Today, I spent a few hours in the company of a pretty delightful 2 year-old. I haven't spent a lot of time with her, but I've spent time with her three times in the last week, and I have never seen a happier little girl. Seriously. Her mom, dad, sister, and brother brought her home from China over the summer, and she is amazing! Whether it's singing Jesus Loves Me or trying on all the hats and all the shoes in sight, she is always smiling and happy. And her laugh?! Oh my goodness. It makes me crack up just thinking of her contagious belly laughs. Today she tried to put on my rain boots without my assistance. They're approximately half her height, so it didn't work too well. I picked her up and put her in my boots, and the laughs just bubbled up out of both of us! I was wiping tears from my eyes as she grinned and said, "CHEEEEEEEEEESE" over and over. And within five minutes, I was rocking her and singing naptime songs...it took two minutes once she was in her bed. She is amazing! I adore her...she steals the hearts of everyone with her precious little face.
While I was reading after putting her down for her nap, I got a call from N's school. When I see the school on my caller id, I can't help but feel a sense of dread. When B's school calls, it's always the nurse, and I don't necessarily know what I'm getting into, but I have a general idea. N's school? Wild. Card. It was the nurse, which was weird. Normally, when N feels like he's sick and wants to come home, he'll text me, and I'll tell him to go to the nurse and have her call me. And at first, he would call me from his phone and then hand it to her. Rookie. ANYWAY, she called to say that N had passed out during the Red Ribbon Week Wrap-Up Presentation. What? It kind of freaked me out, and then she started talking about heart rates and serious fluctuation, and wait...did he have a fever? She forgot to check it...no, no fever, but he needs to see a pediatrician.
Y'all, it took an hour from the time I got the call to when I got there to pick him up. Stupid rain. And the whole time, he was texting me asking me to hurry and get there before school got out so he wouldn't have to be embarrassed. Kid. The weather wants you to buck up and hold your head high. It's not me...or something. Anyway. So, when I picked N up yesterday, he said he felt "weird." His stomach hurt, but he didn't feel nauseated, but it still felt off. He rested and did pretty much nothing, and as he got up to get ready for bed, he felt lightheaded and dizzy. When he got into bed, he said his room was spinning and his head hurt. Ibuprofen fixes everything, so I dosed him up, and then checked on him entirely too many times, including putting my hand on his back to make sure he was breathing...because he's 13, but you just never know. He slept all night and woke up feeling okay. I was going to let him stay home if he pushed the issue (shhh, don't tell him!), but he said he felt just fine after his shower, so off he went.
Apparently, while viewing the presentation, his vision blurred and he felt like he was going to vomit. He got up to ask his teacher if he could use the restroom, and she said "no." (For this, I do not blame her in the least. I'm sure there were multiple attempts to escape the presentation made by other students. N, however, doesn't do that stuff.) He decided to go anyway, opting to get in trouble rather than vomit in the library. He made it about 15 feet and then woke up on the floor. (For the record, the teacher came to his aid and apologized, the latter of which was not necessary, but much appreciated.) She helped him to the bathroom and then had a male adult present in the bathroom in case he had further issues. He told me he was only out for a few seconds, but he hit the ground with his knees and his chin, with basically no damage.
All of the test the pediatrician performed were within normal range, but he did suggest a follow-up with a cardiologist. That's kind of scary, but N's biggest concern was the baseball playing he's hoping to do this weekend. The pediatrician said he was good to go as long as there weren't anymore dizzy spells, but to still make an appointment with a cardiologist. N had another "spell" over the summer while he was alone at his dad's house. He woke up on the floor, but didn't think it was a big deal, so never said a word.
Lesson of the day: PASSING OUT IS ALWAYS A BIG DEAL.
He and I also disagreed about contacting his coach to fill him in on the situation. I mean, he didn't really have a say, but he didn't want me to be dramatic. I explained that his health and safety is my main concern, and since I'm not in the dugout, his coach needs to be made aware of potential issues...especially since N is the primary first baseman. It's kind of important. Coach agreed, and N did, too, once he thought about it.
What a day. I stress baked 4 loaves of banana bread. Even if the baseball team only plays on Sunday, they're going to be well-fed!
