May 28

Brady's Intermediates team party was held tonight at the home of one of his teammates.

Initially he planned to leave early so he could attend Youth Group with Isaac, but --mid-way through an impromptu and enthusiastic wiffle ball game in the street that gave off a classic "teen boys in the summer" vibe-- decided he'd rather stay at the party. So that's what he did. And based on how sweaty he was when he finally came home a few hours later, I'd say he had a good time.

Awesome stats aside, he really enjoyed being part of this team. It's a nice group of boys and they share a great sense of camaraderie that you don't always find on teams that are formed for a single season of play. 

They gelled. They had fun. They enjoyed each other's company. They won a bunch of games. They made my kiddo's life better. So for all of those big blessings, I'm grateful.

May 27

Back when Abby and Logan (and even Isaac) were littles, we would go on day trips to various places around the Bay. With those memories in mind, Abby said she wanted to go ride the Steam Train at Tilden Park --which we hadn't done since Brady was a baby-- so that's what we did this morning.

We left for Oakland at around 10:30 and arrived just in time to join the throng of fellow Memorial Day day-trippers in line for the next train. 

And even though my kids are all now big kids, it was really fun to share that ride through the woods with them once again. Brady was your average "this is stupid" 13-year old so he sulked, but both Isaac and Abby were enthusiastic riders, and their enthusiasm was infectious. And my memories of Logan riding along with us were salient. Bittersweet for sure, but I'm thankful to have them.

After the ride, we went to Wendy's in Rockridge to pick up lunch, and then on to a bench with a view of Lake Temescal to consume it. 

It was a blessing to be out with my family, and it inspired me to look into more day trips that we can do over the summer. I'm not sure how many we'll actually tackle, but I'm excited about the possibilities.

May 26

It's been a few months since I've made a prayer shawl, so I decided to start one a few days ago.

And tonight, I'm watching TV and working on said-project. It's mostly quiet, save the occasional trek down the stairs by a kid in search of sustenance in the kitchen. 

I'm thankful for the quiet and for the ability to create something that will bring a sense of warmth and comfort to someone else.

May 25

After my Prayer Shawl Ministry group meeting this morning, the fam and I headed up to Lafayette for a tour of my in-laws' recently completed home remodel.

It's a lovely new space and it was fun to go around and see all of the bells and whistles -- both inside and out. 

But beyond that, it was great to see how happy Adam's parents are with their changed-up house. We were their first visitors and it was obvious that they enjoyed showing us the space. It was a long, long process (like multiple years), but it seems like they'll be blessed with a great place to live during the years to come. And that's a wonderful gift.

May 24

Brady had a scrimmage this evening so Adam and I set up our chairs to take in the action.

It was a cold, windy evening for late-May and we shivered under our jackets and big 49ers blanket. But at one point between innings we both looked up and noticed a patch of vibrant blue sky overhead. It was the first bit of blue the day had offered up.

So for that moment of loveliness, I'm grateful.

May 23

Brady played his last official intermediate gold game this evening.

He did well this season. On the pitching side, he posted an ERA of 3.63 and batters hit just .179 when facing him. Given that he pitched almost exclusively during gold games, those are pretty solid numbers.

Offensively, he had 76 plate appearances and posted a .465 batting average. His on-base percentage rested at exactly .500, and he drove in 17 runs on 33 hits: 23 singles, nine doubles, and one triple. He scored 23 times, swiped 16 bases, walked just twice (he does not take pitches), and was beaned three times -- twice by the same kid, who happens to be on his TVBR team.

All in all, it was a good season for my kiddo, and I am so thankful that I got to watch him play in so many of his games.

May 22

Since it's Wednesday, Brady (and Abby) joined me at the Mother Ship this morning.

I sat across from them and sipped my coffee. And I watched as Abby took a series of photos of Brady, mostly for her own amusement.

It's normal, everyday behavior for my kiddos: Abby loves taking bizarre (and often just plain bad) photos of all of us. 

It's funny. And I am grateful for that predictable dose of humor.