We started our day by arriving at the softball fields around 12:30pm. Bella's first game started at 1:00, and was supposed to last about 60 minutes. It lasted 2 hours. The teams were tied, and it took three extra innings to finish the game, which her team won. This delay (unfortunately) set back the schedule for the rest of the day.
Her second game of the day started around 5:30, and again, her team won. This forced them into the game immediately following. They won that game. Which sent them into a third consecutive game. They won. Which sent them into the championship game, their fourth back to back game. Well, guess what? They won. However, since it was a double elimination tournament, and the other team had been thus far undefeated, Bella's team was forced to play yet another game to win the championship title. Yep. Their FIFTH consecutive game, their sixth of the day. The game didn't start until 10:10pm. I had never felt so conflicted before. I wanted their team to win, but all I really wanted to do was go home already!
Let me just say, these are 7- and 8-year-olds. And I think making them play until past 11pm is insane. Asinine. Ridiculous. However, I am SO very proud of the girls for being such good sports and playing so hard. Bella's team did win the championship, and Bella earned her very first trophy. She was ecstatic. For a girl who never picked up a bat and glove until 3 weeks prior to this tournament, she amazed me. Bella scored 5 runs and her first home run in the course of the day's games. I wish I had taken a good camera, but since all I had was my (not smart) phone, I only managed this one shot:
Go Team Xtreme!
Now, you may be wondering how my 2-, 4-, and nearly 6-year-olds managed this extremely long and late event. They, too, were such good troopers! They played hard, made friends, and had a blast. They didn't complain or whine. They truly were so good. By 8:30, as Will missed his afternoon nap, he was exhausted and fell asleep in my arms. Jacob and Addie were still going, but finally crashed around 10:00. On the bleachers.
Will woke up around 10:30, but wouldn't leave my lap/arms:
Thankfully, another family helped carry Addie and Jacob to the car for me, as I was carrying Will. By the time we got home it was a quarter till midnight. I then had to bathe my extremely dirty and exhausted children, which involved the middle two crying/screaming the whole time until their heads hit their pillows. My poor babies. There are three more tournaments this season (although we will miss one) and I really hope that they are not all this long and late, but I have a good feeling that they will be. Sigh. This definitely qualifies as madness.
Congrats on winning, but WOW! That's insane!!!
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