The British writer, Jane Howard, said, "Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family: Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one."
It's been said that you can't choose your family. You're just stuck with them. Good or bad they're yours. Some may think that to be true, I don't think that is your only option.
People who know us know that we moved here from Oklahoma and all of our family still lives there. That family is our roots. They are the ones that will love us no matter what, through thick & thin, through good & bad, through rich & poor, they stick by us.
This weekend we were at the ballpark again and we had very long breaks between games and 
I was thinking about our "Summer Family." During the Spring & Summer we see them more than we see our real family; almost every weekend and at least one night a week. We eat together, celebrate birthday's together, pray for one another, look out for each other, watch over each other's children, when we travel we stay together, we do all the things you do with a family. However, we have no blood bond, none of us knew each other before last September. Yet we treat each other like family, sometimes better than family. We took our boys to a baseball tryout and for ten of us it was congratulations, meet your new brothers & sisters.
I was thinking about our "Summer Family." During the Spring & Summer we see them more than we see our real family; almost every weekend and at least one night a week. We eat together, celebrate birthday's together, pray for one another, look out for each other, watch over each other's children, when we travel we stay together, we do all the things you do with a family. However, we have no blood bond, none of us knew each other before last September. Yet we treat each other like family, sometimes better than family. We took our boys to a baseball tryout and for ten of us it was congratulations, meet your new brothers & sisters.In Webster's Dictionary one of the definitions of family is: an association of people who share a common belief or activity. For us our common belief or activity is baseball.
Through this simple game we have met some of the most interesting people. We have one family that moved here from Los Angeles to make a better life for their boys. One father has been back less than a year from doing an 18 month tour of duty in Iraq with the National Guard. Another family has a four year old daughter, lives and hour away from where we practice and is never late. Another family alternates each weekend; one goes with their daughter to her softball games and one brings their son to our baseball games. We have a single dad who is raising two boys 
(13 & 9) who each play competitive baseball. One of our coaches has a new baby with a rare condition and requires the use of a feeding tube sometimes to finish a bottle, yet both, mom & baby rarely miss a game. March through July, this is our family. Sure we have arguments, misunderstandings, differences of opinions, but we always get over it, because that is what families do. We have chosen to share our time, our children, and our love with this group of people. Good or bad they are ours, I'm thankful God blessed us with a great one.
Through this simple game we have met some of the most interesting people. We have one family that moved here from Los Angeles to make a better life for their boys. One father has been back less than a year from doing an 18 month tour of duty in Iraq with the National Guard. Another family has a four year old daughter, lives and hour away from where we practice and is never late. Another family alternates each weekend; one goes with their daughter to her softball games and one brings their son to our baseball games. We have a single dad who is raising two boys 
(13 & 9) who each play competitive baseball. One of our coaches has a new baby with a rare condition and requires the use of a feeding tube sometimes to finish a bottle, yet both, mom & baby rarely miss a game. March through July, this is our family. Sure we have arguments, misunderstandings, differences of opinions, but we always get over it, because that is what families do. We have chosen to share our time, our children, and our love with this group of people. Good or bad they are ours, I'm thankful God blessed us with a great one.
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