The first week of school is over!  All of the kids not only survived but seemed to enjoy it.  The only problem is that I was assigned to the busiest in-patient service that I do.  Three out of 5 days start at 7 and don’t end until nearly 6PM (or later as I had to pay daycare charges 2 days this week because I was late!).  I don’t know how I didn’t realize that I should probably request this week off – but I now know!

Not only that, I had signed the 2 boys up for Fall baseball!  and that started this week as well.  On Wednesday I was praying that the downpouring rain we had had for 2 days wouldn’t let up – at one point in the afternoon the sky cleared and I thought I would have an anxiety attack but then it started raining again – and I was let off the hook. 

Last year I took Matthew out of the more competitive baseball league because he had seemed to be traumatized by our horrible coach the year before.  I signed him up for the Buddy Ball league – which he loved – and gained a new tolerance of the game.  However, he wanted to do more and this league just had each kid get up and bat but they didn’t do any fielding.  After every game he asked why he couldn’t try and catch the ball too.  So, as the time came to sign up for the fall league, I had heard that this was more laid back and instructional.  I wondered if he might at least be allowed to practice with the regular team – even if he didn’t get to play much.  So, I took a chance, wrote an explanation when I signed up on-line and prayed for a kind coach.

Last night was a tough as I tossed and turned – wondering if people would be kind to him or would they pick on him.  I never know if I am pushing him too hard – or not enough.  He said he wanted to play so we went to the first practice today.  I pulled the coach over and explained a little about Matthew and said that I just hoped he could learn some and have some fun.  And he said…”we’ll make sure that he has fun and that we don’t put him in a position to be embarassed.  don’t worry, he’ll have fun!” 

And he proceeded to be the kindest man…involving Matthew in everything…taking him to homeplate as the coach’s helper to gather the balls and hand them to him as he hit balls to kids in the infield,  and then allowing him to play at pitcher and feeding him some grounders and then praising him when he caught the ball and when he threw the ball right to first base for an “out”!  …using his running to second as an example to the other kids of how you shouldn’t watch where the ball was hit…let him participate in every part of the practice and you could just see the confidence and self-worth grow.  So much so that he was totally involved in it – didn’t fool around a bit the entire 2 hour practice. 

I was so proud of him – and so thankful to the coach!  I know that there will be times that people are unkind…for today,  I believe.

Categories: Baseball, Family, sports, Uncategorized