July 28

Our extended baseball season came to a close this evening in exemplary fashion as Brady and the rest of the Pleasanton 11u All Stars won the b-bracket championship game of the Dana Takiguchi Memorial Tournament in Dublin --over Dublin-- by a final score of 14-2.

It's been an interesting summer for these guys. They struggled early on (hence the b-bracket designation) but gradually gained more and more traction over time. So much so that when this tournament began over the weekend, I felt like they looked like a legitimate all-star team. They certainly played like one.

Tonight they hit, made clean plays in the field, and had fun. More than once as I looked out at Brady at second base (and at center), I could see him smiling at everything and at nothing in particular. And he was so pleased with his medal that he wore it out to dinner after the game, and then came home and added it to his victory stash in ceremonious "mom, come watch" fashion.

So tonight, I feel a profound sense of gratitude to and for Rishu and Randy and Chris, who dedicated so much time to helping these boys improve their skills and encouraged them to work together as a team. And I am grateful for the parents who made the time sitting in the stands more fun. And I am beyond grateful for that smile on my muffin's face, because it is utterly priceless.