Aubs
Friday, October 30, 2015
Sunday, October 25, 2015
Weekend Wrap-Up
Welp...I got my grade back on my super-long paper, and it was only a 99. I'm pretty sure I deserved waaaaay less, but it pays to interact with your class and have a good rapport with your professor because it makes a huge difference.
On Friday I worked at N's middle school where I ran into so many baseball players and friends. There were a lot of teachers out that day, but I was right next door to one of N's teachers from last year, and she and I have become quite friendly...partially out of necessity and partially because we're hilarious. The embarrassment factor is just an added bonus! She has several familiar faces in her classes this year, so I hope she asks me to sub for her sometime in the future...just not on Tuesdays and Thursdays, even IF Thursday is the only day her son can get an eye appointment. But I'm not bitter or anything. :)
Anyway, the teacher I subbed for teaches math, which is (admittedly) not my favorite subject at all. But then I realized she teaches 6th grade math, and that's BLOCK math, which means she has 2 classes of 6th grade math and BOTH of those classes are two class periods long. Holy. Moly. I had a break between with a 30 minute group of 7th graders for "E-time" and a 7th grade math class of literally 10 students. It was more fun than I expected.
Afterward, I picked B up from school and we zoomed across town to babysit for some of our favorites: C, J, & LM! This was a monumental day for me because it's the first time LM has been awake and hanging out with us. She just came home from China over the summer, and I've babysat for the older two in the evenings, but she's already been in bed or been going to bed. This time, we got to spend 3 hours together before her bedtime. Y'all? She's a hoot! I mean...she gets the giggles and NOBODY can keep a straight face. C & J were at a birthday party, so B and I got to spend some solid LM time playing cars and running around and giggling. All the giggles!
When the big kids got home, we played some more and watched a little Cars2, and then it was time for sweet LM to go to bed. I literally changed her diaper, put her pjs on her, and rocked her while I sang and she drank a bottle of milk...and she said "nigh nigh" and went into her bed without a peep!
C and I read a funny book while the boys played, and then they were in bed! I can't wait to be back there on Wednesday! And then, it's just me and sweet LM on Friday for a few hours! It will be awesome!
These kids...I've talked about them before, but I adore them. I've known C since she was about 6 months old, and she'll be 8 in February! B didn't even realize J was in Kindergarten this year...and when J mentioned something about his class, B said, "You're in SCHOOL?! That just blew my mind!"
The rest of the weekend has been so, SO lazy. We spent all day at home on Saturday doing nothing but taking naps and watching tv. It was glorious! When we went to bed around midnight on Friday, we slept until almost 11:00 and it was so needed. Even with that, I was in bed at 10:00 on Saturday night (I told the boys to go to bed by midnight), and slept until 9:30 this morning. We did the 11:30 church service, and then N went to spend a few hours with his dad while B and I relaxed at home...and by "relaxed at home" I mean B played Xbox and I FINALLY caught up on my dvr.
I watched Dead Poets Society, and I can't even talk about all the feels today. Maybe tomorrow. I'm still sniffling, and I fully maintain that the ONLY reason I teared up watching the Descendants (Disney Channel TV movie...yeah, I know) is because I was still emotional from Mr. Keating and "Oh, Captain, My Captain!"
Insert watery sigh here.
Aubs
On Friday I worked at N's middle school where I ran into so many baseball players and friends. There were a lot of teachers out that day, but I was right next door to one of N's teachers from last year, and she and I have become quite friendly...partially out of necessity and partially because we're hilarious. The embarrassment factor is just an added bonus! She has several familiar faces in her classes this year, so I hope she asks me to sub for her sometime in the future...just not on Tuesdays and Thursdays, even IF Thursday is the only day her son can get an eye appointment. But I'm not bitter or anything. :)
Anyway, the teacher I subbed for teaches math, which is (admittedly) not my favorite subject at all. But then I realized she teaches 6th grade math, and that's BLOCK math, which means she has 2 classes of 6th grade math and BOTH of those classes are two class periods long. Holy. Moly. I had a break between with a 30 minute group of 7th graders for "E-time" and a 7th grade math class of literally 10 students. It was more fun than I expected.
