Hello Dallas!

There has been this temptation to go search Alfreds name... Just to see if there is maybe a hint at where we might end up. But I refrain. This free agency thing has painfully drug on much to my surprise. It seems so simple when you are only considering yourself, but then you step away and realize that your little world is only a tiny piece to this very large NFL puzzle. 

Some days when the phone would ring, my heart would jump and I would be ecstatic just to hear the latest development or team interested in us. Other days, when time began to drag on and the interest seemed minimal, I found my excitement dulling. Let's be honest, words are easier than action. So I found myself in the first few days easily saying we are trusting in God and His plan. But, was I REALLY trusting? 

By day three I found myself really exhausted. A lot of people we knew were already committed to teams and had their contracts worked out and I was frustrated with the lack of progress and truthfully the lack of interest in Alfred. Could one year of a team devaluing him do this much damage?! 

By day four I was FINALLY searching for God's gracious peace. Oh how I needed it. A potential business opportunity hadn't panned out the way we wanted it to that week and to top it off we had no team and all I needed was peace! The reality that things weren't going how I anticipated left us without the comfort of answers, as if these answers were going to fix everything. 

Side note: peace doesn't come from knowing your future, having a home or knowing where the next team is, PEACE COMES FROM GOD!

Every journey is a lesson, and God seems to always be teaching me about patience, faith and His endless grace. Free agency alone has been a lesson to me. A lesson to truly let go and let God. To stop worrying, wondering and digging for hints, & to just be!! Just be in the moment enjoying my little family, and the simple things in life like farmers markets, picnics and working out. 

After what seems like the longest free agency of life, we are proud to announce we are headed to Dallas, Texas! 

Free Agency

I've had so many people ask me , "do you know where you're going yet?!" that I decided to just write a little update on our current situation! 

For those of you who don't know: 

- Alfred's contract with the redskins ended this year. 

- So as of March 15th, 2016 he will be considered an unrestricted free agent.

- We packed up everything in Virginia and put it all in storage!

- We are currently without a home (aren't renting and don't own) and are staying with family during this transition period.

What does this mean? The only team that we can make a deal with prior to free agency is the Redskins but since we haven't heard from them, I think it's safe to say that's not happening! Then when free agency opens up and as teams make offers, we can sift through and make the best decision for us and our situation. We also have an agent who is basically our spokesperson and deals with all negotiations and conversations. 

Once free agency happens and we know where we are going I'm planning on writing a post about our free agency experience and what the process looks like from the inside. We still have a lot to learn about this process and I can't wait to update y'all and see where God places us! 

Thanks for following our journey!

Xoxo, Team Morris 

Closing The 2015 Season

What a year this has been! We have been stretched. We have ridden a roller coaster of emotions. We have struggled. But then, something beautiful happened. In the midst of this crazy year we grew closer together in our marriage, we grew closer to God and we experienced His overwhelming joy and peace. 

Oftentimes joy and peace from God is unexplainable to those looking from the outside in. Many people didn't understand why we were more than ok with the way this football season went. We know that no matter what, man can't stand in the way of what God has in store for our family and our future. 

So as we loaded up our things and said good byes to our friends I experienced a wave of emotions. As much as I will miss all of my friends (a large majority of my friends' husbands also just finished their last year on the contract) I am excited for our futures and to see where God places each of us. We pulled away from Virginia with hearts full of love and memories made there (plus a 15ft trailer). Now we look forward to the future, free agency and where this next chapter in football and life take us. We kissed the state of lovers goodbye!

 

Love Love Love (Part II)

After bumping into Alfred here and there through the summer of 2011, I gathered his disdain for the lack of commitment and hard work that surrounded him on his football team. Understanding his situation I made some homemade turtles and put them in a gift bag that I had written an encouraging bible verse on. So I messaged him on the good ol' Facebook. He didn't respond for probably atleast a month so thankfully I decided to drop off his bag in Angela's office and asked her to get in touch with him. 

Through out the fall we would visit here and there. The only time we may have "hung out" was when I was leaving the athletic center and he invited me to FCA which was in 30 minutes. I obliged and sat down next to him on the bench outside to wait for FCA to start. He continued to do who knows what on his phone the entire time we were waiting for time to pass. Can you say awkward?! I pretended to be busy on my phone trying to not make it more awkward than it already was. (I actually had a flip phone with no internet so I was totally faking haha!)

