Written by nicki sooter wilcoxson and jami wilcoxson wilmarth
When we think about 14 year old boys, love and compassion are not the nouns that usually spring to our minds. Neither are loving and compassionate the most thought about adjectives used to describe these strange creatures. If you have a 14 year old boy in your life you know what I mean when I say that. Because of growth spurts and hormonal changes we can hardly recognize them from day to day. Most of the time we feel lucky to get a smile or a response other than "fine" to any question. Happily, we love them despite their quirkiness and fondly remember them as huggable and cute little boys and we hang on to the knowledge that someday they will grow to be the fine young men they were raised to be.
All spring we have watched our 14 year old grandson play baseball with his teammates who make up the Amarillo Rockies. The Rockies are a select travel team that not only travels out of town to play, but they also regularly play other teams here in Amarillo. All of the Amarillo teams are made up of 14 year old boys from schools in Amarillo and Canyon. Most of them have played together and as opponents since they were 5 to 7 years old so they know everyone. All are very competitive and most of them like each other, but bickering, name calling, and hurt feelings are not uncommon with parents and coaches having to smooth over the bumpy waters.
Over time as the boys have played baseball, basketball, and all the other sports, they have gotten acquainted with all the parents. They are quick to recognize that all parents are not created equally and they hold certain parents in high, but perhaps unspoken esteem. These would be the loving supportive moms and dads who are quick to support not only their own sons, but the other guys--no matter the teams on which they play. They are parents who come to all the games and they are the ones who are quick to congratulate each player by name. They are the moms or dads that we the fans look for each time and we miss and worry about them when they aren't there. Over the past few years, one of these moms who is a special mom, a special lady, and a special human has fought cancer and it hasn't been pretty or easy. Despite all she has gone through she has struggled to be at each event-coming with or without her hair-coming in her wheelchair and always supported by her family and greeted with joy, by her friends and acquaintances. Any news concerning her condition spreads quickly through this community making up Team JoAnn--those who know her and pray for her. She is held up as a woman of courage and strength, a woman who loves her family beyond measure.
As it turns out the game today was like no other game and will not soon be forgotten. As luck would have it, I missed the game choosing instead to take care of errands that I needed to run. When Jim called to tell me what had transpired I was both heartsick and so touched by the events that I have spent the rest of the day with a heavy and yet so very proud heart. I am sad by what has prompted what I consider a priceless show of love and compassion, but I am so proud of Jordie and his teammates as well as the opposing team and of all their coaches.
Our daughter, Jami( Cat's Meow) who is Jordie's mom was there and she has shared what happened much better than I ever could so I am sharing her post with each of you. It is a story that deserves to be shared.
Posted by Jami Wilcoxson Wilmarth
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Love shows up in unexpected places sometimes
Even 14-year-old boys can get outside of themselves sometimes.I know, because I saw it happen this morning at Jordie's baseball game.
Jordie's team, the Amarillo Rockies, played the Venom, another local team it has played twice before and easily beaten.
Today wasn't any different, in that respect. The fact is, Jordie's team has been together for many years, and all of the boys have played since they were 5 years old. That is not the case for the Venom.
By the end of the first inning, the Rockies already were in position to run-rule the Venom. And, by the end of the first inning, everyone on both teams had noticed an SUV parked directly behind the field, behind the fences; its occupants were watching the game.
The vehicle belonged to the parents of Seve (pronounced Sevee), who is a player on the Venom. Seve just completed his 8th grade year at Crockett Middle School, while most of Jordie's teammates went to Bonham M.S. Each team has players from both schools; basically, either because of school, sports or both, everyone knows everyone else on either team.
Seve's mom, Jo Ann, has been battling cancer for what seems like forever. She had a bout with lymphoma several years ago and had been in remission for four years before it came back with a vengeance last year.
Just last week, Jo Ann was sent home from M.D. Anderson, where she is now on home Hospice. According to JoAnn's good friend, Erin, who also is my friend, Jo Ann wanted to just go home and finish out her life with her family.
We had all heard Jo Ann is in an extremely weakened and fragile state, so I suppose we were somewhat surprised to see her at the game. I know I looked out over the field to their car, and choked up because I thought, "She knows she has very little time left, and she's giving all she's got to watch her son play ball."
I sought out my friend, Erin, whose son also plays for the Venom, to see how she's holding up these days. She put on a brave face but cried because she's losing her friend and is watching her son's best friend lose his mother.
"It's just not right," she said. "I don't understand why God won't allow her to stay on this earth longer when she's such a good person and has so much to offer."
She went on to praise Jo Ann's attitude through the ordeal. She said Jo Ann doesn't complain and is at peace. Erin called Jo Ann an "example" for us all.
As I was talking with Erin, trying to console her and having no answers, we watched Jordie's team gather together with their coach, Dennis, on the pitcher's mound.
Erin and I looked at each other and said, "They're going to make sure Seve gets on base so Jo Ann can see."
We watched two players for the Venom get up to bat and proceed to be walked, including Erin's son, Colton.
Then it was Seve's turn. As he stood at home plate, ready to swing, parents from both teams, as well as players from both teams, were cheering him on: "C'mon, Seve! Hit the ball! You can do it!"
And, man, did he.
He sailed it out to right field, just inside the foul line.
Everyone from both sides yelled, screamed, cheered and cried as Seve and his teammates ran the bases. Erin and I bawled together as we watched Seve cross home plate.
I'm not sure anyone kept a dry eye, including all the 14-year-old boys!
The game ended shortly after that, due to the run-rule. Normally, I call these games boring.
Today, I'm thinking it's the best baseball game I've ever seen.
I asked Jordie after the game what Dennis said to them. He said the first two batters were supposed to walk, and Garrett, the pitcher, needed to throw the ball right down the middle for Seve to hit.
I asked Jordie if Seve and his teammates knew what was going on. He said, yes, that Seve had purposely been moved in the batting line-up by his coach so he had another chance before the game ended.
"So, everyone got together and did it for Jo Ann?" I asked.
"Yes, for Jo Ann," Jordie said.
Wow. My heart is heavy for the family in this time, but I'm also feeling incredibly blessed to have witnessed such a special display of love among friends and rivals today.
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