Take Me Out to the Ballgame...

Harris is playing t-ball this year.  I'm talking for real, rec league, with practices, t-ball.  Up until this point, all of our athletic experiences have been through i9, where teams meet once a week, at the same time every week, for one hour.  Perfect for our family.  We've played soccer, t-ball, and flag football with i9, but now that Harris is in school we decided to bite the bullet and move up to the big leagues so he could play with his classmates.  I was nervous.

And then he had practice and I remembered what it was like to spend Saturday afternoons at the ballpark as a kid.  My family practically lived at the ballpark, especially during football season.  We played hard on the playground and cheered on our teams and spent time with friends and ate those suckers that are like sweet tarts on a stick from the concession stand.  And it was so much fun.

And so I embraced t-ball.

And Harry has, too.  Now, my Harris is not what you might call the athletic type.  He's just not.  (His strengths seem to be much more intellectually-based.)  But he enjoys playing sports and always has a desire to be a part of something, so we go with it!  In fact, Ben gave him three rules for this season that we recite before every practice and every game:  "Be brave.  Have fun.  Try your best."  And so far, Harris has.

We've been blessed with the most reasonable, kind, and patient coach.  He's been a perfect fit for Harris.

And so, at least for this season, we're a baseball family.  Granti, Auntie, and DB have made it to both games so far and Cody, Mo, Raven and Sam came out for the first one.  Hadley is in her element on the playground and Emmy practices walking all over the place during the game.  Thatch just hangs in his car seat, but I love the excuse to do something together, outside, as a family.  At least on the warm days.

On Opening Day, Harris hit the ball twice off the Coach's pitch and once off the tee.  The second game didn't quite produce the same results, but he didn't seem to notice...

In fact, when I told him he played well (after he struck out!), he responded with, "Yep.  I played good, alright."

I love his innocence.  And his self-confidence.

And I love him for trying something that's out of his comfort zone.  He's got courage, that kid.  His timidity is so often in direct contrast to the aggressiveness of sports, but he gets out there anyway.  I admire that.

And I love what this season is going to teach Harris...and me.  We're going to enjoy the journey and work hard to remember Dad's three rules, even if we're not the best on the team. :)

(That statement is so much more for me than him.  My Harry could care less about being the best.)

This boy has my heart.