In the desert with no water

Logan pitched on Monday when the Mariners played the Angels. As usual, I was nervous. I spent the first few innings in the outfield and then moved to the stands in the 5th so I could have a better view of Logan pitching. The first three batters that he faced all hit singles off of him…. so with no outs and the bases loaded, I started to sweat a little (and yes my cell phone was up and down, up and down!).  Logan, ever the calm, cool and collected pitcher, carefully worked his way out of what could have been a bad situation and finished with a strikeout and a double play to end the inning scoreless. I am so incredibly proud of him! Sparked by that scoreless inning, the Mariners came alive and won the game 9-8 in a very exciting finish!

What I am even more proud of, though, is his unshakeable faith. He is always able to see the positive side of things. He knows that God has a plan for him and he sees each and every outing as a part of the bigger picture… I just love that about him!

Monday was also a particularly fun day for me! In addition to watching Logan pitch, my fellow baseball girlfriends, Courtney, Kelsey, Amelia and I got to spend a girls afternoon together at the game. Courtney is Stefon Romero's girlfriend and Kelsey is Brandon Maurer's girlfriend. I met both of them when Logan got traded to the Mariners and the guys were playing AA baseball for the Jackson Generals. During Arizona Fall League, Logan was roommates with Stef and Mauer (as well as Tai, Paxton, and Burg) and that is how I met the “girlfriends”.

Never underestimate the power of baseball girlfriends! We bond together and become the best of friends as we support our guys through all of the ups and downs of this crazy game. I feel so lucky to have met Courtney and Kelsey (and new friend, Amelia) and to be able to hand out with some of my sweet baseball wife friends like Kristin Smoak and Susannah Moreland! These ladies make my life so much more enjoyable as we share this common (yet very uncommon) experience of dating/marrying professional baseball players!

Court is staying in AZ all of Spring Training so that means I have a buddy to run around with when I visit and Kelsey lives in Phoenix. The three of us have a blast together! We were actually talking about the first time we met the other day and they told me that they were intimidated by me haha... Little did they know I am one of the biggest nerds on the planet--pretty sure the cat’s outta the bag on that one by now! Courtney is one of the sweetest girls ever… if it wasn't for her, the guys would live like pigs and they might starve. She is always cleaning and cooking and taking care of the house. I am glad I will be here for a while so that I can help her with all of the chores because she cleans every day and they mess it up every night!

Kelsey and I bonded instantly at one baseball game when we started discussing dance. She is an incredible dancer and now teaches dance in Phoenix. You should see this girl’s ballet feet… they are amazing and I am so jealous!!! She brought one of her best friends, Amelia, to the game one day and she is great! Amelia is the girl who says what everyone is thinking but is too scared to say… yeah, she just says it and that is why I adore her! It is easy to see why her and Kelsey are best friends!

We went to Elephant bar prior to the game and enjoyed a fruity girly drink before heading to the field. I have been so blessed to meet so many incredible women along this baseball journey. I may have only known them for a short time but there are very few things that enable you to bond as quickly as dating a baseball player. We all go through the same ups, downs, highs and lows. Unless you have lived this life, it is hard to understand what it means to miss someone so much and why you choose to be in a relationship with someone who essentially travels the country for 8 months of the year. The talks and laughs that we have during the games help the time to pass quickly! You know how they say that guys have crazy talks in the dugouts/bullpen? Well, if they only knew what we talked about in the stands! Haha! We discuss everything from workouts to food to hair conditioners to wedding rings to pitches…. you name it and we have probably touched on it in conversation. Logan’s teammates always seem to have these amazing girlfriends and I am so grateful to God for bringing them into my life. They make this crazy baseball life much easier!

Me and Melissa Magill (Soulmate!!)

I also particularly LOVE spring training because so many of the baseball girls I have met are in Arizona with their men and it is often the only time we are in the same place at the same time during the season. I had lunch with my sweet and precious friend, Melissa Magill, on Friday afternoon. Melissa's husband, Matt, is a pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Logan and Matt played together in Chattanooga, TN on the Lookouts (AA Affiliate). While we were in Chatt, Melissa and I were literally attached at the hip. We worked out together and had long conversations about life, our boys, our faith, and everything in between. Matt and Melissa have a true love story. I adore this couple and I love having them as a part of my life. I have always heard that if you want to be a good partner, hang around with people who are good partners. If you want a good relationship, hang around people who have good relationships. Matt and Melissa are one of the couples that I strive to emulate. Not only do they have a strong love for each other, they have an even stronger love and passion for the Lord. Matt is so lucky to have such a beautiful, sweet, supportive, faithful wife and Melissa is so blessed to have a loyal, hardworking, motivated, loving husband. When Logan got traded to the Mariners, I was devastated because that meant that I had to leave Melissa. Thankfully our friendship stood the truest test of them all (being traded and living in different states) so I know that Melissa and Matt will be a part of our lives for many years to come!

