Glove & Grace

Oh man, do I feel for the senior moms I know this season! If it’s anything like I remember, the season just hits differently.

And, you know it’s coming.

You’ve seen your friend’s posts about their kid’s senior nights but nothing quite prepares you for the wave of emotion that comes with your son’s senior season. The “last first game,” the final outs, the way every inning suddenly feels like a time capsule.

It doesn’t help that baseball season ends just before graduation. Or that Mother’s Day and prom is also tucked in there. So yea, basically, all of the emotions HIT all at one time.

It’s a lot on your heart.

This isn’t just the end of a baseball season—it’s closing the chapter of their childhood AND your “parenthood.”

There’s really nothing I can share to make the moment where you are sitting in the stands, heart in your throat, camera in hand, that will make seeing that final play easier.

But, I’m still going to try.

The Power of Presence and Perspective

Senior year crept up on us quickly. The summer before ended with us taking recruiting visits all around the country. Our focus was finding our son a new “home” and so a lot of what we were doing was going through the motions of getting things done, checking off lists and analyzing. But, the “lasts” still stood out and built up. It wasn’t until his FINAL high school baseball season that it hit home (no pun intended).

I was in a bit of denial. I knew it was coming but I also couldn’t quite recognize it. About two weeks before senior game day, I started working on a photo memory book for him. The idea was traditional — start with photos from Little League and end with high school baseball. I started down that path and then decided to reach out to the coaches who had made a positive influence on his life. The photo book became more than a keepsake. It is a tangible reminder — pages filled with photos and notes from every coach who helped shape him into the player—and man—he is today. It was a reminder that this journey was so much more than stats. It’s about character, resilience and growth.

And, while I was putting the book together — my husband was in the other room pulling together videos to basically do the same. Not only did the book and videos help put together a lifetime of memories, but it also gave us the opportunity to reflect — at our own pace — the past but also envision the what-if of the future.

So, to those parents who feel like taking pictures or videos equals “not being in the moment” — if you take one thing from this — pause and document it. You’ll be so grateful you did.

Free Your Bird!

I realize this time is overwhelming, beautiful, heartbreaking and some would even say sacred. If possible, though, instead of mourning the end, try and shift your mindset to celebrate the next beginning. These “lasts” are really just the gateway to new “firsts”—new dreams and a bigger field to grow in.

See these next few weeks through your graduate’s eyes. Yes, their may be some anxiety but they are likely excited for life after graduation. Sharing that excitement with them will make it so much easier — I promise.

Though that lump in your throat might not get smaller or the tears that sneak up to you continue to fall, let yourself feel all the feels! Remember to pause, take it all in and remember — you did an incredible job.

Download the Keepsake Guide
Want to make a keepsake book for your player’s baseball season? Here’s a free guide with ideas, templates, and prompts. Download it here >>

Share Your Moment with Glove & Grace!
Are you a senior baseball parent in the feels right now? Share your story, photo or favorite senior season moment with me on Instagram by tagging @glove_grace or DMing me. I’d love to hear from you!