ASU BOUND

This week, my godchild, Jarek Cunningham, will be graduating from Mount Spokane High School in the state of Washington. In the fall, he will be heading to a warmer climate where he will be playing baseball for the Sun Devils of Arizona State University. He has been a standout athlete his entire life and this is the culmination of his dream to play big time baseball at a big time college. Hopefully this will lead to big time baseball in the major leagues.

Jarek follows his brother Brendan, my other godchild, to ASU, where Brendan happens to be the team manager. Both boys fell in love with the great state of Arizona since their grandparents live there. During each Christmas vacation, they would visit and attend baseball camp at ASU. Now they will both be attending that school at the same time, Brendan as a junior and Jarek as a freshman.

Jarek was our Christmas baby being born right on Christmas Day. As his favorite godmother, I prefer to celebrate his birthday the day before Thanksgiving so he is not shortchanged in the gift department. He usually comes home to some balloons in his house with a birthday cake and my presents. This is our special celebration of his birthday.

As much as this is Jarek's dream, there is no one more excited about this than his father, my brother Michael. Himself a standout athlete, Jarek is following in his footsteps also playing shortstop. While Michael will probably tout himself as the greatest shortstop who ever lived (definitely his very own words), Jarek is undoubtedly better as I don't remember my brother being signed by a Division I school. I do remember, however, that he was being looked at by some major league teams but then the draft got in the way and his dream of playing major league baseball ended.

So my dear Jarek, as you graduate from high school and make your way to college, just remember one thing. Your Dad is not your #1 fan.....your Aunt Nancy is....and always remember that. Now make me even prouder of you than I already am.