T-ball 2010.

Tara’s playing T-ball.  To be honest, I didn’t really think we would sign her up.  She’s 5 for goodness sake and I thought getting her on an organized team of any kind was a little ridiculous, but I was talked into it by my friend, Tara, who assured me that it really was very fun and not competitive and that the majority of the experience was a social experiment of sorts.  So I agreed to let my Tara give it a shot.

The first couple practices were minor failures.  Tara ended up being on a team with only one other girl, whom she didn’t know.  But a little switchery on my part and now a good friend is on the team.

The first game was also a minor failure.  But after a little bedazzling of her t-ball shirt (she told me she would wear it if the ball was pink and there were butterflies on it), and some coaxing by Coach Crystal and now it has become fun.

Speaking of Coach Crystal.  She’s about the best person in the whole world to be coaching t-ball.  She’s organized.  She is helping the kids learn the actual game instead of just letting them dog-pile on every ball that’s hit, and she has the patience of Job in working with Tara.  Thank God Almighty for putting us on Coach Crystal’s team!  She encourages parents to be out on the field with the kids and doesn’t mind that we bedazzled Tara’s shirt…she is awesome.

And finally.  Our team is supposed to be 8 players.  One little boy quit (though I never heard why).  The third little girl on the team did nothing but cry while she sat on the dugout bench and her Dad yelled at her (and I grimaced and felt horribly sorry for the girl), so they stopped coming.  Therefore we have 6 players.  And one extra shirt.  And two little siblings of players.  And you know what Coach Crystal does?  She lets Tim play!  And half way through the three inning game, Tim switches with Kenna, the other sibling, and then she lets Kenna play.  It’s very cool.  And very generous.  And Tim and Kenna both love being with the “big kids”.