A Dream Come True

When I was a younger girl, around 16 years of age, I dreamed of being a mother. I pictured myself married to Mike and a whole bunch of little ones running around us and surrounding us with hugs and kisses and lots of love. He shared my dream and I loved that he loved children just as much as I did and that he was possibly even more eager than I to have a large family.
We would talk about things that we would do together as a family and sports was a big one. One of my biggest dreams that made me all giddy inside was imaging Mike as coach of a little league team, coaching one of our kids. It's simple, I know. And perhaps not as glorious as some other 16 year old girls dreams. But it was exciting for me, none the less. And something I held close to my heart.
Fast forward ten years and my dream came true. We finally had a child old enough to play organized sports. Mike couldn't be head coach because they already had one but he was able to sign up as assistant coach.
On Easter, Mike and his dad talked to Little Miss Chatterbox about what number to get on her jersey. When Mike was a child, he asked his Dad what number he should get. His dad, being a huge Dale Earnhardt fan, told him to get #3. And so he did. And continued to be #3 whenever he could get it, all the way through his baseball years. Even if it meant making big offers to other players to switch with him.
Naturally, it was important to Mike that LMC get #3 too. Just as naturally, LMC wanted to pick her own number. Of course she would. But after hearing her Daddy and her Pop-Pop talk about it on Easter, she was willing to accept her family responsibility of being #3. Not only as a tribute to Dale Earnhardt for her Pop-Pop, and a tribute to her Dad who proudly wore the number for so many years, but also as a tribute to the Holy Trinity. How can you go wrong with a number like that?
Jerseys were taking longer to come in than expected and the girl's did not get them at the practice before opening ceremony like they were suppose to. Instead, the plan was that the girl's would now get them at the opening ceremony. Well, the opening ceremony got rained out. So then we received a call from the coach asking players to meet him at the field to pick up their jerseys one Friday night.
We weren't home when he called.
We didn't check the message when we got home.
We weren't there to get first pick at a jersey.
This worried Mike and he thought for sure that #3 would be lost. How could this have happened? He thought for sure he'd be able to get the number since he was assistant coach. Oh, well. Perhaps it wasn't meant to be. (That was my suggestion. He didn't agree)
On her first game, there were 3 jerseys left. She needed a small. Guess what number was on the size small that was left? That's right. #3. I guess it was meant to be after all.

Can I tell you how adorable she was in her uniform? She was so proud of herself too! She adorned that uniform with the biggest smile and Mike couldn't stop smiling either. I was the proud wife and mother who watched from the stands and cheered the team on with the two younger boys, living my dream.

LMC was the only player on her team not to strike out. It was so exciting when she got a hit and ran to first. Mike was right there, waving her on.
She loved it. She loved every minute of it.
We weren't sure if she would since she has made comments about practices being boring and we've seen her many times drawing pictures in the dirt. But when game time came, she was definitely into it.
The game ended with a tie. 0-0. Tonight is her second game. I hope someone gets a run this time. I hope that someone is LMC. Wouldn't that make this dream come true all the more merrier?
Did I mention that she also happened to get on the same team as her cousin? They're pretty happy about being together.

And Mike enjoys the chance to coach his daughter AND his niece.