When did he grow up?

Thursday night was Tommy's first baseball game of the season.  He has opted out of USSSA baseball, competitive league this year and went back to his Little League roots.  He wanted more time to golf, more weekends without tournaments, wanted to focus more on baseball lessons and take a year off before school ball hits next year.  He is kind of regretting his decision right now, he hasn't had a lot of baseball and he is finding out he REALLY misses it.  He will sub in for tournaments as needed for some other friends teams, but I think he misses it.  But that's how we learn from decisions right?  We think it was a wise choice, next year he can play high school baseball...and that will be a VERY full season.   CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT?  Our little boy can play HIGH SCHOOL baseball summer after 8th grade.

As I snapped these pictures from the comfort of my folding chair, wearing 2 coats, my Ugg boots and wrapped in a fleece blanket (yep it was cold on Thursday night) I looked through the lens at a young man.  It may sound goofy, but it was like the Canon commercial where the camera clicks and every click the child grows up.  That's what these photos felt like to me.  I was looking through the lens, back at the fields where he started baseball, at this 13 year old boy pitching, and playing first base..batting.  The same positions I have watched him play since he was 5 years old.   Maybe it's because he hasn't played little league since 4th grade, he has just been doing the competitive team but maybe it's because he IS growing up.  I pray every day that we are raising him well, that he is growing up feeling loved and secure, that he has God in his heart...and some days I feel like I am chasing the clock.

Oh how I love this boy.  How I love his smile, his laugh, his funny accents, his athletic nature, his passion for all things sports, his love for food, his love for this Momma.

Growing up right before our eyes....some days I don't want to blink.