Afterward, I picked B up from school and we zoomed across town to babysit for some of our favorites: C, J, & LM! This was a monumental day for me because it's the first time LM has been awake and hanging out with us. She just came home from China over the summer, and I've babysat for the older two in the evenings, but she's already been in bed or been going to bed. This time, we got to spend 3 hours together before her bedtime. Y'all? She's a hoot! I mean...she gets the giggles and NOBODY can keep a straight face. C & J were at a birthday party, so B and I got to spend some solid LM time playing cars and running around and giggling. All the giggles!
When the big kids got home, we played some more and watched a little Cars2, and then it was time for sweet LM to go to bed. I literally changed her diaper, put her pjs on her, and rocked her while I sang and she drank a bottle of milk...and she said "nigh nigh" and went into her bed without a peep!
C and I read a funny book while the boys played, and then they were in bed! I can't wait to be back there on Wednesday! And then, it's just me and sweet LM on Friday for a few hours! It will be awesome!
These kids...I've talked about them before, but I adore them. I've known C since she was about 6 months old, and she'll be 8 in February! B didn't even realize J was in Kindergarten this year...and when J mentioned something about his class, B said, "You're in SCHOOL?! That just blew my mind!"
The rest of the weekend has been so, SO lazy. We spent all day at home on Saturday doing nothing but taking naps and watching tv. It was glorious! When we went to bed around midnight on Friday, we slept until almost 11:00 and it was so needed. Even with that, I was in bed at 10:00 on Saturday night (I told the boys to go to bed by midnight), and slept until 9:30 this morning. We did the 11:30 church service, and then N went to spend a few hours with his dad while B and I relaxed at home...and by "relaxed at home" I mean B played Xbox and I FINALLY caught up on my dvr.
I watched Dead Poets Society, and I can't even talk about all the feels today. Maybe tomorrow. I'm still sniffling, and I fully maintain that the ONLY reason I teared up watching the Descendants (Disney Channel TV movie...yeah, I know) is because I was still emotional from Mr. Keating and "Oh, Captain, My Captain!"
Insert watery sigh here.
Aubs
Thursday, October 22, 2015
Exhaustion
For the first time...EVER...I thought to myself, "I'm too old for this."
It was a short-lived revelation that I quickly rescinded, but it was a moment. It was bizarre. I didn't like it.
I took a midterm on Thursday, and was overjoyed to see my grade on the online portal: 102/100. I figured it had to have been across the board...an easy exam...so imagine my surprise when I went into class today and heard multiple murmurings of grades in the 70s. I covered up my paper and didn't say a word. Later, my grade was changed to 104/100. I feel like this will help when she reads/grades my paper.
Papers. Y'all. I've written so many things over the last week. I wrote a 5 page paper on Jonathan Edwards and his path to salvation by way of repetitive shame. I'm not even sure it made sense. BUT. 104/100. I also wrote a 16 page doozy on a guy named Jonathan Edmiston from the 1800s. I feel like I could sleep for a year and never want to write another paper again.
Too bad my next paper (a 10 pager this time) is due 3 weeks from this coming Tuesday. This will be a group effort, so I'm not sure if that will be helpful or harmful.
I have more to talk about, but I need to go to sleep. I already took a nap this afternoon.
In. The. Rain. Well, not IN it, but while it was raining.
And I'm filling in at N's school tomorrow, so that should be lovely.
But, I swear...I'm caught up on pretty much everything, so I'll have nothing else to do over the weekend besides fill you in on ALLLL the non-interesting things going on in my life...including, but not limited to playing Truth or Dare with gum wrappers.
I know. I'm intrigued, too.
Aubs
It was a short-lived revelation that I quickly rescinded, but it was a moment. It was bizarre. I didn't like it.
I took a midterm on Thursday, and was overjoyed to see my grade on the online portal: 102/100. I figured it had to have been across the board...an easy exam...so imagine my surprise when I went into class today and heard multiple murmurings of grades in the 70s. I covered up my paper and didn't say a word. Later, my grade was changed to 104/100. I feel like this will help when she reads/grades my paper.
