PLAY BALL!!!

This year Emmalin was old enough to play in the special needs ball league that is put together in Springfield and held at the Miracle League Ball Field in Springfield.  If it weren't for this program, Emmalin would never have a chance to play baseball.  At first I wasn't for sure how I was going to feel about it all.  I knew that it wasn't going to be the same as the "real thing" and to be honest, I was wondering if it would make me sad to be out there with Emmalin knowing that this would be the closest we ever got to the "real deal".  I know that is a VERYA SELFISH way to think... but I'm just being honest!!  I didn't know what my emotions would be like if we decided that we wanted Emmalin to play... Well, I soon got over my pity party and signed her up.  I knew it was probably going to be hard for me, but this moment wasn't about me, it was about giving Emmalin the opportunity to interact with other people and do something that she wouldn't have the opportunity to do otherwise...So even after we decided to sign her up, I found out that all of my other friends with special needs kids weren't going to play in the fall session, so we were not going to know anyone (they do a Spring, Summer, but my friends don't do the Fall for some reason).  Well, we finally decided to do it anyway...here are some pictures of Emmalin playing ball at her first 3 games.  Oh and she is a Cardinal by the way... there are the Cardinals, Red Sox, Dodgers, and I don't know what the other teams name is... but the experience has been AMAZING and I am SO grateful that we chose to do it!!  LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the Miracle League!!!  We will be doing it in the Spring also!!  I guess I should mention that some of the local college teams volunteer to be "buddies" at each of the games.  Each player has to have 2 buddies on the field.  So each time Jarrad or myself were one of her buddies and then we had one of the college girls as our second buddy.  They were both great!!!  As I said before, this experience has been AMAZING!!  God is SO Good!!

The only time she has worn the cap :) She's not a fan of hats!

Trying to help Emmalin put on her glove, but Emmalin kept dropping it... she's not a fan of the glove either :-/

Helping her throw the ball :)

On first base :)

Batter Up :)

Our buddy last night :)

Throwing the Ball!!

Hitting

They all come to the middle at the end of each game and sing the song "Take Me Out To The Ball Game"