Earlier in the day, Ryan and I slid into bed and shut the door.

The kids were occupied and we were alone together. Finally. We took full advantage of the situation.

Two hours later, I emerged with messy hair hoping the experience was as good for him as it was for me.

WE NAPPED LIKE THERE WAS NO TOMORROW PEOPLE.

I can’t stress enough how good uninterrupted rest felt. I’ve been a gas tank running exclusively on fumes for the past two months.

I wrote about how our boys played in over 100 combined baseball games this summer for momaha.com. First thing’s first – I am not complaining. I had a freaking blast this summer. Luckily, the boys did too. Heck, even their little sister enjoyed the ride for the most part.

Yet, the calendar reminds me they will be back to school in a month. 

We can now return to the pool, go on bike rides, enjoy another movie or two, and read a few good books together. Maybe even set a few goals.

I want my children to know what personal accomplishment feels like when it’s not attached to a medal or any other form of external validation.

Isn’t that one of the best gifts we can bestow on our kids? A sense of inner purpose and confidence?

The sport of baseball, a group of dedicated coaches, and two selfless teams have helped instill these values in my boys this summer.

Allow me to be THAT mom and brag just a bit…

My 11-year old was brought in at the end of arguably one of the biggest games of his team’s season to do something his mom could have never done (not at his age, not now, not ever) – strike out a hitter with the tying run on third base against a powerhouse team. He rose to the occasion and I practically puked.

My 9-year old, who fought to earn a spot in the line-up, was down to one strike in an elimination game of the state tournament. He hit a line drive to the outfield to bring in the tying run and then scored the winning run by beating a throw to home plate. He came through in a pressure situation and I beamed with pride.

As for Ryan and me? We survived.

I don’t know which of these feats is the most remarkable.

The summer of 2013 was a good one. I recognize it now and will remember it for years to come.