One of the Best Days We’ve Had

My son took me to a Chicago Cubs game for my Mother’s Day gift, and honestly, it was one of the best days we’ve had in a long time.

When he was little, spending time together was easy. We both loved watching history documentaries and mystery shows (Mysteries At the Museum was a big one). He played on a travel baseball team, so our days were full of practices, tournaments, and weekends surrounded by other baseball families. It felt like we were always together.

But as he got older, those long stretches of time shrank. High school brought more homework, more practice, and more time with friends. And now that he’s in college, even though he lives at home, it sometimes feels like he’s only here in passing. He works a full-time job, a part-time job, and carries a 10-hour course load. When he is home, he’s either studying, catching a nap, or gaming late at night.

His first two years of high school, he didn’t go out much. He’s more than made up for it now - always out with friends, soaking up life and making memories he’ll carry with him forever. And that’s exactly what he should be doing.

Last night, as he walked in from work, he paused for a second in the living room to chat with me and said, “I can’t believe I’m going to be 20 soon.”

I can’t either, bud. Time is flying. I remember being 20 - that mix of excitement and uncertainty, with the whole world wide open ahead of you.

Which brings me back to the Cubs game.

For Mother’s Day, he surprised me with tickets (and they were really good tickets). He said he remembered me mentioning earlier in the year that I’d love to see a game at Wrigley this summer - a casual comment I hadn’t thought twice about, but he had.

I’ve always been a Cubs fan, though I don’t follow the team like I used to. In fact, until that game on July 20, I probably couldn’t have named a single player on the current roster. But it was never really about the game itself. It was about spending time with him. And I knew he’d enjoy a baseball game more than, say, a day thrifting or antiquing - so this was something we could enjoy together.

And it was perfect.

From leaving the house at 10 a.m. and grabbing lunch in the city, to sitting in the stands, soaking up the sun, and talking about everything and nothing on the ride home - it was eight full hours with my son. Eight hours of his undivided time, before life pulls him in even more directions.

Soon enough, he’ll be out on his own, chasing his dreams, building his future. And I’ll be his biggest fan from the stands. But for now, I’m holding tight to days like that. Quiet moments. Shared laughs. Big city days and little conversations that mean everything.

I can’t wait to see what he does next. But I’m so, so grateful that even now, in these busy years, we still find time to make memories - just the two of us. There is nothing in my life I'm prouder of than being their mom, and these moments with he and his sister are priceless.