Softball and Sunburns

This is a blog about softball.  This time it's Becca playing ball.  Since both of her older sisters played softball, she just assumed that she should too.  She spent many an afternoon "watching" both Sarah and Amanda play while we lived in Mesquite and many of those days melting in the desert sun.  She always seemed to find a friend or two to run around with so I'm not really sure how much game watching she did.  This is kind of ironic now because while she plays her games, her sister and brother seem to find other things to be doing.  So, it's me and Dave doing the watching, which is fine.  After all, we are the parents and we actually enjoy watching even if some games are more painful than others.  Her poor little team has yet to win a game.  They've come close, but they just can't seem to pull it off.

 

In Mesquite, we spent many, long, hot hours getting "bleacher butt" trying to find any available sliver of shade that we could, just to make it bearable.   I even brought our beach umbrella to make sure that we had shade.  I'm a burner not a tanner, therefore I am a shade seeker.  In fact, while growing up in California, I got burned many times but once I was burned so bad that I actually blistered on my nose and cheeks, my shoulders, my legs and even the tops of my feet, and this was on an overcast day at the beach.  I never want to experience that again.  That was a ONE lesson, lesson!    So...I bring my own shade.  

Here in Spanish Fork, the weather is much more to my liking for watching games in the sun and for getting "bleacher butt"!  Unfortunately, the bench seating is just as hard here as it was there. 

It brings a great sense of joy to watch your children do things like be a part of a team.  To have good sportsmanship, no matter the outcome.  To work hard and to play hard.  These types of experiences have given us even greater opportunities to talk with the kids about bigger things.  Things with more consequence.  Things that will serve them for the rest of their lives.  Eternal principles often come into our conversations when we talk about the importance of family and supporting each other.  About how school grade friends will come and go, but family, and some friends are forever.   

As you will see from the pictures, Becca plays catcher most games but she has taken her turn as pitcher and first base as well.  She is really good at first base because of her long arms and legs that allow her to stretch.  She does good at catcher too but I don't think she likes that as much and she tends to be a little on the slow side when it comes to retrieving the ball if it gets past her.  Oh well, she's having fun, and so are we.

She got this one!

Got this one too.

She's almost as tall as her coach...haha

I tried to get one of her actually batting but she was too fast.