My Baseball Family

It is sooooo hard being away from our family and friends back home in Texas. We miss them every minute of every day. During the baseball season the other players become almost like family. Throughout our 13 years of playing baseball I have met some amazing women to help me through the homesickness and this season's group of baseball wives are AMAZING and I am proud and very blessed to include them in my baseball family!!!

My "Baseball family" grows each year as I still keep in touch with some of the wives I met along the way. When Mike was playing A ball in Kinston, NC I met a sweet, smart and beautiful individual named Brooke Benefield. That was almost 10 years ago and Brooke and her family came to Mary Grace's 3rd birthday last January and we try to get together for lunches or dinners as often as we can. Another wife I met almost 8 years ago is Roxanne Drese. I remember picking her up from the airport for her first visit out to visit Ryan during the season. Amazing does not even begin to describe this woman- she is dedicated, energetic, and fun. Roxanne stopped by our hotel this morning in Indianapolis so we could catch up. She is always there when I need her. These ladies, in addition to all the ladies I keep in touch with through e-mails (Angela, Shally, Melissa, Monica, Erica, Kelli, Carissa) have a very special place in my heart and I would never have met them if it weren't for baseball. I am extremely thankful for their friendships. (picture is of MG, Mike, Sue, Ryan- Roxanne's husband, and Jake)

That brings me to this year's group of girls! Wow! I decided to write this blog after taking a road trip to Indianapolis with Mary Grace and Jake to watch Mike pitch. As two of the wives road with me to help entertain the kids I reflected on how each and every one of these ladies have been there for me over the last few months.

I called Jodi Orr, (left) after only knowing her one day, to come over the night I went into the hospital. Mike was at the field, the ambulance was on it's way and Mary Grace was scared. Jodi was here within a few minutes, followed the ambulance to the hospital and stayed with Mary Grace while I was getting checked out and admitted. That was the second night of this baseball season. She came to the hospital to visit and has volunteered on many occasions to hold Jake or help with Mary Grace...... AMAZING!

Shari Langerhans (bottom middle) visited me in the hospital a few times to help me pass the time as we waited for Jake to arrive and now is inspiring me to start doing something for myself. She kicked my booty when we went on a jog in Indianapolis but I love her for pushing me to start working out again after having Jake......she is AMAZING!!!!

Tammy Schroder was over to the apartment the day I came home from the hospital and has been there for me every second since. She helps with the kids almost daily and is my support team, my cheerleader and my voice of reason when I think I am going to lose my mind. She helps with baths, diapers, bedtime, trips to the bathroom (all the non-glamorous stuff) and much, much more! Another AMAZING woman!!

I met Deborah Murphy the day Mike was leaving for a 9 day road trip when Jake was only 12 days old and Mary Grace was in the height of her post partum depression. I instantly fell in love with her and her beautiful family (Tommy, Tyler and Dylan.) She taught me that I can do this! I can be a mom of 2 young children in a strange city while my husband is gone 1/2 the time. I owe her so much because in the short time we spent together I found a lifelong friend. Thank you Deborah for the grace, strength and friendship you gave me. Deborah and her family left Columbus so her husband could go play with another team, I miss her like crazy!!! Double AMAZING woman as she is a great friend and a wonderful mommy of 2 beautiful boys.

Little miss Perri Speigner (right) is my ray of sunshine. Whenever I see this woman my day brightens. She loves all children!!! She has this special gift of making your child feel SOOOOO special. Mary Grace lights up when Perri is around. So does Mike. We all do, I guess! She is always volunteering to help in any and every way possible and I just feel better and soooo happy when I am with her. She also has this great quality of making anyone and everyone feel included and loved. Her spirit and beauty are AMAZING.

Kylie Sanches is so warm and inviting. She is also a wonderful mother to a gorgeous little girl named Charlee. Mary Grace loves Charlee. I love watching her with Charlee and I am picking up some good ideas on how to be an even better mom. She is beautiful on the inside and the outside. She inspires me as she is such an AMAZING mother and wife.

Emily Mock has a quiet strength about her and gave me so much support after coming home from the hospital with Jake. She is another great mom I am learning so much from watching her with her 6 month old little boy named Hudson. She is always smiling and always looks amazing considering she is so busy with her son. Another AMAZING mother.

Paige Casto is one of the wives teaching me strength and endurance as she is traveling with her husband and 10 month old daughter back and forth between triple A and the big leagues. They were sent down to Triple A for approximately 36 hours to turn around and go back to the big leagues this week. I know this doesn't sound very tough- getting to go up to the big leagues is all of our husbands dreams. But Paige demonstrated patience and grace as she traveled more than 8 hours both ways with an infant and 102 fever! AMAZING!

The bond between baseball wives is pretty strong. This life is far from glamorous and only another baseball wife knows how un-glamorous it is. They understand that your children are rowdy because their schedules are so crazy and they go to bed every night at midnight so they can see their daddy's after the game. They sympathize with you if you are homesick, if you miss your husband, if you miss a wedding/birth/birthday/death back home. They feel the same heart wrenching, stomach dropping feeling when your husband gives up a home run or strikes out because they have been there! And they are sincerely happy and excited for each other when their husbands get called up to the big leagues. They support and love their husbands to the extent of making all of these sacrifices. I am learning from all of these AMAZING ladies and wish you all could meet them because you would all love them.