June 5

Isaac's baseball season may have come to a close a few weeks ago, but it ended for real tonight when the Pirates had their team party at a local pizza place. Here are all 12 goofballs; after taking a few "serious" photos, I sensed their restlessness and said "okay, silly faces" and this was the result. Oh, to be 8, 9, 10 again, right?

I certainly had some moments of frustration as the Team Mom, but I was genuinely touched and had to swallow back some emotion when, after the coach had recognized each player with a funny certificate, he addressed me and called me the 13th man. I like to toss around a baseball now and then and I love batting (especially when I'm working through some aggression) but I've never really been on a team, so the remark meant something.

I'm definitely going to enjoy the off-season and some down-time, but I'll always look back fondly on this particular team. They may not have had the best record, but they're all genuinely great kids, and I'm blessed that I got to know them, if only for a little while.