This One's for the Boys.

This summer has, at times, found me to be a somewhat teary, sentimental heap of my former self.

It has a lot to do with This Guy here on the left...


I don't remember giving him permission to become a grownup. Perhaps I need to put a sticky note on my bathroom mirror as a teeth-brushing companion that will remind me to quit looking back longingly to when he was little. Maybe. But when this spring found him graduating from Junior College and taking a full time job with Verizon to save up money for the next two years of college, I was shaken by wondering...what happened to my little boy?

He's been in training for a month in Pittsburgh and last week I packed up all the rest of the kids and we went out to stay with him for two days. We had a nice relaxing time hanging out in the hotel pool...



and basketball court,




and going to Starbucks!


But it felt so strange to be doing it without Mitchell. When we left to head home, he walked us out to the car. I knew I would shed tears as soon as I hugged him and...I did. Not wanting to look like a dumb mom (even though I am a dumb mom), I quickly ducked into the car. But my sweet Mitchell, who I am so blessed to be able to say actually likes his mother, stood and waited till I would look back at him and wave. I bravely pulled out, leaving my "little" boy behind and headed home with the rest of my kiddos in tow. When I finally couldn't choke it back any longer, and I let a for-real blubbering cry escape, Christian said from the back of the van, "What's she laughing about?"

"She's not laughing...she's crying, dummy!" Gracie offered.

"Matthew," I told Matthew as he rode shotgun, "you are gonna have to start naming off reasons why I shouldn't like Mitchell so much. That will help me out here."

"Ahhh...Christian would be better at that than me," he said.

"He's right, Mother!" called Christian from the back seat.

I'm still waiting to hear them.



...they grow up without your consent don't they :)





Then there's the issue of this:





Little boys and Little League Baseball.
Without a doubt...some of the best times of my life!
We have been playing little league baseball for 13 YEARS!..and last week...it ended.

(Oh, here I go. Hold on a minute while I go grab a tissue.)




This was Christian's final year of Little League...thus ending the Steele's 13 year Little League career. When we play teams from other leagues, my older boys will always comment on the names on the back's of the player's jerseys..."I played against his older bother," they'll say. I figure it's the same way with us. Their name has preceeded them because there's been a Steele in the mix for 13 years.



So now there's the big brother now acting as a coach...



There's the family who has been sitting here for 13 years...









First there was Mitchell. Our slugger who gave it his all and hit his first grand slam on his momma's birthday at age 10! (he was 10..not me) He was our first All-Star. I never would have dreamed before this boy came along, that I would love every minute of spending day after day driving all over the place to sit and sweat in the sun at sometimes three or four games a day.... But we loved nothing more. We gladly loaded that car and headed out to as many tournaments as his daddy could squeeze into a season.




Then came Matthew. Our powerhouse kid who could hit the ball out of the park at age 8. You know...the kid that makes his momma feel like "big stuff" sitting there in the stands because..."that's her kid". I wanted to watch forever.
He called himself Double-"O" Steele



And Christian. The Steele's last little-leaguer. This guy loves to play baseball. He gives it his all everytime and I have loved watching each and every one of his games.

Such an awesome kid!


Mitchell and I sat at our final Little League game the other night and counted up year by year, kid by kid, to come up with a

"Grand Total Little League games for the Steele Family"

Here it is: 650

So I guess after doing something you loved six-hundred-and-fifty times...you"re allowed to miss it right?

They say there are new things that replace the old. My friends say that things change and new, good things come. I believe that. Of course, I know that's true. But this Momma is allowing a few tears to fall for the old right now and... I figure...that's ok too.

You guys are the most incredible blessing to your mother and father. We love you more than words can say.

So boys...for all the thousands of pitches your daddy threw in the
batting cages. And the way he sported that "father-pride" when his
arm was sore from throwing so much batting practice. And for all the times
your mother screamed and cheered and embarrassed you. And for all the
thousands and thousands of times you swung those bats...your mother and
father loved every minute of it.
Every minute.
And we love you.





It's been a great ride.