Thanks Bethie and SB for the kind words.

My God, I think this morning was the first time, or one of the very few times, that I've actually started crying while reading the sports section in the newspaper.

My aunt actually mentioned something to me on the way home from Band practice yesterday that she'd read some headline that said "A Sad Day For Clemens." The game hadn't started, so my mom worried it might be his mom...as soon as she said that, my heart just sank, and we found out for certain on mlb.com when we got home.

It was just so sad to imagine, because his mom meant SO much to him. She divorced his biological father very early, and he had a stepfather who died when he was nine, but his mom was everything to him, throughout his entire life. One of the big factors he had to consider in the decision to join and return to the Astros in the past two years was whether she'd be able to see him inducted in the HOF, and now it won't happen. However, it's good to know she's at peace, now, and I know she's in a much better place, watching over him and cheering him on. Roger is such a warrior - I could not believe he was still going to start, and it was so heartbreaking to watch him (It was so weird. I watched the tape of the game late at night, and when I first saw him on the mound, he just looked so different...it was so sad to see him look so hurt.), but he got the job done as he always does, just as his mom taught him to. In fact, he said that when he last talked to her, she told him she wanted him to work. He's just amazing, and I love him. I hope for the best for him and his family, and that they can get through this.