Y'all, I wish I had recorded today's game. It was something that can only be described as hilarious. I'm pretty sure everyone was just happy to have the season come to a close. While we were waiting for our turn, I looked up to see B's teacher passing out trophies to a team of older boys. Her son is a middle schooler, and her husband coaches the team. I just love her. I really do. She's so sweet and friendly, and she just loves B. She actually emailed me the other day in response to an email I sent her, telling her I hoped B was a little less distracting since we're getting his nose blowing/cold issues out of the way, and she sent a reply saying, "I have noticed this week he has been much less of a distraction and even sits better during instruction. I know it can be hard. He is a sweet little boy, and it seems to me that he truly wants to do the right thing." She's such a great teacher for him.
Anyway, when we got into the gym, I was sitting there, talking to N's dad, and he kept leaning over to tell me that the guy on the other side of him had horrible breath and wouldn't stop talking to him.
What did I do? I kept up the conversation with the guy. I know. I'm so sweet, but we'd been talking prior to the game, so it would be rude to just start ignoring him. They left after the first quarter anyway...and then Justin was like, "Man...I think I'm the one who stinks."
He was right. He'd been cleaning a pool filter or something, and gotten something totally smelly on his pants. Throughout the game, he kept saying, "I want to get away from myself!" and I kept agreeing. I'm supportive. Plus, he did smell.
The game actually started off really well. All of the players who were there (2 boys stopped showing up in the last week, and frankly, I don't blame them) were trying really hard to end their season on a high note. There was a lot of confusion during this game: the officials, the scorers, the coaches...nobody seemed to be on the same page. We were the home team, but wearing "away" jerseys, and somewhere in the middle of the game, they switched us to "away." It was massively confusing. There were a ton of fouls and jump balls and hopeful money shots from half court that never had a prayer, but the kids kept insisting, "This is my best shot! Give me the ball, I'll score."
N got in there and made a few shots (Read: people actually passed him the ball), got fouled, and even fouled a couple of times. There was a lot more teamwork during today's game; I'd even venture to say there was more today than there has been all season...probably because the season is over. N is a good player, but he doesn't get a lot of ball handling time because he doesn't get in there and play defense, he just runs around the outside, passing and shooting. Since he's hesitant to get in there and try to steal the ball, I was super proud.
I was NOT so proud when the ref told him to turn around so he could see his number, and N just stared at him. When the ref asked again, still no response. When he did a third time, and motioned for him to turn around, N copped an attitude. We probably need to work on that. I know we need to work on that.
I was super proud when he made a basket down on my end of the court, and I got to see the huge smile of satisfaction on his face as he saw it go in. He didn't even care that Justin and I were cheering him on using assorted nicknames. He just rolled his eyes.
The other team was a team they had played before, but I wasn't there for that game. They have a couple of really good players, including a smaller kid who has an incredible three-point money shot, and this other smallish player who's fantastic at blocking and hustling up and down the court. There's another player...that poor kid got beat to hell during this game, mostly his own doing. He reminds me of a puppy who hasn't really grown into his paws yet. Every single time I looked up, he was banging some part of his body on the court: his head, elbow, back, knee, face...you name it. It got to be almost funny because I couldn't see how he could possibly hurt himself again. He never disappointed.
Also, on the other team, there was this kid who was hysterical. He was number 6, and I was thoroughly entertained by him. He and N were matched up for the majority of the game, and one of the other kids on N's team (the one his coach apparently called a huge pain in practice on Monday) is a total ball hog AND thinks he's the boss. He's bossing N around on the court, and he's wrong, and N's arguing with him, and I'm slapping my forehead, and N's trying to stay on 6, but the other kid keeps getting in the way.
So what happens next? Only the funniest thing I've ever seen. It could've been part of a Three Stooges skit. N's teammate is standing still, arguing with N. N's trying to match up with 6...only he can't, 'cause 6 is actively skipping in circles (with a look of pure glee on his face) around N's teammate while they argue. Even now, 12 hours later, I'm laughing hysterically at the mental image of this kid. N looks up when he hears me laughing, and I can tell he's trying so hard not to get pissed (which he already is...at his teammate, not me...yet) and not to laugh. Later he told me he knew I was laughing at the other kid, but it seemed like I laughed a lot this game. I didn't laugh much more than normal...it's just the sidelines were a whole lot closer in this gym.
They lost, but for at least 60% of the game, they were winning. Also, their coach was the ONLY coach I saw today who didn't have trophies for the players after their last game. Instead, we're supposed to meet on Monday, during our normal practice time, to get our trophies and hang out as a team. I bet we skip it...or go, grab the trophy and go. CiCi's Pizza? Not so much. As we left, it started drizzling...so what's the best thing to do when it's cold and rainy outside?
Go bridesmaid dress shopping at David's Bridal, of course. I enlisted my mom's help, after scaring her off initially (she still remembers the whole shopping for the Christmas party dress incident all too well), and off we went. We found a few decent styles, but a couple were literally 10-12 sizes too big, so it was hard to tell how they would actually look if they fit. She said she wouldn't be opposed to going to a different location, as long as we ate lunch first.
So, off to Olive Garden we went, for salad and Chicken & Shrimp Carbonara. Oh, it was delicious. It was just perfect for a rainy Saturday afternoon, and after we had full tummies, we went to try the dresses in a size that was a little closer to the size I wear. It was still hard to tell, but we were both done for the day, so I emailed the group of them to the bride, and awaited her reply.
Of the six styles I sent, we both disliked two, so now it's down to four...but I think there are really two or three that are available in her colors. I'd go look somewhere other than a bridal store, but with prom quickly approaching, anything I could find that would be coral would be entirely too sparkly, fluffy, or (if I went the cocktail dress angle) not entirely appropriate for a smallish outdoor ceremony in Arizona in June.
So, if you need me tomorrow, I'll be making calls and writing some papers 'cause it's what I do...
I actually got an email from one of my professors saying, "Why are you taking this class? I'm pretty sure you've already mastered the techniques I'm teaching."
Who doesn't love to hear that?
Aubs
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