Mom would send us outside to play daily. There were so many of us (14 kids) we could play a great game of baseball. If we were lucky, and after doing all her other work, she would come out and hit a few baseballs herself. She was a skilled player and it made me so proud. However, mostly I remember her laughter and her absolute joy when she did come out to play. I did not get to hear that when we were working in the house. It taught me that my mom was more than a provider, a friend, and a role model…she needed to kick back, play a game, and just laugh sometimes.