As the baseball season was getting started last spring, my oldest boys were already asking about playing All-Stars over the summer (hold up, let’s focus on one season at a time now). They played hard throughout the regular season, the months passed, and now here we are in June, playing All-Stars. My oldest is playing on 12U and my second son is playing on 10U. We have several tournaments on the calendar to keep ourselves occupied during the summer months. This past weekend, they played in the Dizzy Dean State Tournament in Georgia.
There were two pool games on Saturday, then the possibility of two games on Sunday. With the tournament being single elimination, if they lost their first game on Sunday, they were out of the tournament, but if they won their first game, they would play again. We’ve learned to go with the flow with the uncertainty of the second game and just plan as if they are playing all games listed on the bracket.
This is a breakdown of our baseball schedule from this past weekend:
- 12U: Saturday 11:00am and 1:00pm, then Sunday 1:00pm and 3:00pm
- 10U: Saturday 9:00am and 11:00am, then Sunday 1:15pm and 3:15pm
Of course, these tournaments were at two different ball complexes, about 20 minutes away from one another. As much as I’d love to have the ability to be in two places at once, it is physically impossible. I am torn when it comes to splitting the games and attending one but not the other. My momma heart just wants to be there for both, supporting and cheering them on. I am thankful for FaceTime calls and text message updates! This is a shout-out to the fellow moms on the teams who help get the boys to and from games and practices when needed. I hope one day I can be as helpful to another mom, who is attempting to juggle it all, as they have been to me. While having family nearby would certainly make things easier, I am thankful to be able to rely on our ballpark family, which consists of other parents, older siblings, and grandparents who make up this village.
Making this happen — as a single mom with also a five- and four-year-old (whom I refer to as the Littles) — is sometimes easier said than done. Admittedly, the prep work that goes into this helps the weekends to run smoothly…well, as smoothly as they can in this Georgia heat.
of the van is a task within itself. The double stroller days were a bit easier as I could toss our belongings in the bottom (and on top), buckle in the littles, and roll…I’m not even sure I’d have the upper body strength to push them in the double stroller these days (maybe it’s time to get rid of it…anyone looking for a double stroller jogger?).
When we arrive at the park, my player will grab his bat bag and I’ll try to get a quick hug as they run out to find their team. The littles help carry their backpacks and chairs walking in, but leaving is a completely different story. There’s bound to be a meltdown or two throughout the day, but that is part of it. At the end of the day, I will end up carrying 99% of what we brought as their tired little legs struggle to make it through the parking lot when it’s time to leave. Maybe I should consider investing in a wagon…but then that’s just one more thing to remember.
for…showing up for them shouldn’t be optional. And it’s tough, real tough, especially when you’re living on a single income and the kids want to eat their weight in Italian ices (which were absolutely delicious by the way). If I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard, “You sure do have your hands full…” I say this while smiling because they mean well. Truth is, my heart is just as full. Cliché? Maybe so, but entirely true. Being able to spend the time together as a family, away from the house, not thinking about the dishes in the sink, the laundry in the dryer or the dirt in the tub from soaking their pants the night before, is what it’s about.
10U walked away with the State Runner Up title:
12U left the field as State Champions:
Following the tournament, we ventured away from the white board. Instead of hotdogs for dinner, we hit up our favorite local spot. Did we look like hot messes? Absolutely! The Littles and Bigs were covered in dirt, but that’s okay. In fact, that is sometimes what makes a day so great.
PS: Do you have a favorite wagon to recommend?
