End of an (wonderful) era

 

Grandchildren include: Collin, Nathan, Mick, Brady, Bryant,
with Hailey and Myla in front row

    Welcome to Baker Land, where the grass is green, the flowers are blooming and the grandchildren are above average.

    Earlier this month, many years of watching grandkids in local high school sports came to an end. Brady Hansen, a recent graduate of Davenport West High School, was a pitcher and starting catcher on the Falcons team.

    To begin at the beginning: The eldest grandson, Bryant Campbell, was the first one to follow. He and his cousin, Mick Baker, were on a 2013 Davenport Assumption baseball team that made the state tournament but lost in a heart-breaking fashion. 

    Mick was on the 2014 Assumption team that did win the state tournament. That included a substate game against Central DeWitt, versus T.J. Sikkema, who now is a pitcher for the Kansas City Royals organization. Mick held his own against Sikkema in that game, in most exciting fashion.

    Nathan Campbell, the next in line, found great success as a kicker and punter for the Davenport Assumption football team. Nate's best season for the Knights was in 2015. We watched him kick in one big game in Washington, Iowa, when the weather conditions turned into a blizzard. 

    Hailey Hansen was our dancer. Hailey started dancing in second grade, and then progressed to the dance team at Davenport West High School. She's now in college at the University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls. She was on the Panthers' dance team but that ended after three years. In her senior year she is looking to graduate and continue on to grad school. 

    There's just no time for the demands of the dance team.

    Collin Duax-Baker will be a junior at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Back at his time at Davenport Assumption, he excelled in cross country and track. He got a scholarship to run cross country and track at Upper Iowa University, but both those sports were dropped in 2023.

    Brady Hansen is the 18-year-old in the group. He had a terrific football season at Davenport West and ended his high school career as one of the top two quarterbacks in the Falcons' history. 

    Myla Rodewald, 4.5 years old, is starting out. She is in softball, swimming, and she certainly likes to run!

    Twins Alina and Thea Rodewald will start swimming lessons later this year, according to their mother, Kirstin (Baker) Rodewald.

    All of these sports have translated to extensive time in the stands. My husband, Steve Baker, their grandfather, used to enjoy seeing the older boys play baseball on Friday mornings, for example. I worked until 2018, but after that was able to attend most every event.

    I remember hauling kids to Des Moines to see Assumption play, and then hauling them back to Davenport the same day. There were meals at the McDonald's in Newton, Iowa, and plenty of family time at each outing.

    It was a joyful pastime as a grandparent. 

    Now we have about a decade until Myla becomes of age to play ... whatever she wants! 

Kirstin and Gage Rodewald, with their 
3 young children, Alina and Thea, the twin babies,
and Myla, who is 4.5 years old.
The family is on our deck after the twins were baptized 
at St. Ann's Catholic Church, Long Grove, Iowa.