Strike One....Ball.....and???

The last week or so it's been unusually cold weather for this time of year. So when I had to drag around kids to different events, I wasn't looking forward to it. Piano 4-4:30. T-ball 5:30-7. Softball 6:45-8:30. When it started raining at 4 I thought to myself, "great! our games are going to be cancelled and I can go home!!" I kept checking my blackberry. What?? No texts cancelling the games? No emails either? This is crazy!! It's pouring! (Even lightning and thunder) There is NO WAY we are going to be playing tonight! It was definitely one of those days that I would rather be at home in my bed with a good book. Ahhhh...but no such luck!

Now...sometimes, not too often, I feel guilty. Especially when my daughter says "do I have to go to practice". I gently reply, "What do you mean you don't want to go? Your team depends on you girlfriend. They NEED you!". I know....my poor girlfriend really doesnt like playing. She's been with the same team for 3 years, which she loves the team, and camraderie of it all. She just isn't that athletically inclined. She mostly plays outfield (mostly so she doesn't hurt herself in the infield. LOL...she even ducks when balls are coming her way.)

This year softball has been a challenge for all the girls. It's the first year that they have been hitting strictly from pitching. The last couple years they have had someone pitch to them, but if they got 4 balls, then they would get to hit off the tee. My poor girlfriend never hits it, but she is a trooper and gets up there to give it a whack. We've even had family games practicing hitting. I tell her, "if you can hit the ball off your brothers' pitches, you can hit off these girls!"

Last night Girlfriend got up there. All eyes were on her. The ball comes down the pipe and she swung!! She whacked that ball. OH MY GOSH!!!! She hit the ball!!!!!!!!! I was jumping up and down yelling, RUN!!!" She was so shocked!!!! She hit the ball off the pitch!!!!! You should have seen the look of pride on her face!! What an EGO-BOOSTER. Her smile was so beautiful! It lit up the whole field. And guess what I was doing??? That's right! You guessed it! Tears of joy were rolling down my face! I could barely say thank you as the parents were congratulating me on my daughter's very first hit! It was so darn exciting!

When I walked over to girlfriend as she came in, to congratulate her, she had the biggest smile, and tears were rolling down her face. She said "did you see that mommy? I hit the ball".

"I know baby girl. I was so DARN PROUD of you".