The softball season...

Has officially started for Allyson. This is the first year we've been involved in the sport that lasts half the summer, requires a bunch of 'cool' (which is equal to expensive) gear and 'allows' you to travel all over the Southern part of Iowa. I can't even properly communicate the excitement Allyson has about softball, it's that much. On the way to her first practice she was all nervous asking a million questions to which I didn't have the answer to when she says, "I thought you played softball mom, you don't know anything." Yikes. So I say, "I did play softball but 'back in the day' softball for me was Truro, New Virginia and St. Charles playing against each other and we had a sponsor (Fickes, we were the Fickette's, that's right). And I stopped playing after Jr. High. I know how to hit and I know how to catch, beyond that, well, you'll have to pay attention at practice :)" When I picked her up after the first practice she said to me, "MOM, I have 5 bruises from getting hit by the ball." My response, "well, if you don't have bruises you aren't trying hard enough." It was such a JY thing to say :)

So, Tuesday night Allyson had her first game. She played short stop, which seems about right since she's short :) She was nervous, I was nervous...she did awesome and I realized that the game of softball has changed since I've played. She got up to bat at least 2 times and struck out both times, BUT she went down swinging so I didn't care at all!! Her cousin's, Beau and Brayden, were there trying to coach her while batting (choke up on the bat, watch the ball all the way in...) and told her after the game that they would come in to our house and pitch to her, how sweet is that?? Later, Allyson asked me, "what does choke up on the bat mean." Oh dear...

Last night, I found my old, worn out glove and pitched to Allyson in the backyard. We practiced for an hour and during that time I wondered if Allyson thought that this is how it was supposed to be, mom pitching to me, helping me practice or if she thought, my dad should really be here doing this with me...the things that randomly pop in to my head all the time...weird. All I know is, YES, JY should have been here doing this...sports were his thing, I was just the cheerleader. Now I'm both.

Stay tuned for softball updates, we're at it every Tuesday and Thursday night from now until the middle of June. I took pics of Allyson on Tuesday that I'll get put up eventually...I'm excited!!

Thanks for checking in....

L

BTW, I forgot the most important thing!!! They won the game!