Later that fall, he came to one of my soccer games. I remember him walking up, duffle bag slung over his shoulder, and he took a seat on the benches that were at the end of the field. I'm 100% positive I got a second burst of energy knowing he was there and that I probably should've been paying more attention to the game and less attention to Alfred. 

Life happens and before I knew it I hadn't seen Alfred in months. He had told me he was graduating that December and I heard he was training for the combine which was unimpressive to me. I always dreamed of marrying a farmer so the whole NFL thing was very unappealing to me. I remember hearing Alfred got drafted. You have to realize that was big news for FAU. Everyone was talking about it. That was one of those moments where I was happy for him and at peace to know our little love affair was over. (He didn't know he was my secret BF... But he knows now lol!)

Then came Memorial Day. One of my best friends, Russell was in the Marines and stationed in Pensacola which is Alfred's hometown. A group of us road tripped with Russell's parents to go spend the weekend with him. I text Alfred just to say hi and tell him I was going to be in his hometown. When I text him I had no intentions of actually seeing him. I really only text him because I thought he was in Washington Sate far away. (Yes I thought he was in Washington not Washington DC... Oops.) 

What are the odds?! He tells me he was home for the weekend and wanted to meet up. We ended up meeting at a bar, which is kind of funny because neither of us drink. I was my friends DD and of course this bar was right by the chuckie cheese he used to work at. I thought it was the most awkward experience ever. He showed up and somehow we ended up watching swamp people on the TV. You don't realize how much you don't know a person till you see them outside of campus. With no material to go off of, I didn't even know where to begin or what to ask. He didn't seem in any rush to leave either. As soon as he left, I text Ang and told her that I was breaking up with Alfred. (He was unaware of our relationship still.)

When my preseason started Ang randomly asked me if I had heard from him. I told her no, so she encouraged me to reach out to him. She explained that he was probably going through a lot of transitions being in the league and convinced me that I should check on him. God used Ang as a tool multiple times to help stitch this whole thing together. It was as if I text him right when we both needed a friend. From that day forward we communicated daily. About 3 weeks later I tore my ACL in the second game of the season and he was just becoming a starter for the Redskins. We had some full plates to say the least. 

The weekend after I tore my ACL, my team was traveling to Vegas. I was going to be home for the weekend so my mom came down to visit my roommate Jacqui and I. (We went to high school together and are still super close! She lived with my family for a summer so we are more like sisters.) Alfred was sending me a good luck package for surgery and said it was supposed to be in that day. I was complaining to my mom saying it was already 5pm and I didn't think the package was going to make it that day. 

Bummed at the lack of this package, I went to the FAU football game on crutches to get out of the house. Prior to it starting Alfred said someone from his hometown was new to school and didn't have anyone to sit with and asked if his friend could sit with me. I said yes but got annoyed when he said his friends phone was dying and I was supposed to meet him by the statue. I HAVE A TORN LIGAMENT.... I DONT WANT TO GO DOWN THOSE STAIRS ON MY CRUTCHES. Anyways, as I was just nearing the bottom Alfred pops out from under the bleachers and gives me a big hug. To say I was shocked is an understatement. He explained he wanted to be there for FAU's first home game and that it happened to work out with his schedule. Later he admitted he was really checking on me. We visited and then he told me he would drop the package off at my apartment after the game. 

Later that night, Jacqui went out to let him in the gate and was looking a hot mess when they walked in the door. She stayed in the living room just to watch me open up the package because she had already pried the details out of Alfred! He had gotten me a card and a pair of blue beats which is my favorite color and something I wouldn't ask my parents for. My mom was hiding in my room the whole time because she was all ready for bed and as soon as Alfred left Jacqui and I ran (yes bad idea for a torn ACL) in there squealing like school girls telling mom every detail. We may have stayed up till 2am from the excitement.

The next week he prayed with me over the phone before my surgery. He had really become such a good friend and encourager to me so quickly. So now we were actually friends and since I had ended our relationship he didn't know about it was a safe situation. He lived a thousand miles away and I was still in school and stuck at my apartment with a bum knee. We started talking on the phone regularly and then he asked me if I wanted to skype. We skyped regularly and I clung to every word loving this side of him that I didn't know was there. He was vulnerable and real with me. We talked about dreams and aspirations. Oftentimes I worried he thought I was saying things to just be agreeable with him because our dreams were matching up so closely. The things we wanted for life were strangely paralleled.  

After knee surgery, my biggest goal was being able to run again. Of course Alfred did it big yet again! He sent me a pair of baby blue air Max's that I would've never bought for myself on my parents tab. I was totally shocked  and his instructions were to wear them the first time I got to run again. 