On Tuesday night Logan's agency got us tickets to the Phoenix Suns game against the Timberwolves. We got to sit in a swanky VIP area! Anytime we get to enjoy something new, I am grateful! Thanks to the Beverly Hills Sports Council for hooking us up!!!

So now for the reason I entitled my blog “In the desert with no water”…This morning Court and I were downstairs making breakfast and talking. She went to the sink to rinse off a pan and what do you know… the water was turned off. Naturally, we figured the boys forgot to pay the water bill and naturally, we were right! I called the City of Peoria immediately and made a payment and begged them to get back here and turn the water on ASAP! I don't know what this house would be like with 5 guys and 2 girls (plus 2 dogs) and no water… but I imagine we could give those people on that Carnival Cruise a run for their money. Let's just say I don't want to find out! After several hours of being without water, it was reconnected about 2:00 p.m. I don't think I've ever been so happy to turn on a faucet in my entire life.

So the good news is we are NOT stranded in the desert without water and we will live to see another day!!!!

What the heck are you doing in Arizona?!

Several of my friends have seen my instagram pictures/tweets and asked me "What the heck are you doing in Arizona?"… so I thought I should take a minute to clarify. In short my answer is Spring Training. I am starting my first "big girl job" in March but I had a little down time and I decided what better way to spend it than with Logan as he pursues his baseball career. Each year all of the professional baseball clubs hold spring training in either Florida or Arizona. Logan's ball club, the Seattle Mariners, holds spring training in a town just outside of Phoenix called Peoria. Each year the club invites the members of the 40-man roster as well as a few selected non-roster invites (a fancy way to say players who are in the minor leagues) to attend big league camp. This is a pretty big deal because it means you get to play in actual big league spring training games against big league players and in front of the big league club's coaches/managers. For the first time this year Logan was invited to big league camp! On Friday the 22nd Logan pitched during the 6th inning of the very first Seattle Mariners Spring Training game vs. the Padres and he did AWESOME! He threw a total of 10 pitches, 9 of which were strikes and he had 1 strikeout. WAY TO GO LOG! What a way to start off the season. Logan has been a closer since we have started dating. This basically means that when the game is on the line he is brought in during the 8th or 9th inning to finish things off and keep the other team from scoring. While he is on the bump I am ALWAYS nervous! I say a prayer for him every single morning and I say the same prayer for him again every time he takes the mound. Normally I do not know when he will pitch because it is the coach's decision as to when they need to bring him in. However, during Spring Training games the guys are on a schedule so they can all have playing time. I have to admit that KNOWING that Logan was going to pitch for sure was so incredibly nerve racking for me! I  was probably more nervous than he was. I even walked all the way out to the bull pen to see him warm up (seeing how cute he looked in his Mariners uniform was an added bonus!). When I saw him I discreetly whispered "HEY 71!"…. and then i realized that he probably didn't even know his new number and so I just said "LOGAN!" and he turned around and smiled at me and gave the "baseball head nod" as I call it. Somehow it made me feel better to know that he was down there warming up and still smiling! I made my way back to my seat just in time for him to jog out of the bullpen and take the mound. As you have probably heard baseball players (and pitchers in specific) are known to be pretty superstitious. Logan has a routine that he does prior to pitching but it isn't anything crazy like he has to eat some specific food, wear a certain pair of socks, or say a particular phrase. He just goes out there, says his prayer and does his thing. I, on the other hand, am much less cool and calm. I always try to take pictures and make videos of him while he pitches. If he throws a strike and I am taking a picture I keep taking pictures until he throws a ball and then I immediately put my phone away until he gets the out. This continues for an entire inning..so needless to say I look pretty dumb taking my phone out and then putting it up, taking it out and putting it up. I guess I finally know what my mom felt like watching me all of those years at dance competitions and Miss Texas. It is hard to sit and watch and be so out of control of the outcome. All I can do is pray, cheer, take pictures and be waiting for him with a smile after the games regardless of the outcome! I found a shirt that I really need to invest in and it says something like "You pitch, I pray!"… Truer words were never spoken! Logan is pitching again tomorrow and I am already excited to see him on the mound again. He has a calm, cool confidence going into this year and I think it is because he knows that God has brought him to this team at this time for a reason. He is ready to use his talents to glorify Him and I am ready to stand by his side and watch as his dream comes true!

Pageant training with the Johannsen girls!

