It's really over!!

[mjhickm]

Out In Left Field...... You're really weird!

 

[RubberBiscuit]

Spent the last week driving over 2000 miles taking my DD to college. All you parents appreciate and enjoy the time you have with your kids because you will blink and they are gone. We were joined at the hip since the day she was born and that never changed til now. I changed 90% of the diapers, woke up most every night with her, took her when I played basketball, you name it we were together. Then softball started and it did not change. She played and I coached, she started pitching and I started catching. Driving an hour to practice and and an hour back 6 days a week together. Getting up 5 am to get ice chest filled, tent packed, check the gear and go watch ball all weekend. My work week was nothing more than passing time til her next tournament. When she got older it was road trips to camps and clinics. All day clinic in Denton, TX on Sat and another in Lawrence, KS on the following Sunday. It was not all roses, we had more tears shed over softball than any other reason in our lives. I was THAT dad and she some how was able to succeed despite me. Was not able to make as many games this summer as I would have liked but cherish the ones I made. We fought like cats and dogs half of our trip to college and laughed like crazy the other. Some would see us and think that we hated one another but it was 180 of that. Not saying it was all because softball but it was something we both loved and kept us close. I'm really just rambling on but my point is enjoy it while you can because eventually it will come to an end. Fortunately i have 4 years to watch her play college ball but it will never be the same as me and her working, practicing, traveling together.

Slingnit - this exact story could have been written about DD & I,..., except for we have 500 miles to travel this weekend to drop her off. Then comes the ground yet to be covered on how DW will respond to the loss. I am VERY concerned about how many tissues I will need to hand to her over the next weeks...... Then, as I defocus on DW and am sure she has gotten through with my support I think my quiet times alone before DD's season starts at college are going to send me into hallmark moments too .....

Life is like a box of chocolates.......

 

[slingnit]

Slingnit - this exact story could have been written about DD & I,..., except for we have 500 miles to travel this weekend to drop her off. Then comes the ground yet to be covered on how DW will respond to the loss. I am VERY concerned about how many tissues I will need to hand to her over the next weeks...... Then, as I defocus on DW and am sure she has gotten through with my support I think my quiet times alone before DD's season starts at college are going to send me into hallmark moments too .....

Life is like a box of chocolates.......

Yeah I'm pretty sure this is the same story for thousands of families every year. My best friend drove to Pittsburgh to drop his daughter off(we are in OKC). We are thinking about becoming alcoholics, time should fly by and won't even notice the kids are gone. lol

When DD dropped us off at the airport she said "go inside so I don't have to pass you when you drive off". The problem was I knew my baby girl was right outside and I wouldn't see her for 2 months. So I had to stop her and say bye one more time. DW got her crying out of the way when me and DD left to drive to school. Once she got back to the dorms DD was good. Now school and workouts are consuming her time. But is definitely a good thing, just us parents being selfish and not wanting to let go. Hope you guys have a safe trip and good luck to her!

 

[slingnit]

I am not understanding this need to be involved in the practicing and working out. I am glad my boys are in college, and for my nieces and nephews, while I wish all the kids were still cute and 4 years old, it is nice to talk to them as adults and watch them become great people, great athletes, writers or whatever. When they call me for help with ball, I help.

But when I am done coaching for the season, I am glad for the time off and not having to catch pitchers or throw BP. I am glad the kids have learned to workout on their own and don't need me (just saw one of my players at a local gym pumping iron.) So please go play on your own softball team or something. I am going to watch one of my nephews play in college and we are all very excited about it.

Whoever they are, I prefer they play catch or kick soccer balls with their friends not me.

You obviously are missing the point. It has nothing to do with being involved in workouts and practice. It has to do with the relationship I have(or many of us) have with our kids. Do they have life outside our family? Yes. Do they have the discipline and maturity to do these things on there own? Yes! My kid has been traveling the country without me or my wife for the past 3 years, so it has nothing to do with "needing me". It was about softball practice, particularly pitching, was OUR time. I'm a gym rat, so in the winter she wanted to go with me. She even got a job working at our gym. It was what she and I both wanted. Am I glad she is college? HELL YEAH!! And I'll tell you one thing, most of these girls that are traveling the country, playing ball, contacting college coaches from the time they were 13/14 years old are more mature and have more qualities an adult should have than most adults actually do have. Now go watch you nephew play ball and when my kid is town we will hang out, act like fools and have a great time together.

 

[Sweet Lou]

But when I am done coaching for the season, I am glad for the time off and not having to catch pitchers or throw BP.

That's because most of us do it because we love the game and enjoy spending time with our kids while to you it is just another job you have at the HS.

 

[MsDinosaur]

I am not understanding this need to be involved in the practicing and working out. I am glad my boys are in college, and for my nieces and nephews, while I wish all the kids were still cute and 4 years old, it is nice to talk to them as adults and watch them become great people, great athletes, writers or whatever. When they call me for help with ball, I help.

But when I am done coaching for the season, I am glad for the time off and not having to catch pitchers or throw BP. I am glad the kids have learned to workout on their own and don't need me (just saw one of my players at a local gym pumping iron.) So please go play on your own softball team or something. I am going to watch one of my nephews play in college and we are all very excited about it.

Whoever they are, I prefer they play catch or kick soccer balls with their friends not me.

DH and I are proud that DD seems to be on her way into turning into a fine adult and we're always glad for short "time offs" from active parenting when DD goes off to a sleepover or away to a softball camp. But it's not long until we find ourselves listening for the voice that isn't there and the dainty sound of her jumping and thumping down the stairs, or peering into her room, expecting to see her there. Maybe it's just me, but I can't imagine not having a deep, visceral longing to spend time with my child. We probably only have four more years of having her live with us on a permanent basis and IMO it's going to go by way too fast.

Different strokes for different folks, I guess.

 

[sleepwalker]

My wife and I are making the 500 mile journey this weekend to drop my dd off at college. It will probably be the last time that the bucket goes on a trip. I, too, will miss the travel and time that I spent with my dd from weekend to weekend. I will miss the 8 months out of the year where we both had to wear ear warmers just to play catch outside. I will miss the time that I spent driving around town looking for well lit areas to practice in during the night. I will miss looking for the covered areas around town where we could practice during the snow and rain. I won't have to worry about getting kicked out of the parking garages where we would sneak in some pitching during inclement weather. I won't have to worry about the tennis courts around town that have the signs that say "Tennis Only" that didn't show up until my dd and I started pitching softball during the summer nights when the heat was unbearable. (I always found it funny that the tennis courts were lit up every night and no one ever used them. The minute my dd and I used them for softball, signs went up and city ordinances were put into place.)