Good morning my loves.
I ran out of coffee. I realized it this morning when I was about to make some, and I am due for a trip to the grocery store, but – join me for a bit while I share some things and try to get the motivation to start today.
Baseball season is over for now.
This was Elijah’s first year playing on an actual team, and he loved it.
He had some moments where he’d say he sucks, and I would have to remind him that this is his first year, and every practice – every game – he got better. He started batting balls across the field and making home runs. He started learning when to run and when to stay on a base, and so much more.
He did fantastic this season and gave it his best.
I wasn’t happy that he wasn’t given a turn to pitch because I feel like that’s where his talent is. He’s great at pitching in my opinion, but with this being his first time on a team, I didn’t want to cause any issues and ask the coaches to give him a chance. I thought maybe they would, and I feel like every kid should have had a chance to play every position, so they learn each one and get better at them.
I’m not a coach – so I let them do their thing and just sat back to cheer my little dude on – whatever he was playing on the field.
He was upset because they kept putting him in the outfield, but I told him that during the summer, we’d practice more, and next year if we’re still here – he’d go and shows them his new skills, and maybe someone else will be in the outfield and he’ll be one of their best pitchers or he’ll be on a base. Plus, he’s not the only one I’ve seen in the outfield. There were a few kids out there on repeat.
Still, I am grateful.
I am grateful for the coaches who taught him every new skill he learned and is getting better with, and that they ran to his side to guide him and train him.
I am grateful for his teammates who all cheered each other on, including my son when he was at bat, or running the bases.
These young boys always had each other’s backs and even encouraged each other when one of them would strike out. Their last game the night before last – all the boys were singing, “Let’s go, Elijah! Let’s go!”, over and over. It was the cutest thing.
I am grateful for the Baseball moms and dads who had kids on the team for years now and took me under their wing as the new baseball mom. I fully enjoyed sitting on the bleachers with them every game – talking, laughing, and having some of the funniest or best conversations with them. We always found each other at games, joked around and enjoyed cheering each other’s boys on.
I am grateful for the baseball moms I didn’t talk to, that still cheered for my kid as much as they cheered for theirs every time that he was up to bat or running bases, and I did my best once I became comfortable – to cheer on their boys as well.
I am grateful that Elijah had this opportunity to play for this team, and I am grateful for the group photo he has of all of them, so that even if we move next year and he doesn’t play for this team again – he has the memories of them.
I am going to miss this.
I was joking with a good friend of mine (Ashley) that I am NOT sad it is ending, but as soon as we came home from the last game the night before last, I won’t lie – I was a little bit sad. This is now just good memories. Good times. Ashley was laughing at me and told me, “See! That’s how I feel sometimes. It’s bitter-sweet when it all ends”. She’s in Arkansas and her boys play as well.
I am not going to miss the last-minute scheduling changes, the traveling to other parts of Minnesota for games, the double-headers, sitting in the heat and rain, rushing to get to the field on time for practices, but – I am going to miss these boys getting together to play and watching them all do their thing.
We were supposed to have a double-header today. Today was supposed to be the last game in another part of Minnesota, but for some reason, that was canceled.
I had to laugh when one of the moms I always hung out with at games – said that she is so happy they canceled the Friday game. I told her, “I knnnnnoooooowwwwww! I can’t say I was disappointed, either!”. When another dad showed up for the game the night before last, we were talking about baseball coming to an end, and he smiled and said, “And we have no game on Friday”. He was just as happy, as we laughed and shared that we were kind of happy as well. I had to laugh even more when one of the female coaches and I were talking after the game was over, and she shared that she was happy there was no game Friday. I told her that I wanted to say that, but she said it for me, and she shared that she loves baseball, but at some point – she’s just over it. 🤣
Still, like Ashley said – it is bitter-sweet.
These boys played in all kinds of weather, gave it their all, cheered each other on, encouraged each other, helped one another, and it’s all over now until next year.
A lot of these boys have been playing together since they were much younger on the T-ball teams, so the fact that this was Elijah’s first year, and they welcomed him with open arms – makes me happy. ❤️
We won the last game, and the boys followed the coaches across the way to the Football field – where they had a water balloon fight.
We stopped at the store and brought donuts for the team, so after – they enjoyed those, and helped clean up the field before they left.
As I was standing by the bleachers talking to a few parents about different things, the main coach came over, and we were talking about Baseball and Elijah practicing during the rest of the summer, and about the next season.
He was trying to talk Elijah into joining Football, but my son was uninterested in that. I love Football, so I wanted him to give it a try, but I wasn’t going to force him.
The main coach’s son ran off somewhere and came back with the bat that Elijah has been using all season.
He handed it to Elijah and told him he could keep it. 😊🧢⚾ It was such a sweet moment, and I thought that was so awesome.
During the beginning of the season when I brought the uniform Elijah needed for baseball and got everything together to make sure he had what he needed, I had asked one of the female coaches if he needs his own bat. I planned to go buy him one. I just didn’t want to spend the money if he decided he didn’t like baseball and didn’t want to continue it next year, so I was grateful when she told me no, and said they had more than enough bats there – that he could use.
When I found out how much he enjoyed playing and wanted to return to it next season, I did plan to buy him a bat and I probably still will buy him one he can pick out and enjoy, but I loved when the coach’s son gave him this one that he has now.
To me, it’s a sweet reminder of this entire season, and the experience he had, and I hope he cherishes that bat for the rest of his life, and remembers when he was 9, and started this sport.
No matter where we are next season, and who he plays for or what team – I hope he continues his love for the game and continues to make memories with it as he gets better, and goes on to maybe middle school ball, high school ball, and beyond.
I wish I could say he’s going to play with them again next year, but we’re looking to move, so I can’t say for sure.
Baseball season has ended, and again – it’s bitter-sweet, but I’m grateful for everything.
To my little Elijah – if you see this one day when you get older –
So, now what do we do?
Now that there’s no more schedules, game changes, last minute snack runs, washing his uniform over and over, rushing to the field, etc. – we enjoy the rest of the Summer.
Love you.
😊Shel😊
