The End of Our Orioles Era

 

This is more than a picture of two jerseys and a dingy baseball cap. Four and half years ago, I started noticing a change in Reece.  His friends were all becoming more involved in sports, and I could tell it was affecting him. I wanted to find him something he could be involved in too.  I distinctly remember talking with one of his best friend's mom over the phone. I was in tears not wanting to see Reece get down on himself. She suggested what if he helped out in some way with the baseball team her husband coached and Reece's friends played on. There would be no commitment, if we didn't want to come to a game, then that was fine. We didn't have to travel with them.  Very low key.  Nick and I liked it!  Ha!  Little did we know we would find ourselves at almost every Orioles game. Reece became the Dugout DJ, and we became committed.  We bought the wagon, the chairs, the big speaker, the wristbands, and the trips to World Series games. We sat in the rain and sweated in the heat.

This past week we ended our era with the Orioles at the World Series in Orange Beach. It did not go the way we wanted it to go due to having to end our trip early because of being sick. Reece didn't get a chance to close out his time with the Orioles one last time, which was disappointing to all of us. This mama has shed a lot of tears over the last few days. These four years have meant the world to us. The Orioles family adopted us in without even blinking an eye. In a world where we struggle to fit in, we found a place.  Reece was always included in everything. He got the championship rings and the fun Orioles shirts. Most of all, Reece was given purpose, and it helped him discover his love of baseball, which has now trickled over into school baseball. He was part of a team. He was silly in the dugout. He sweated. He wore eyeblack. He walked the entire length of Texas Ranger stadium in 100+ degrees heat because one of the amazing coaches walked alongside him. They didn't just let him come onto the team; they truly cared for him.

I'm not sure what we will do on our spring/ summer weekends now, but I can assure you that what we did over the last 4 summers was absolutely worth it. We feel invested in each one of those families, especially the boys, and I can't wait to see what great things they do. Go, O's!!