Papers. Y'all. I've written so many things over the last week. I wrote a 5 page paper on Jonathan Edwards and his path to salvation by way of repetitive shame. I'm not even sure it made sense. BUT. 104/100. I also wrote a 16 page doozy on a guy named Jonathan Edmiston from the 1800s. I feel like I could sleep for a year and never want to write another paper again.
Too bad my next paper (a 10 pager this time) is due 3 weeks from this coming Tuesday. This will be a group effort, so I'm not sure if that will be helpful or harmful.
I have more to talk about, but I need to go to sleep. I already took a nap this afternoon.
In. The. Rain. Well, not IN it, but while it was raining.
And I'm filling in at N's school tomorrow, so that should be lovely.
But, I swear...I'm caught up on pretty much everything, so I'll have nothing else to do over the weekend besides fill you in on ALLLL the non-interesting things going on in my life...including, but not limited to playing Truth or Dare with gum wrappers.
I know. I'm intrigued, too.
Aubs
Sunday, October 18, 2015
Another tournament, an airport debacle, and a little gushing
Well, if the title were the beginning of a joke, I would be afraid to hear the punchline. Ba dum bum. I'll be here all week, folks!
There are lots of truly amazing places in the great state of Texas. N's baseball team has been able to play on some really amazing fields just within the DFW area, and I know there are dozens of ball fields that he may never be able to play on that are equally fantastic. But the tournament they played this weekend? Well...let's just say it was not one of the great wonders. Not even close.
You know it's going to be an interesting weekend when you look the complex up on the map and think, "Well. This will be...something." And when someone asks you where you're playing, and you give the main cross streets and they say, "Oh. Um. Awesome?" you know it's bad. But, I think the clearest indicator for me was when I told another mom, "Yeah, if you need to use the bathroom, Quik Trip has some really clean ones...it's just on the other side of the highway." I have never been so thankful for my continuous regimen of wall sits and squats because they came in ridiculously handy multiple times this weekend.
Up next on my "to work on" list: Lung capacity as it pertains to holding my breath. Also very necessary.
One of the boys on our team, KJ, came over before warm-ups because his mom was flying solo for the weekend and his sister had games, too. He and N killed some zombies before we left for warm-ups, and then after warm-ups, I added CB to my car and we took off for "the ghetto." It was an extremely entertaining car ride...mostly because we attempted to follow one of the other parents and he mostly drives like a bat out of hell. It made for lots of laughter.
After a little bit of confusion as to which field we had been assigned to, we found our way to the softball field (Yellow...it seems to be our color), and got ready for the first game. This was a bigger tournament than the one last weekend, and there were a couple of teams that seemed like they would be excellent competition. The first game was a fairly easy win: 11-3. The boys played well as a team, and in the top of the first, one of our boys hit a three run homer! It was awesome! Know what wasn't awesome? The miniature pitcher's mound. It was this small circle of hilarious in the middle of the dirt. It seemed to give some of the boys some trouble: it was too small!
There was almost 2 hours between games, so some of us (6 boys and assorted parents/siblings) decided to go to Subway. As we pulled up, I noticed the outdoor access restrooms and told the boys we would go to QT after lunch...if they needed to pee, they needed to hold it. As we ate (Bless the people at Subway. I think we overwhelmed them), we observed our surroundings and noted that the pawn shop across the street had a sign boasting "Good gun deals." Wonderful. Someone came in and asked to use the restroom, and they had to make a purchase before the staff would give them a key. It was something I hope I never have to witness again. We loaded up on gum at QT and said a silent prayer for the freshly cleaned bathrooms, then headed back to our beloved softball field.
I didn't get to stay for this game, because...airport duty (more on that in a minute), but it sounded like a pretty good game. We ended up losing by 1, and that team ended up being the top ranked team going into elimination, while our split pool games left us ranked 5th. It's about where we were last weekend, and we all know what happened there, so it was fine. AND 5th put us on a real baseball field this morning!
The trip back to the colorful and eclectic baseball fields this morning was a little more somber. I had the same group in the car with me, and the two in the backseat were chatting away...but Mr. Fredrickson in the front seat must've needed a V8 or something. He was a crank! On the way, one of them asked who we were playing, and when I said, "We're playing a team from Oak Cliff" the facial expressions/response made me laugh until I had the sniffles.
