shot to 10 feet. 

Getting a 2 on 17 is every golfer's dream! My dad hit it close, walked up, and made the putt! 

On day 2, I knew I had the tee shot on 17 when I walked down the 16th fairway and saw the pin was a Sunday pin on the top right shelf. For some reason, I instantly felt that shot and knew I had it in the bag. I step up, hit my shot, and watched the ball roll past the hole. I was really hoping that would be my first hole in 1 and we would get it on tape

It's difficult to convey how tough this course actually is. Everywhere you look there is trouble. Bunkers right. Water left. Trees in the middle of the fairway. Holes that bend 45 degrees. There is just always something to keep you on your toes. Wildlife included.

Getting to play this course with my dad was one of the biggest joys of my life! It was an unbelievable course and enjoyed getting my butt kicked by a hard course! 
 

Snow in the Desert

I have said it before 2020 built resilient and adaptable kids.......and adults. Life feels to be changing all of the time.  We as a family have never lived "in the moment" more than we do now.  Have plans for tomorrow?  Who knows, maybe, I don't know. 

This game of dealing with coronavirus changes all of the time and we just roll with it, which brings me to that picture up there.  We switched schools for our girls. Trying to ensure that our girls get the education they need to be successful in the midst of this crazy time is a big challenge and remote learning is just not it for these girls.  Can we do it?  Yep.  But I will take any opportunity to get them back in the classroom.  So when our school decided to be out for yet another 2 weeks of remote learning, we moved them to the school across the street that is back in person (don't even ask about how that works).  Its a bummer to switch schools, but at the end of the day these girls desperately need to be with their peers, so it was a change we were willing to make.

It has not been without its challenges.  It starts EARLY for one.  We are all used to rolling out of bed at 7:15 to be in school by 8:15.  Las Sendas wants their behinds in the seat at 7:15.  So we are now full on morning people rolling hot at 6:15.  The adjustment has been hard, but now almost done with our second week we have figured it out.  

Its a wild life we are living right now.  To make it even more wild, after a year of super subpar rain and monsooning, we got SNOW in the valley this week.  Go figure.  We went from balmy 70s to cold, rainy, wet, and snowy.  We desert dwellers might be freezing, but man has it been fun!

I mean really, could my kids be any more Arizona?  Even in the snow they have shorts and sandals on.  Bob and I can't find enough layers, but they are running out in the snow like its nothing.  Oh girls.

Lily was beside herself with joy.  This girl, I am certain she is going to end up somewhere cold.  She just loves the snow and could not stop talking about it.  She wanted to call all of her friends and her Grandparents to tell them about the phenomenon.  So fun.

It is truly a rare thing to see snow fall in the desert and really makes for some fun life memories.  Life seems so full of uncertainty still and we may not know what is going to happen day to day, but there are so many special moments happening all around us.

I am deeply grateful for these 2 girls and their unbridled joy at some snowflakes. Honestly how different would all of our lives be if we could just find this kind of joy at the small blessings life offers?