Then came bye week... Alfred popped up in boca. We went to grab sushi and sat on the beach talking. I kinda had an itch that he liked me and he kinda confirmed that. The problem was that some stuff went down to make me question his credibility and that is when I knew yet again that we were just friends. I told him to not worry about me, but just focus on football. When he would text me I would respond slowly (on purpose)... But see there was one problem. Shortly after my surgery he asked me to come to a game in December. I agreed and he bought my flight right away. So regardless of me slightly ignoring him here and there he had bought a ticket so I couldn't bail. 

Shortly before my trip to VA, he was pouring his heart out via Skype the night before a game. He said, "you know it's just hard sometimes being single and lonely. It's so much easier to be in a relationship." I was not going to fall into that trap, so I told him. "I'm sure God is preparing the perfect girl for you that will be strong enough to handle all that comes with the NFL." Little did I know that girl was me. 

He forwarded me my flight info days before my trip. He had bought me a first class ticket, something that I told him to never do again. I was really appreciative but I explained that first class was a waste of money. I grew up on a farm! We love the simple life. Since then he never purchased another first class flight for me :).

So I arrived to VA, and he picked me up. I really hadn't spent any alone time with him so I was a little nervous. He didn't have a guest bed so I put a line of pillows between us. I definitely questioned Kenyon his roommate about all of the girls that had priorly come to visit to watch his games. A girl has to do her research you know? Disclaimer: We thought he had also paid for all of those girls to fly up to his games. Jacqui and I thought he was working the system and I was not going to fall for these games. Everything went great and he was so respectful, never trying to make a move to my surprise. We had a heart to heart that calmed all of my caution and hesitations regarding him. So following the trip, that spring we took a little time to pray about where to go next. After a month we were supposed to discuss what we each got from that

time of prayer and figure out what was next for our friendship.

Faith

What is faith? 

The dictionary defines faith as a complete trust or confidence in someone or something. In Hebrews 11:1 faith is defined as "confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see." This confidence comes from God who fulfills his promises; assurance is an active certainty that what God has promised will come to pass despite our not yet seeing it. Faith is acting on what God has revealed about his will and character.

Why is faith Important? 

The most important part of any structure is its foundation. Faith is our firm foundation on which we can stand upon, especially when we're facing trials. Hebrews 11:6 states that "without faith it's impossible to please God." And furthermore states that "Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him." 

"So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised." (Hebrews 10:35,36)

Faith in the midst of a storm?

It's easy to have faith when things are good, but when we're in a storm and the boat starts rocking is when we're more likely to be disheartened and lose faith. We go through trials in life to grow, not to keep it to ourselves but to help others grow who may be going through similar situations. 

"We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation."(Romans 5:3,4)

"Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise."

(Hebrews 10:23) 

"...let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith..."

(Hebrews 12:1,2)

I honestly did not want to post this because there is nothing natural about me sharing my personal life. As athletes we are in a glass bowl where everything we say or do is scrutinized and that causes me to want to embrace my privacy even more. But God doesn't put us through adversity to keep our adversities to ourselves. There is no point in a trial if I am the only one growing from it. Trials go beyond the person facing the storm to the people who may futuristically be encouraged. Ones testimony of endurance can give hope to others and encourage them to persevere through their own storm (2 Corinthians 1:3,4). So I am doing what God calls us to do and sharing. So on my mirror everyday since the season has started are the words in the picture. I look at it every time I'm in the bathroom. Even though my situation hasn't been favorable thus far, I still believe that it can and will happen just as I did at the start of the season, even if it's not necessarily this year. Why? Because I have faith and in Mark 9:23 God states that "everything is possible for one who believes!" I admit, I do have an unusual faith but shouldn't we all reach for greater instead of settling for less? The easy to accomplish everyday feats in which we pretend that reaching them was some small miracle. We're only fooling ourselves into thinking we're doing more than we really should be doing. We were created for greater! Not everything we have faith for will come to pass but it shouldn't break our faith. Why not? Because there is a greater purpose beyond what we can see, think, or hear. More often than not the answer will be no because the very thing we desire so will be the same thing that destroys us. We may not see it now but when we look back later in life we'll be thankful certain things didn't come to pass. Life is one big lesson and we have to be willing to learn what it teaches. I've learned a lot this year and I know there's more to come before this year is over. But I continue to make faith my foundation knowing God has my best interest at heart. I entrust myself and my future to God and enter into his peace which transcends all understanding (Philippians 4:6,7) 

To whom it may concern, I pray this post in some way, shape, or form encourages you to endure to the end. Take heart for you're not alone. "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid." John 14:27

Mid-Season Update

I took Josiah out in the stroller yesterday for an evening walk and couldn't help but notice changes everywhere. The air has gotten brisk and the leaves are almost completely gone. As I walked I pulled my sweater a little tighter as I recognized the many changes coming with the end of fall approaching.



