Day 315: Go Bearcats, Go Brandon!

Oh my gosh! Today was a moment in time. Have you ever experienced a time where you just want to freeze the moment so you can soak it up more? Well that was me today.

Being a parent is the most challenging & rewarding work a person can perform... and when a moment like today comes along, you know all your efforts were worth the heartache.

College boy Brandon was starting today... meaning the starting pitcher for the second game in a 4 game series that Willamette University was playing in Southern California. This morning's game was against Claremont-McKenna, part of the 5 Claremont Colleges, in Claremont, California. If you live in the area you know that today was the coldest day on record for Los Angeles county.

We arrived prepared with jackets, hats, blankets, and umbrellas. When we arrived at the ball field after an hour drive, a stop at Subway to pick up 50 sandwiches for Brandon's teammates, a caravan of two cars with 8 people, and a hot chocolate stop... we finally sat in the stands and thought the sky has cleared, we are good to go for Brandon's starting game. And then all hell broke loose.

It began to hail, no joke, down pouring of rain and hail! It was crazy. The hosting ball players had to roll out the tarp (no easy job!) to cover the field to prevent damage and we had to wait it out. Luckily mother nature was on our side and after about 15 minutes the skies opened up again and the sun peered through. While it was freezing, it was not raining so it was time to PLAY BALL. And did we play ball!

Brandon Simon took the mound like a pro ... even after 15 years of watching him pitch, my stomach still swirled especially because here he was in front of his parents, his brothers, his brother's friends, his Aunt Michele and cousins Esme & Olivia and all the fans and I know he wanted to deliver.

Pictured here with Brandon is his cousin Olivia, aka, his little sister!

And deliver he did. He pitched 8 innings out of a 9 inning game. He threw 99 pitches, 6 strikeouts and the Bearcats won with a 4-1 score. It was magical. Pure excellence and command of the field. It was a moment, and one I will never forget!

Your children will make choices you may not support, they may disappoint you with decisions you believe to be foolish, but a day like today reinforces that all the hours you spent at the ball park watching them play t-ball and beyond, all the meals you prepared, all the time you gave to them and not yourself, does pay-off. Luck doesn't raise healthy children, you do!

Thank you Brandon for being a remarkable 20 year old young man!