Watching Dreams Come True

I am trying to get back into Sunday afternoon blogging.  It is the time I usually have to myself and I can write several blogs and post them over the week.  Hopefully, I'll be a bit more regular.

When I last wrote, I was hosting Camp Mom.  My LRHB was playing Little League All-Star baseball.  He's not old enough for the group that you see on TV in August (if you watch ESPN or like that kind of thing).  He will be in two years.  We live in a place where the likelihood of advancing to Pennsylvania lies somewhere between slim and none.  But to go to our Regional Tournament, that would be the next dream come true.  I say the next dream come true because this summer, I had the pleasure of watching my boy's dream come true... his team won the state championship.

My kids have had dreams along the way.  We've had great swim meets and they travelled to compete on a national level.  We've competed at the state level for math, spelling, history and geography.  We've attended competitions for music in other states as well as the state level for both band and vocals.  And my boys have been amazing every time, working hard, trying their best and accepting their outcomes.  You might notice that I use the words "we".  Although these have been THEIR moments, I have been the mini-van/chaperone mom right there cheering them on to their victory.  (I have only accommpanied them once out of state for swimming, but I have watched races on the computer!)  I love them and I hope that these journeys that they have taken are special memories in their hearts.  I am sure that these trials and wins have made them into the hardworking adults that they have become, even if I am unwilling to say to them that they are adults, two of them truly are grown men.

However, as amazing as those experiences were, watching his team win the state championship was a moment that exceeded my expectations.  These young men (realize that I would like to call them boys, but what they have accomplished...) worked six days a week for two to three hours a day for three weeks before undertaking two and half weeks of competitions and practices to achieve their goal.  They gave up biking and swimming and hockey and skating and boarding and vacationing and hanging out with friends because these things could (1) injure the player (2) wear out the player so they would be unable to do their best (3) interfere with practice time.  They built new relationships on their way to achieving their goal.  They were mentally and physically tasked to work hard, to sacrifice, to win. And, they did.  They won the district championship after numerous rain outs and delays on fields that were a good ninety minutes from home, making the drive daily for more than a week.  They won the state championship through the losers bracket.  Their first state game was just 34 hours after finishing the district competition, five to six hours from home with their manager arriving about the fifth inning.  It was not a surprise that they lost that game.  But they turned around and won each next game. Winning, winning and winning each evening after practicing each morning, sleeping in a hotel.  My son caught the final out.  He has the game ball and many nights I find him sleeping with it.  His all-star apparrel is his daily choice of clothing.  And my windows are still painted with "State Champions", "#13" and "GO BIG RED".  There is nothing to prepare a momma for watching her son's dream come true.  It was a priveledge, an honor and  a thrill.

I've watched other dreams come true, I am truly blessed.  I've seen two high school graduations and one college graduation, which are great achievements.  The difference I guess is that it never occurred to me that those moments wouldn't happen.  I am hoping for many more dream like moments in my sons' lives.  And I admit I am probably putting more on this baseball thing than it deserves.  But I lived through the angst and work and worry with my boy.  Getting this win, it was amazing.