For the moms and senitive guys -
Well son is off to spring training. Left bright and early this morning for Florida. I think I just need a shoulder or some kleenex.

The thing is I got all teary eyed and really wanted to cry because he was leaving again. You would think that having sent him off to school and other places over the last couple of years I would be used to it. But I felt my self getting all choked up.

Over the past few weeks we've been joking about "you've been here long enough - time to go". I've been looking forward to getting into his room to clean it - hasn't seen a good cleaning in months now! Some days I couldn't even see the floor!

I don't know, I guess I'm just feeling sad about him being gone for so many months with no real visits. Does it ever get any easier???

Hoov:

I can only say that IMO, nope...doesn't get any easier (at least so far for me). My D was home from college for almost two months at holiday time, as she readied to study abroad (her US college started long before her foreign school did, which was why she was here so long). I too could not wait to clean her room - and she had no visible floor ever - always covered by clothes, etc. But now, she's gone abroad, and I Skype with her several times a week. It does make her seem closer to us.

Here's a story about a mom and a baseball player.

On Saturday, we got lucky and got tickets to the 2nd New York Yankees spring training home game. My wife, 17 and I are getting out of our car in the big parking lot across the street from Legends field. A nice lady comes up to us and asks, "Have you ever been to this stadium? I was wondering if I need to take my jacket, with the wind and all." My wife says that it can get windy and with the shade of the stadium she might want to take it.

I'm thinking that this lady is from up north and won't get cold too easily here in our 70 degree weather, so I asked her where she was from, and she replies "Arkansas, my son is on the Yankees."

Well, I'm thinking he is a spring training invite or something if she is parking over here with the common folk and has never been to spring training at Legends field.

So my wife asks "Who is your son?" She replies matter of factly, "A.J. Burnett." Well 17 and I about fell over. My wife says, "Well good luck."

After she walks away, my wife asks us "Who is A.J. Burnett?" I reply, "You mean you don't know the $82.5M pitcher?" Time for her eyes to get big.

The reason I wanted to tell this story here is that even when they become big time, it seems that moms are still moms. Here we have a mom whose son makes $16M per year, driving in to a new ballpark, paying the $10 parking fee, and she is concerned about the weather and what she should wear to the ball park to see her son.

And that is a blessed thing.

That is such a cool story.
The differnce is her son most likely gets her to every game.
My son told us once if he ever makes it to the show and gets some real money, he will make sure that we are at every game.
We never saw son for three years for more than a few days at a time (except Christmas). Home since October I am looking forward to him leaving, though since I know he will still be close, it might be easier.
Strange how it turned out for us, away for college, home for pro ball.

TPM,

When you get a chance to go over to the Cardinals spring training, see if you can look up Ramon Ortiz, he is a hitting instructor for the single A teams. He lives in St. Pete, Fl during the offseason. I think he might be in and out the next month as he said something about a Venezuela trip.

Just say that Adam's dad from Tampa says hello. He is a super nice guy and Adam has learned so much from him over the last 5 years.

Good luck to your son this year.

Ramon Ortiz is hitting instructor (last years roster) for the GLC, I think I remember seeing him at a high A game in the dugout.

I will keep my eye out for him.

Thanks.

Backstop-17,

We Southern mothers are always concerned with the weather! LOL It's seldom the same two hours in a row, and 70 in the shade is cool. LOL

Great story!