Reilly and I have been talking about how we are going to be involved in pageants this year...because let's face it, we are both pageant girls at heart and we miss it. We both wanted to give back to the organization that has given us so much.


We can help with:
- Resume/Platform statement
- Creating and practicing your school program
- Creating a website
- Mock interviews
- Interview preparation
- Modeling (Swimsuit/Aerobic wear and evening gown)
- Wardrobe selection
- On Stage question
- Talent selection

We recognize that each girl needs help in different areas and we want to cater our services to your specific wants and needs. For this reason, pricing is available upon request. We will work with you and within your budget to help you get all of the services you want.

For the most part I will be doing the training. Reilly had the incredible experience of wearing the Miss Texas' Outstanding Teen crown and the opportunity to compete for Miss America's Outstanding Teen. Her experiences and expertise will specifically help out the teen contestants!

We don't believe that there is any specific mold that you have to fit to win. We want to help you be the best you that you can possibly be! We have both trained extensively and with many of the best in the business. We have taken our experiences and training and we want to use them to help you! Please feel free to facebook message me or email me at jjohannsen@me.com with any questions! We look forward to helping you get that crown on your head!!!

Jesus is my valentine.

When it comes to love its safe to say I have always been a hopeless romantic. From the first time I watch The Little Mermaid I have been searching for my Prince Eric. I am also incredibly passionate about chocolate so you'd think a day that combines love and chocolate would be my favorite however I have always hated Valentine's day! I think my deep rooted hatred for this holiday began back in the elementary and middle school days when I attended a private all girls school. It's hard to get too excited about giving/receiving Valentine's cards from other class mates when they are all female. In middle school, despite social events centered around Valentine's day such as the Valentine's dance several events (such as being dumped by my first boyfriend) tainted this holiday and left me despising all the cute hearts and flowers. As an adult I have spent many Valentine's days alone and miserable. This day has served only as a brutal slap in the face that I am single and my prince Eric was no where to be found. If it weren't for my sweet precious mom there is no way I would have survived so many February 14ths. She has always gone out of her way to make this day bearable.

Last Valentine's day was a particularly terrible one for me. I was fresh off a horrible break up, my best friend was happily engaged, and everyone around seemed to have love except me. I spent the evening at home with my pups, sitting on the couch crying and on February 14th, 2012 I gave up on love. I remember feeling so lost that day and saying a desperate prayer to God. Hopelessly (and honestly as a last resort), I surrendered to His plan and asked the Lord to write my love story. It only took 24 years, two major heartbreaks, and about 20 of the wrong guys to come to the realization that the love I was seeking was never going to truly fulfill me. Love is not a bouquet of flowers. Love is not chocolate. Love is not expensive gifts. If you want to read a love story pick up the bible.


True love, the everlasting, unconditional kind, is the love that God has for us. I finally realized that if I wanted this love I was going to have to give my heart to God and trust Him to put it in the hands of a man who loved Him first. Little did I know, while I sat there that Valentine's day sobbing and reflecting on the past loves I'd lost, God saw me at my breaking point and put his divine plan into action. I read a quote that said "Christians are like glow sticks: they must be broken in order to shine". It took me being broken to see the light and turn to God so that His love could shine through me and I could finally find the right kind of love. On February 15th, in a situation so crazy that the only explanation is that it was orchestrated by God himself, I met Logan Bawcom. People may call it chance or fate but Loagn and I both know that it was God who lead us to one another. Not only did he lead us to each other, he spent time showing us how He had made us for one another. From our faith, to our passions, to our family, even down to the books we had read...I connected with Logan more in the first ten minutes than I had with any other guy in my life. One of the things that stood out to me was when Logan said that he didn't have a girlfriend because he believed in soulmates and he trusted that God had made someone special just for him and he wasn't going to settle for less. Until last year I hadn't really given much thought to the concept of "soulmates" until my aunt told me to start praying that God would lead me to that person. Logan also told me that he had prayed his whole life for me and I realized then that he truly was the answer to my prayers.

I feel so blessed to have the love story that I do. I will never doubt for one minute that God brought me to Logan and that keeping Him at the center of our relationship is the only way to make us last. However, my love story is not your love story. If you are alone this Valentine's day or you have someone who is maybe not the right one, I would encourage you to have hope. Let God write your love story and I promise He will put Nicholas Sparks to shame. I have been in your shoes many many many times and I know the flood of emotions this holiday can bring. Unlike man, God will never fail us, forsake us, or leave us. His love is not like a bouquet of flowers that blooms for a few short days and then perishes. His love is not contingent on a gift. He loves us every minute of every single day and His love conquers all. He will never stop pursuing your heart. God is love...Cupid ain't got nothing on Him. Happy Valentines day!