I am beginning to feel closure with the chapter we are in. Seven more regular season games to go and time is quickly escaping. I'm already mentally preparing for what awaits us after season. There will be waves of different emotions as we put our things in storage and head south for the winter. We should know by March what our future holds and where we will be headed next, whether back with the Redskins or another team.



This takes me to childlike faith. In Matthew 18:3 Jesus said, "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." 

Jesus wants us to trust in Him, have faith in Him, and to depend on Him the way a child does their parents. He wants that beautiful, raw, complete dependency.

It is easy for us as adults to be self-sufficient, unlike a little child. With our independent mindset it can be hard to recognize our need to be dependent on God. Dependency on God requires a childlike faith. At our core we need to truly know, not just believe that He can do anything.

This year has been a HUGE faith builder for us, and has been a roller coaster of ups and downs through out each week. We are clinging to our faith in God's plan even when things seem unclear and uncertain. These are the times that we grow the most, and that our story can touch the most lives. We are learning to be little children again.  


Romans 12:12 says, "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." 


This verse is the foundation of what we are trying to be this fall. 


Philippians 4:7 says, "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Just as parents want to guard the hearts and minds of their children, Christ wants to do the very same for us. We are his little children. This verse explains the peace that has finally settled over our hearts. Peace from God transcends all understanding. Although our situation has not been ideal we have found an unexplainable joy and peace which transcends even our understanding, all thanks to God. Thank you to God for letting us be little.

This is just a mid-season update on where we are. I hope that if you are in a trial or a season of uncertainty, you will find encouragement in our story and that you will stay little. 

Love Love Love (Part I)

It all started in the summer of 2011 in south Florida. I was taking summer classes and working out in preparation of my first official season as an Owl. I had transferred that spring from FSU and only had one semester already under my belt.

I needed to talk with our strength coach, so after class I headed to the athletic center. I walked into the weight room and took a left toward the coaches' offices to find a younger looking coach. I said, "excuse me, do you know where coach Payne is?" The young man smiled and without further adieu he responded, "he's already outside with the other dancers!" I was by no means flattered by this mistake. I retorted, "Dancers? Do I look like a dancer? I'm a soccer player." His eyes immediately lit up. From the beginning there was something so different and refreshing about him. It was like he was just a little more alive and on fire about life than everyone else.

I couldn't tell you if I even spoke with my strength coach after because to be honest I don't really remember. What I do remember is that as soon as I walked out of the athletic center I called my mother and told her, "I think I just met my future husband." 

This story would never be complete without introducing Angela Wyss better known as "Ang". She was the women's soccer academic advisor and one of the bright points of my time at FAU. Her door was always open and she always had candy or some of my baked goods on her desk which explains my next encounter with Alfred. That man loves his candy. 

I walked into Angela's office to find Alfred sitting in her chair chatting away. As soon as we made eye contact I quickly blurted out, "you don't work here? You're an athlete?" Smooth one I know... He laughed again, with his oriental shaped eyes lighting up as always and explained he played football. He grabbed a handful of candy and next thing I know he was out the door. Little did I know we would have many more encounters within those four walls over candy and my homemade baked goods. 

Side note: Just recently she actually told me that he had asked her about where all the baked goods were coming from. When she said Lindsey Rice, he claimed he needed to get to know me because the key to a man's heart is his stomach. 

As soon as he was out the door I was telling Ang about my latest crush. She told me all about how was such a great guy and that he was a believer. She further explained that he was really really good at football and was hopeful to make it to the NFL. I laughed and said, "he goes to FAU." 

It's rare for me to be truly intrigued by a person. So as I walked to my truck from Angela's office I contemplated the whole thing while talking to God. I knew the guy I was dating wasn't terribly interested in doing God's will and he certainly wasn't God's best for me. I got in the truck and told God, "I'll dump my boyfriend if you'll give me Alfred." I guess you could say I bargained with God, but the Alfred thing didn't happen over night.