I love baseball. I love all of it, win or lose. I do NOT love the annoying clapping sounds the batters make when they're leading off to distract the pitcher. Not all teams do it, but the ones who do are irritating...to me, not to the players. These guys did that AND brought the speaker thingy to play music each time we switched places. Now, if the music had been appropriate, I would've been less annoyed. But. It. Was. Not. Some of it was: They rocked some M.C. Hammer and Charlie Daniels and Beastie Boys, but then there were the inappropriate song choices laced with sexual references and innuendos. Also, there was a dad with a radar gun, and lots of Spanish. Spanish...whatever, but a radar gun? Seriously? U13, folks...13 and under.
These guys were ranked 4th, and after a few scoreless innings, we were up 4-1. We were fine. AND then the ump called out "Time has expired but we'll finish the inning." and we kind of just fell apart. Moms had been discussing lunch choices, and then all of a sudden, it was a tie game and bases were loaded and someone hit a line drive down the left field foul line...just fair, and it was all over. N was pretty bummed about a "3 games and out" loss, but he did do a spectacular dolphin dive into second. His coach said it was beautiful and absolutely perfect...except for the whole "out" thing. Love him!
It was a hard loss, but it was probably for the best. We struggled to get back on track this week after the long weekend and looooooonger baseball tournament, so an early afternoon was (hopefully) helpful. We'll see in the morning.
Airport Hooplah: I took my sweet friends to the airport a week ago at dark o'clock (aka 4:30 a.m.) so they could do a family trip to Disney. I agreed to pick two of them up at 4:00 on Saturday afternoon so they could go to Taylor Swift that night. On Saturday morning, I got a frantic text asking for ideas on how to get the rest of the family (4) home a couple of hours later because original plans had been changed. I offered to do it because I knew the baseball games would be over, so it wasn't any trouble. Well. That was a silly thought to think. When I picked (2) up, I took them home only to discover all of the doors were locked and all of the keys were inside on the counter. SO, we did a plot twist and they got to wear airport clothes to dinner and T.Swift. Exciting! I dropped them where they were having dinner (no car keys, remember?), then went BACK to their house to unload their bags and make sure the garage door was shut. Then I went back to the airport to get (4). Their bags took forever, and then went to a different claim thingy, so it took a little over an hour before they came out. I had text one of them to say I was in my car, so he was like "Um, what happened?" I realized he hadn't spoken to his wife yet, so I filled him in...then stopped and said, "Uh...you DO have keys to the house, right?" He did. Whew!
The rest of it went fairly smoothly. All the luggage fit, all the people fit, and my friend's dad suggested I rethink my friendship with his daughter after the whole ordeal. So, I did. For about 15 seconds. And then I started laughing because life wouldn't be nearly as entertaining or weird without her in it. We have so much fun making up our own shenanigans!
Meanwhile, N had gotten a ride home with the twins on our team and was hanging out over there until I was finished with airport duty. I went to pick him up, and they were gone...eating dinner (I knew I forgot something!). I waited, and then talked to the parents for a little bit. I am constantly overwhelmed by how amazing this group of boys is...but I am equally overwhelmed by the kindness and friendship of the parents as well. Weekends and practices are things I so look forward to, not just to see my child improve, but to see the team interact: the coaching staff, the boys, the parents...they are all just amazing. I seriously couldn't think of a better group of male influences for N, and I am so thankful for how they've accepted us into the group like we've been here all along. It's a rare and precious gift, a true blessing from God.
Aubs
There are lots of truly amazing places in the great state of Texas. N's baseball team has been able to play on some really amazing fields just within the DFW area, and I know there are dozens of ball fields that he may never be able to play on that are equally fantastic. But the tournament they played this weekend? Well...let's just say it was not one of the great wonders. Not even close.
You know it's going to be an interesting weekend when you look the complex up on the map and think, "Well. This will be...something." And when someone asks you where you're playing, and you give the main cross streets and they say, "Oh. Um. Awesome?" you know it's bad. But, I think the clearest indicator for me was when I told another mom, "Yeah, if you need to use the bathroom, Quik Trip has some really clean ones...it's just on the other side of the highway." I have never been so thankful for my continuous regimen of wall sits and squats because they came in ridiculously handy multiple times this weekend.
