I'm going to Kansas City, Kansas City here I come

That's the quirky song that's going through my head on the eve of a journey to, you guessed it, Kansas City. The bags are packed, the Jeep is full of gas, and I'm pumped. One of life's great joys is the opportunity to watch your son play baseball and I plan to soak it in this holiday weekend.

So will hundreds of moms and dads as they take their sons to the Memorial Day Super NIT. Three hundred teams from across the country are converging on Kansas City for the tournament.

My son's team, the Jr. Warriors, is in a pool with the Kansas Red Sox, Topeka Titans, Kansas City Colts and Missouri Cougars. Our team and the Extreme from Edwardsville, Ill., join 13 teams from Kansas and Missouri in the 14U AA bracket.

Eighth grade baseball practice was canceled to accommodate our trip to the tournament. We'll play two games Saturday and two on Sunday. The top eight teams advance to Monday's playoff round.

I'm so excited, you'd think I were playing. In a way, I am.

Little in life gives me more joy that watching my kids compete. I've been fortunate to attend nearly every game, but those days may be coming to an end. Eighth graders, being on the lowest end of the high school totem pole, typically play doubleheaders that start at 10 a.m. on weekdays. My job is exceedingly flexible, but geez.

So while doors are opening for my son to continue playing the game he loves, I see them closing for me. I intend to enjoy this weekend for what it is -- a special moment in time worth cherishing.