Batter's Up...

Jackson started the 2008 baseball season with a bang! He hit a fly over second base and made it to 3rd....He stole home for a run! He has been practicing pitching with his dad and asked the coach to pitch. I was amazed....Can I just say how proud I am of my oldest son. He pitched a no hit inning, he walked the first batter an then took a moment to shake off his nerves....2nd batter, 3rd batter, 4th batter he struck them all out! It was so fun to watch. The next inning he caught a fly ball at 2nd base for and out! The next inning he was at the pitchers mound again, the first player got a hit but he didn't let that bother him...he became very serious and threw 2 strikes and then it happened....the batter hit the ball and it headed straight towards Jackson. I gasped, it hit Jackson's right knee.....he crumpled to the ground and the coaches rushed out to help Jackson as the player rounded the bases and headed home. The coach carried him off the field as the moms and dad cheered, I meet him in the dugout and he sobbed. I lifted his pants to find a HUGE swollen bruise on his knee, it looked so painful. He sat for a minute and tried to shake it off because he wanted to hit...he was next up at bat when his team can in. He got up a walked it off best he could and hobbled out to the plate. The first pitch he hit a fly over 3rd base and ran best he could to 1st and then 2nd. It was actually painful to watch him run. He stole 3rd and then home. His whole team cheered him in and he collapsed on the bench clearly in pain. When we got home he took a long bath and he crawled into bed and we iced his knee. I wanted to take a picture of it to post but he said "no mom, you don't need to post my very hurt ugly knee". As I tucked him in bed he said "my team had a great 1st game didn't we?" "next time I pitch I won't let the ball hit me". I am so proud of him. Jackson never said I did good or I hit good it was always my team did good...I guess I am doing something right.