Up next on my "to work on" list: Lung capacity as it pertains to holding my breath. Also very necessary.
One of the boys on our team, KJ, came over before warm-ups because his mom was flying solo for the weekend and his sister had games, too. He and N killed some zombies before we left for warm-ups, and then after warm-ups, I added CB to my car and we took off for "the ghetto." It was an extremely entertaining car ride...mostly because we attempted to follow one of the other parents and he mostly drives like a bat out of hell. It made for lots of laughter.
After a little bit of confusion as to which field we had been assigned to, we found our way to the softball field (Yellow...it seems to be our color), and got ready for the first game. This was a bigger tournament than the one last weekend, and there were a couple of teams that seemed like they would be excellent competition. The first game was a fairly easy win: 11-3. The boys played well as a team, and in the top of the first, one of our boys hit a three run homer! It was awesome! Know what wasn't awesome? The miniature pitcher's mound. It was this small circle of hilarious in the middle of the dirt. It seemed to give some of the boys some trouble: it was too small!
There was almost 2 hours between games, so some of us (6 boys and assorted parents/siblings) decided to go to Subway. As we pulled up, I noticed the outdoor access restrooms and told the boys we would go to QT after lunch...if they needed to pee, they needed to hold it. As we ate (Bless the people at Subway. I think we overwhelmed them), we observed our surroundings and noted that the pawn shop across the street had a sign boasting "Good gun deals." Wonderful. Someone came in and asked to use the restroom, and they had to make a purchase before the staff would give them a key. It was something I hope I never have to witness again. We loaded up on gum at QT and said a silent prayer for the freshly cleaned bathrooms, then headed back to our beloved softball field.
I didn't get to stay for this game, because...airport duty (more on that in a minute), but it sounded like a pretty good game. We ended up losing by 1, and that team ended up being the top ranked team going into elimination, while our split pool games left us ranked 5th. It's about where we were last weekend, and we all know what happened there, so it was fine. AND 5th put us on a real baseball field this morning!
The trip back to the colorful and eclectic baseball fields this morning was a little more somber. I had the same group in the car with me, and the two in the backseat were chatting away...but Mr. Fredrickson in the front seat must've needed a V8 or something. He was a crank! On the way, one of them asked who we were playing, and when I said, "We're playing a team from Oak Cliff" the facial expressions/response made me laugh until I had the sniffles.
I love baseball. I love all of it, win or lose. I do NOT love the annoying clapping sounds the batters make when they're leading off to distract the pitcher. Not all teams do it, but the ones who do are irritating...to me, not to the players. These guys did that AND brought the speaker thingy to play music each time we switched places. Now, if the music had been appropriate, I would've been less annoyed. But. It. Was. Not. Some of it was: They rocked some M.C. Hammer and Charlie Daniels and Beastie Boys, but then there were the inappropriate song choices laced with sexual references and innuendos. Also, there was a dad with a radar gun, and lots of Spanish. Spanish...whatever, but a radar gun? Seriously? U13, folks...13 and under.
These guys were ranked 4th, and after a few scoreless innings, we were up 4-1. We were fine. AND then the ump called out "Time has expired but we'll finish the inning." and we kind of just fell apart. Moms had been discussing lunch choices, and then all of a sudden, it was a tie game and bases were loaded and someone hit a line drive down the left field foul line...just fair, and it was all over. N was pretty bummed about a "3 games and out" loss, but he did do a spectacular dolphin dive into second. His coach said it was beautiful and absolutely perfect...except for the whole "out" thing. Love him!
It was a hard loss, but it was probably for the best. We struggled to get back on track this week after the long weekend and looooooonger baseball tournament, so an early afternoon was (hopefully) helpful. We'll see in the morning.
