an RBI and a WIN

I don't know much about baseball.

I used to be THAT person.  You know, the one that thought all you had to do was hit that tiny, hard, ball with a bat as hard as you can and then run really fast. And when you aren't hitting it you are supposed to catch it in a glove and pray it doesn't knock you out by hitting your head instead.

But Zeke...he has showed an interest in baseball for well over a year now.

He was checking out baseball books from the library.
He was asking his friends all about their games and how to play.
He asked for us to sign him up the next time baseball season came around.

Which, if you know Zeke at all, is absolutely mind-blowing.

Zeke is typically very fearful of new things, only wants to do things that other familiar people are doing, wanting to get involved in things that he knows.

But this boy of mine is NOT letting these things define him.

He has branched out into an area that his daddy and I have no experience in.  It's not basketball, which his daddy loves, it's not football that we play on TV in the fall, it's not soccer like his mommy plays, it's certainly not music, which flows through our family veins.  This is Zeke's thing for sure and he is owning it!

I wasn't there to see his first few practices but from what I've heard he was, well, a little behind the rest of his team, to say the least.  Josh was trying to freshen up his own childhood techniques to help guide Zeke as much as possible, but we weren't giving him much to work with.

His coaches have been SUPER sweet to him.  In fact, one day after practice his coach stayed after to work on his batting for an extra 20 minutes or so.

Yesterday was Zeke's first game.

If I am honest I used to think about this season of life that was coming, dreading the boring recitals or slow-paced ball games I would have to sit through, wondering how other parents (my own parents) could get so excited, but as I walked up to that field last night I could hardly contain my mama pride!

I saw my boy wearing his cute little uniform...the smallest boy on the team.
I saw him standing where he was supposed to, actually engaging in the game instead of drawing pictures in the dirt.
I saw him stand in the batters square, fear still in his eyes, but not allowing it to take over.
I saw my little boy growing out of his fear and into a confident young man.

When it was his turn to bat he hit 2 strikes.  His batting is slow and timid, but his form is perfect.  He has so much to think about, but he is determined to get it.

Then that last ball came in
he swung
and hit it straight up to first base
allowing his teammate to run in from 3rd base to home plate!

That's called an RBI...runner batted in, and that, my friends, is a big deal:-)
(I'm learning;)

His coaches and teammates and the other team parents cheered him and the team on!

They went on to win 7-0.

But I could care less about the fact that he won,
or that he actually hit the ball, much to my surprise
or that he is playing baseball, the all american sport.

What thrills me is that he is standing up to his fears and branching out into the unknown.

This is HUGE!

And yesterday is the beginning of that confidence building that he needs.

The coaches praised him in front of the entire team last night for helping get a player home safe during the team meeting after the game.  Then he let Zeke count off the team cheer.

I can't wait to watch his next game, or see which instrument he wants to master, or watch him get his diploma, or see any other way the Lord will guide his gentle spirit, because I'm his mom.

A proud mom at that.

Zeke,
I am so proud of you. I love being YOUR mommy. I don't care what you choose to do, just walk with the Lord, love Him with all your heart, and He will help you overcome your fears.  And I'll be on the sidelines cheering you on, you can count on it!
Love forever,
Mom