You know that Fall is here when baseball season ends and Starbucks serves Pumpkin Chai Latte. Everyone organizes their lives around some calendar, some use the traditional January to December calendar but in the Lucas household we strategically plan our lives around the baseball and school calendar. This past week another baseball season came to an end. The Reno Aces had another great season and are currently in Omaha playing in the championship series. Our final home game was on Wednesday and of course Mel and I were there.
It's always a bittersweet time for me. In the middle of the season I can give you a laundry list of reasons of why working in the professional sports industry is not all it is cracked up to be. At the top of that list would be that Charles works 80-90 hour weeks at times with great sacrifice being made by our family. But then we get to the end of the season and I am always so blessed by the situation we are in. What little boy (and grown man) doesn't dream of working in professional sports, driving up every day to a baseball stadium, meeting sports legends, and sharing the love of the game with many and getting paid while doing it. My daughter gets to have experiences most children don't as she goes behind the scenes of a sporting operation, watches fireworks every week, and attends more sporting events than I can even count.
We get to treat family and friends to nights at the ballpark for hometown American fun.
And the one I think I love the most is the charity we are able to give to schools, children, and non-profit groups. The Reno Aces have come through time and time again as I have asked for a variety of things to help children in our community. While we may sacrifice a lot of family time to the sport of baseball there is no greater evening than: standing next to your child, hand on your heart, listening to the national anthem, nine innings of well played ball, walking around talking with people who have become like family for as many nights as you see them in one season, eating yummy ballpark food, Melanie helping daddy in the ticket office, pulling out a win, and the whole family watching fireworks snuggled under a blanket to end the night.
So as it all comes to an end for one more season I can't help but sit and sip a Pumpkin Chai Latte from Starbucks and count my blessings. Fall is here. Until next spring...........
It's always a bittersweet time for me. In the middle of the season I can give you a laundry list of reasons of why working in the professional sports industry is not all it is cracked up to be. At the top of that list would be that Charles works 80-90 hour weeks at times with great sacrifice being made by our family. But then we get to the end of the season and I am always so blessed by the situation we are in. What little boy (and grown man) doesn't dream of working in professional sports, driving up every day to a baseball stadium, meeting sports legends, and sharing the love of the game with many and getting paid while doing it. My daughter gets to have experiences most children don't as she goes behind the scenes of a sporting operation, watches fireworks every week, and attends more sporting events than I can even count.
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| Mel playing catch with dad on the field before a Sunday game. |
We get to treat family and friends to nights at the ballpark for hometown American fun.
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| Melanie and our friends the Lauf's |
And the one I think I love the most is the charity we are able to give to schools, children, and non-profit groups. The Reno Aces have come through time and time again as I have asked for a variety of things to help children in our community. While we may sacrifice a lot of family time to the sport of baseball there is no greater evening than: standing next to your child, hand on your heart, listening to the national anthem, nine innings of well played ball, walking around talking with people who have become like family for as many nights as you see them in one season, eating yummy ballpark food, Melanie helping daddy in the ticket office, pulling out a win, and the whole family watching fireworks snuggled under a blanket to end the night.
So as it all comes to an end for one more season I can't help but sit and sip a Pumpkin Chai Latte from Starbucks and count my blessings. Fall is here. Until next spring...........
Well said Julie! Baseball is one of the best events to watch live, and the fact that you guys get to be a part of making it all happen is really special. These are memories Melanie will treasure forever!
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