Airport Hooplah: I took my sweet friends to the airport a week ago at dark o'clock (aka 4:30 a.m.) so they could do a family trip to Disney. I agreed to pick two of them up at 4:00 on Saturday afternoon so they could go to Taylor Swift that night. On Saturday morning, I got a frantic text asking for ideas on how to get the rest of the family (4) home a couple of hours later because original plans had been changed. I offered to do it because I knew the baseball games would be over, so it wasn't any trouble. Well. That was a silly thought to think. When I picked (2) up, I took them home only to discover all of the doors were locked and all of the keys were inside on the counter. SO, we did a plot twist and they got to wear airport clothes to dinner and T.Swift. Exciting! I dropped them where they were having dinner (no car keys, remember?), then went BACK to their house to unload their bags and make sure the garage door was shut. Then I went back to the airport to get (4). Their bags took forever, and then went to a different claim thingy, so it took a little over an hour before they came out. I had text one of them to say I was in my car, so he was like "Um, what happened?" I realized he hadn't spoken to his wife yet, so I filled him in...then stopped and said, "Uh...you DO have keys to the house, right?" He did. Whew!
The rest of it went fairly smoothly. All the luggage fit, all the people fit, and my friend's dad suggested I rethink my friendship with his daughter after the whole ordeal. So, I did. For about 15 seconds. And then I started laughing because life wouldn't be nearly as entertaining or weird without her in it. We have so much fun making up our own shenanigans!
Meanwhile, N had gotten a ride home with the twins on our team and was hanging out over there until I was finished with airport duty. I went to pick him up, and they were gone...eating dinner (I knew I forgot something!). I waited, and then talked to the parents for a little bit. I am constantly overwhelmed by how amazing this group of boys is...but I am equally overwhelmed by the kindness and friendship of the parents as well. Weekends and practices are things I so look forward to, not just to see my child improve, but to see the team interact: the coaching staff, the boys, the parents...they are all just amazing. I seriously couldn't think of a better group of male influences for N, and I am so thankful for how they've accepted us into the group like we've been here all along. It's a rare and precious gift, a true blessing from God.
Aubs
Friday, October 16, 2015
What. A. Weekend. (Part II)
Since an entire week has passed (almost) since the weekend concluded, I figured I should finish my recap since I will (fingers crossed) have an equally exciting weekend to report about over the next week.
So, when I left off, the semifinal game was getting ready to start. We were ranked 4 and playing the 1st place team, the team that beat us the night before. The difference between our coach and the coach of the opposing team was night and day. Where our coach was respectful and polite to the umps, this guy was cocky and rude. The ump called the start of the game at 5:05, and he decided to argue that his clock read 5:10. And it went downhill from there.
Since we were the lower ranked team, we batted first, and in the top of the first inning, our fourth batter took a fastball right to the kneecap. He collapsed (understandably so), and our coach requested a pinch runner because our fourth batter was supposed to catch in the bottom of the inning. The umps agreed, but when it came time for us to field, he was in no position to catch. Our coach went to explain to the umpire, who was extremely understanding about the whole situation.
The other coach flipped his lid and went off on a total tirade...so much so that he was ejected from the game. The parents on the other side of the fence were just as ridiculous, and they scraped together the money to request an appeal ($100) then said they were playing under protest. Whatever. The coach was supposed to leave the complex immediately, but after arguing with the official running the tournament for a good 20 minutes, he stayed by the flag pole and text his third base coach.
It was moderately better for a minute, but then the crap started. They accused our boys of cheating: of using rosin, of having something "tricky" inside a baseball cap (we have twins and they switched hats), of blocking the bag. Their first base coach told my kid he was cheating by blocking the bag, and he'd handle the situation by having his kids slide into first and break N's ankle. (Full disclosure: I didn't know this until WELL after the fact, and that's probably for the best.)
The game was super close, and despite their best efforts to rattle both the team and the parents, our boys pulled off a victory: 8-6. After the game, they took possession of the field so we couldn't play the final game. They threatened the umpires, then told them to expect to hear from their attorneys. What? Why? Is this the majors and I didn't realize it? Because, if so...I'm seriously lacking in the MLB swag department. Last time I checked, it was U13 baseball...
Anyway, we made it to the championship game, and it was back and forth the whole time. Some of the semifinal team stuck around to warn the other final team about all of our "tricks." Y'all, it was utterly ridiculous. The boys played so hard, and us moms were total wrecks by the middle of the game.
