I know you always see the appreciation given to the dads. Letters like this one, mock trophies, even little ribbons. And I know that sometimes you feel as if your work and effort goes unnoticed. That the 'thanks, mom' that slip through our mouths as we chomp on our lunch in between games doesn't always seem so sincere. Or the attitude after bad games feel as if it's intended for you. But let me let you in on a little secret, you're a superhero.

You're the ones who keep everything together. I don't know how you guys do it, but you do. You manage to do things that just seem humanly impossible to us. From driving hundreds of miles for a weekend to spend all day at the ballpark in all kinds of weather, dealing with smelly laundry, spending huge amounts of money on equipment, you did it all without a fail.

From the beginning of my softball career, you were eager to help, and even more eager as the years went on and my talent grew. You went out with me on the weekends to practice taking grounders, not minding when I'd ask for a few more, even though you were tired. You'd calm me down as I hit off a tee, getting frustrated every time the ball would pop up. You'd even sit down on a bucket to catch me as I would practice pitching, never getting mad at me whenever the ball would hit you in the shins...which was most of the time, sorry for that by the way.

You'd take on roles as coaches, team moms, our number 1 fans and our number one critics. But no matter what role you took on and no matter how challenging that role may be, you always conquered it. You never let your smile fall on those early morning wake-up calls for tournament games. You never once complained about the handfuls of sunflower seeds that decorated the bottom of your washer and dryer after doing my laundry. You were always the last one to go to bed after a long day at the field, and the first one to get a head start in the morning. Whenever I needed a Gatorade or a snack, you were always prepared. Ibuprofen? Got it. Contact Solution? In your purse. Sunglasses? You already put them in my bat bag. You thought through every possible scenario, and prepared for it all.

As I grow older and my time playing the game I love comes to an end, I'll never forget everything you did for me. I'll never forget the talks after games or the drives home singing along to the radio. I'll never forget the tears cried after games when I was begging you to let me quit. I'll never forget you telling me no, that I couldn't let an obstacle stop me from playing the game I love.

And I'll never forget the days I got to spend with you or the memories made on the field. If I never made it clear before, I hope I did now. I'm thankful for everything you did for me and while I've been you're all-star all of these years, it's time for someone else to take that title. You. You're my all-star, mom. And you always will be.