It's a Wonderful Life

I would love to be able to convey adequately with words on a page just how much I love being a baseball mom. I could not be more fulfilled. To give you a glimpse into this wonderful world is my goal with today's post. Our team was formed this spring from families we have played with in previous seasons through little league, families we met during special tournaments and families we have just met through the new venue we are playing through. We are the Team Extreme Kings. We spend lots of time together watching our boys practice both at our home practice field (a little field called Dream Catcher's field out in the country surrounded by horses, cows, a barn, and a little pond) and at the batting cages. Our boys' siblings ranging in age from 2 to 16, learn to look forward to spending time together with wiffle balls and bats off to the side, digging in the dirt, coloring in their shared "to go" coloring books, pushing toy cars around, sharing snacks,tossing a football, or just plain running around being kids. It is so fun to see the personalities blending as they all pair off and find ways to enjoy their time both at practice and at games. The parents (a mix-matched bunch from all different walks of life brought together through our children's interest in baseball) chat about all sorts of stuff from the light topics to the heavier stuff as special bonds are formed for us grown ups as well, all the while paying close attention to what goes on with our team. We get to meet many members of extended families as aunts,uncles, grandparents and cousins come to watch the boys play. We all share so much from the simpler emergency band-aids or benadryl, peanuts or kettle korn, sunscreen or bleacher blankets to the more complicated life stuff like how to handle our toddlers when defiant, or our players when they pout about getting out, or advice for a daughter facing the tough choices during her teen years, or even prayers for a family member diagnosed with cancer. I have such fond memories of the same scene way back when Chris' parents and I drove all over the south following Chris' college team, forming the same kinds of bonds, weathering the cold, enjoying the sunshine, just watching the game of baseball being played by someone we love. I hope that our Kings team stays together a long time. It is a very special blessing to be a part of this world.

Here, our team prays together before the game...

Here, Coleman and cousin James work to get a hat on that sun vulnerable head.
Here, father and son, Chris and Cody work "together" coaching the team and cheering them on...
And here, my sleepy baby takes a break from a very full day at the ballpark.
Oh, and here are our boys with their first rate coaches after the trophy presentation....


If I could have a string of a million weekends just like this previous one....it was perfect! We had so much fun at Casey's tournament. The newly formed team played in their first of many to come and brought home the 2nd place trophy! Life is good.