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I woke up one morning.............

V Vanlandingham100+ posts
I woke up one morning and my son was a senior.

Yesterday, I was putting a bat in his hand and trying to get him to swing from the left side. He was 2.

Yesterday, I was coaching his first T-Ball game in Canyon, Texas.
He was 5

Yesterday, I was teaching him to become a catcher in Corpus Christi because his little league team needed one.
He was 10

Yesterday, He was on a team of 13 & 14 year olds so he could learn how to compete and deal with adversity.
He was 12

Yesterday, we went to our first national tournament at Baseball USA.
He was 14.

Yesterday, we sat in the dugout together at the Kansas City T-bones yard as we played a tournament.
He was 15.

Yesterday, he played his first varsity game as a sophomore against Marcus in the playoffs. I was the nervous one.
He was 16

Yesterday, we won the Oklahoma State Invitational in Stillwater and thought life doesn't get any better than this.
He was 16

Yesterday, we dealt with adversity while struggling at the plate as a junior.

Today, he is a senior.

Tomorrow,
I am going to enjoy the ride.
I am going to cherish every moment with him.
I am going to make sure he is ready for life.
I am going to keep things in perspective.

Because the day after tomorrow, he is gone.

Keep it in perspective.
Last edited {1}
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oldbat-neveroldbat-never1,000+ posts
Before my son entered High School all my friends/family told me the next 4 years will go by in a blink of an eye.............

At the time my oldest son's (07) Freshman year was on the horizon and I thought, how could it go by that fast look at what lies ahead of us..4 homecoming's , 2 proms, learning to drive, dating Eek, PSAT's, SAT's, HS baseball tryouts, college trips, class rings, letter jackets, senior pics, etc, etc.....................

This Fall, our son will also enter his Senior year and DARN all those friends/family members were right, it was a blink of an eye...........for once I wish they had been wrong........that blink is now a tear that is sitting at the edge of my eye knowing it will be in use many times this coming year.

Coach V. Thanks for the reminder and sharing, have a great SENIOR YEAR. To those of you with younger son's just know that "the blink" is true, "the blink" is true..........
ENJOY/CHERISH/RECORD/LOVE every moment.

See you tonight Coach V.
Last edited by oldbat-never
LongtossLongtoss100+ posts
My son will graduate as well next year. I was driving him home from a game last night, because I'm still a little nervous on these long away games with him driving. It seems these days, I get more time with him like this so I enjoy each minute. My wife puts it in perspective the best, years from now he and I want remember how well he did in the game; but we will remember the rides home.

Enjoy the ride.....
V Vanlandingham100+ posts
quote:
Originally posted by Hix:
Vanlandingham,

I can remember when you were coaching in Canyon. Hated to see you move off. Glad to hear that things are going well for you and your family. Still wishing you were in the Panhandle.

Hix



Hixie, What is up? How is everything in Sandie Land? I see Doan is doing a good job for the Eagles. Who taught him? Couldn't have been you. Wink
Last edited by Vanlandingham
L L.A.100+ posts
LV: Thanks for being such a great friend. Hard to believe 20 years ago we shared a suite at HSU. Purple and Gold Cowboys. Yeehaw! I bet our parents were thinking the same thing back then. I type this note as my 7 month old boy grabs for the mouse and I think of how much God has blessed me with such a great family with my awesome wife, the miracles that are my twin girls who should not be alive today and this little boy. Thank you for your prayers and thoughts. We are blessed as a team to have a great group of young men to coach and awesome supportive parents. This summer has been great! You know, you're right, the one side of the paper has a TON more things on it.

Thanks LV.
H HixMember
Lynn,

Things are going well in Sandie land. Can't complain. Kids work hard and are talented. Make up for the coaching! Need to get over the hump and win a big one in the playoffs and get down the road. Just can't seem to win the tough ones. How are you doing, the only way I keep up with you is reading about you on this site, sounds like you are staying pretty busy, as usual, and watching a lot of baseball.
Eagles are doing well, and Doan has done a good job and has got some talented kids as well.
LD Line Drive100+ posts
quote:
Originally posted by Vanlandingham:

Yesterday, we dealt with adversity while struggling at the plate as a junior.



It was hard to watch him struggle this year because through it all he still found time to help my son (a year younger) during practice. I sure want to see a kid like that do well. I have no trouble believing your son is a senior now. The time may fly by but he has been leading by example all along.
V Vanlandingham100+ posts
MDteX,
Wow, this brought back some memories. And now, my son is a senior at the University of Texas. I have another at Tech as a sophomore. Fortunately, I have my HS Freshman to keep me engaged. Perspective is a great thing. There are many times that I should have gone back and read this post.

The oldest is headed back to Austin for the Super Regional. You guys have no idea the sacrifice of a Red Raider allowing the burnt orange, not only in your house, but also in your closet. The only thing that's changed, and you can ask Catcher is:

He is smarter than me
He is a better coach than me
He is a better man than me

Next stop Law School

ENJOY THE RIDE
Back foot sliderBack foot slider1,000+ posts

Lynn,

 

I hadn't seen this post, but scrolled to the top to read your original post.  Almost (not quite) made my eyes water....sure glad I read this now, than 3 years from now....you have / had the fortune of having several sons to realize, and enjoy the ride....my 2017 is my only son playing baseball, and it does seem just yesterday we were playing T-Ball, and realizing we had an aspiring lefty on our hands....now first year of HS, and I can almost smell his Senior season around the corner....

 

Going to be difficult to do, but I am going to try to stop, and smell the roses!  Thanks for the great post!

 

SV

Last edited by Back foot slider
handyrandyhandyrandy100+ posts

This hit me hard, as my son started hiss senior season last night. Some of the best father-son times I have had with him and his little brother have been in a batting cage or riding to and from practices and games, and some of the happiest days of my life have been on a field watching them play. 

He is going a long way off to go to college next year, so this year will be the last chance I get to watch him play, and I am so proud of him, and happy for him.

I watched him play with a broken thumb from catching, play with badly jammed fingers from a bag, watched him go from fighting the idea of being a PO to embracing the change, and watched him grow mentally from a temperamental boy into a strong-minded young man with a good heart and character.

No tears for now, just joy.  Will save the tears for the end of the season, when I have to say good-bye to my son, the HS baseball player.

Last edited by handyrandy
TB throw'n bb's1,000+ posts

Glad I'm not the only one feeling this way.  15 seniors, some have played together since coach pitch, most became teammates in 7th grade football for the first time and all of them where together as Freshmen baseball players thinking they where hot stuff.  Most will play their last game ever soon, each playoff round we hold our breath not so much because of losing, but because it could be their last HS game.  They set a school record for wins last year and will end as one of the most successful classes in school history I am lucky to have coached many of them throughout the years and I fight back the tears each time one of "my" players comes to the plate or takes the mound.  Not because I'm sad but because I am so proud of them and the men they are becoming.  I'm hoping it keeps going a while longer.

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