Our summer home

Some people have summer homes on lakes. Some people have summer homes on the beach. Us? Our summer home is the North Columbus Sports Complex. It has 7 dusty baseball diamonds and snow cone machine. The average temperature hovers in the 90s. The only water in sight is a puddle at the bottom of the water fountain. You must be perpetually vigilant for foul balls which can come at you from any angle at any place in the complex.
But I have no doubt that it will figure prominently in our children's memories. It is actually a huge blessing to us that this complex exists, that all our kids can play in the same sports complex. It allows baseball to be an activity which brings our family together rather than fragments it. Jeff and I can float from one diamond to another keeping tabs on multiple players at once. We see our neighbors there and can share in their children's disappointments and successes. Siblings can serve as scorekeepers, base coaches and bench managers for their brothers. They can watch part of a brother's game and then head off to warm up with their team without needing us to drive them somewhere. Bute1 often volunteers at the concession stand during his siblings' games. Butes5 and 6 know their way to the snow cone machine and how much change they should expect when they buy snow cones. It really does feel like an extension of a neighborhood where our kids can feel at home and each feel like they have a place.




I don't expect to see it featured in a travel magazine any time soon, but for us right now it is a great summer home.