June 2026

"We Are The Champions" is a great song by Queen. It becomes a memory when it is belted by a bunch of 10-year-old ballplayers.

The last games of my youngest's baseball season were an in-house tournament. They played incredibly well and were full of energy for every game. When momentum started to swing in a game, they rallied back. Every player contributed at the plate and in the field. Some kids got their first hits of the season and drove in runs. They beat every team in pool play (the only team to do so) and won the championship game. There's no doubt that they are the champions. We have the rings to prove it.

During one of the games, we experienced a pretty significant lightning delay and rain delay. The delay was so bad that we weren't sure we were ever going to make it back out on the field. But, we made the most of our time. We cranked some tunes in the dugout and just danced and had fun. More fun memories from the weekend of watching players dance the "Macarena", "Gangnam Style", "Cotton Eye Joe", "Cha Cha Slide", and many others while they were trapped inside the dugout. Eventually the energy couldn't be contained and the dance party spilled out into the field in the pouring rain.

It was such a fun weekend. It was also a bittersweet one. This may have been the last time my youngest and I are with our head coach of 4 years. You never know what direction life goes and we all hope that we play again. For now, we focus on the moment and the rings.

The oldest boy's baseball is still going. He'll be playing in the Gopher State playoffs in July. His team had a great regular season. It's the first time in his baseball career that he's played on a team with a winning record. Hopefully they can win their championship. His pitching has improved so much this season! He's getting taller, stronger, growing up. It's quite the experience for me to see it playing out on the diamond.

The team carried their amazing attitude and fun all the way through June. We had a couple dips right when school got out. (That seems to happen every year. Structured schedules are over, let the chaos begin! To have a summer break again would be magical. Adults should look into that.)

I'm very blessed to have helped coach my boys and their teams. 1-2-3 TORNADOES!

For Father's Day I was treated to a St. Paul Saints game. They walked it off in extra innings. I love going to CHS Field. It's a great ballpark. Hanging out, actually watching some baseball, and getting a Saints' win was awesome.

If you haven't picked up on it, baseball dominated June, summer, and life. 😉

The fireflies have come out and graced us with their lights. It's magical to watch them in the dark. I love it so much. Little beacons calling out to each other, piercing the darkness.

I've begun my transition into an Enterprise Architect. A lot of change has occurred with the development process that has almost "pushed" me out of my former role. With everything that's changed, it feels natural and like it's time for me to make my change. What I know, what I've built, what I've done has run its course and it's time to make new impacts. The feeling of mourning that I had in May has come to a closure.

I have a lot to learn in my new role. There are new ways to interact with stakeholders, new connections to make, new ways to lead the organization. I'm genuinely excited and ready for what comes ahead.

Now I need to get back to baseball!

- Ben