There are certain types of ballplayers you need for a team to succeed.  You need talent and hustle, but they come in different forms.  There are the ones who are born with all the physical tools in the world; the ones who make it look easy.  There are those with lesser gifts, but a work ethic that would put oxen to shame.  Then there  are the scrappers; they may not have as much talent, but their enthusiasm is infectious.

There are, of course, combinations of these archetypes.  Ideally, you want someone who embodies all three to their fullest degree.  Jack has already shown his enthusiastic side.  During his last tee ball game, only his third, he regularly encouraged his teammates, yelling from the bench ("Go yellow team!"), and from the field ("Ready positions, everyone.)

Jack leading me into the light.

A couple weeks ago Jack and I went out for what was supposed to be a short walk to the park.  What we ended up doing was strolling for just over two miles, starting at our house, moving along to the park, then the lake, where we meandered at a leisurely pace, skipping rocks on Lake Michigan, watching fisherman pull tiny (and allegedly edible) perch, and chatting, talking about whatever a man and his four year-old son talk about when they have time and nothing to distract them.

We called it The Long Walk, a trek we've since completed twice, sometimes taking as long as three hours to get home.

The Long Walk, continued.

Penny and Jack.

Lunchtime.

Last month Jack got to celebrate his birthday with his classmates.  Penny made cupcakes (probably vegan) and a good time was had by all, including Gramma Deedee and Grampa Eric.

Longing.

At Millennium Park.

Cloud Gate.

Jack and Riley play in the fountain at Millennium Park.

Tee-ball.

Jack Rajczyk steps to the plate...

...he heads to first...

...he rounds second and heads toward third...

















...and he scores without a throw home!

Yes, this is a series of pictures of my daughter stuffing a grilled cheese sandwich into her face.  You got a problem with that?

Riley goes for a ride, and Jack takes in a ballgame (sort of).

This is why.