Thank the good Lord for sangria...that's all I have to say! Our team played like I've never seen them play before. As the 4th place team, we had the tops of the innings against the 3rd place team, and going into the bottom of the 7th (the last inning in U13), we were up 8-6. I cannot even begin to describe to you how amazing it was to see on of our boys catch that last pop-up at 2nd base. They totally came unglued and were jumping around, screaming. You never would have guessed they'd just played 5 games in 24 hours (2 of them back to back in some ridiculous temperatures). The parents were over-the-top excited, too (as was our newly acquired team mascot, Beau...mostly because he had free reign to run all over the field), and we all rushed onto the field to congratulate our team and applaud the guys who played such a good game.
Because even though the semifinal team was crappy, and these guys started off suspicious of us, they played some really excellent baseball, especially for having to play back-to-back-to-back. But you know what? This was huge for us. We needed this. I didn't know that our team had never won first place...but I DID know that this tournament was the first tournament we had ever played with this roster. Until this weekend, they'd played a handful of league games, but never anything this intense.
And they rocked it. They totally rocked it.
I'm proud of my kids anytime, and I'm proud of this team...but to go out and make a name for themselves and react with such positive attitudes to a whole bunch of negativity? Well, that makes me get an awkward lump in my throat.
I also have to say...B found his calling on Sunday afternoon. One of the moms was kind enough to teach him how to run the scoreboard, and I never heard another peep out of him. He ran the board, cheered his brother's team on, and was so excited about doing both of those things. He even said, later this week, that he wished he could go to N's games this weekend instead of flag football. When I asked him why, he said, "Mom, N's team shows up and they're all in it to win it. My team never shows up, and if they do, there are only three of us who actually show up and don't jack around."
Love. Him. This new outlook has made baseball that much more appealing to him, and that makes me glad, too. I want both of them to be supportive of each other, and he gets dragged to a lot more baseball games than N does flag football games. In fact, B even rocked the scoreboard at the last league game on Thursday night. The team wound up taking second in their league for the season...but on Thursday night, still high off of their championship win (I'm sure), they left the only undefeated team staring at the scoreboard when they beat them 5-1, giving them their only loss for the season.
If that doesn't make you smile, I don't know WHAT will! And so, tomorrow morning, we do it all again...different teams, different fields, but the ultimate goal is still the same: Play good, solid baseball, be good sports, and take the team as far as they can while maintaining a high level of integrity. Also, these championship rings need some friends!
Aubs
So, when I left off, the semifinal game was getting ready to start. We were ranked 4 and playing the 1st place team, the team that beat us the night before. The difference between our coach and the coach of the opposing team was night and day. Where our coach was respectful and polite to the umps, this guy was cocky and rude. The ump called the start of the game at 5:05, and he decided to argue that his clock read 5:10. And it went downhill from there.
Since we were the lower ranked team, we batted first, and in the top of the first inning, our fourth batter took a fastball right to the kneecap. He collapsed (understandably so), and our coach requested a pinch runner because our fourth batter was supposed to catch in the bottom of the inning. The umps agreed, but when it came time for us to field, he was in no position to catch. Our coach went to explain to the umpire, who was extremely understanding about the whole situation.
The other coach flipped his lid and went off on a total tirade...so much so that he was ejected from the game. The parents on the other side of the fence were just as ridiculous, and they scraped together the money to request an appeal ($100) then said they were playing under protest. Whatever. The coach was supposed to leave the complex immediately, but after arguing with the official running the tournament for a good 20 minutes, he stayed by the flag pole and text his third base coach.
It was moderately better for a minute, but then the crap started. They accused our boys of cheating: of using rosin, of having something "tricky" inside a baseball cap (we have twins and they switched hats), of blocking the bag. Their first base coach told my kid he was cheating by blocking the bag, and he'd handle the situation by having his kids slide into first and break N's ankle. (Full disclosure: I didn't know this until WELL after the fact, and that's probably for the best.)
The game was super close, and despite their best efforts to rattle both the team and the parents, our boys pulled off a victory: 8-6. After the game, they took possession of the field so we couldn't play the final game. They threatened the umpires, then told them to expect to hear from their attorneys. What? Why? Is this the majors and I didn't realize it? Because, if so...I'm seriously lacking in the MLB swag department. Last time I checked, it was U13 baseball...
Anyway, we made it to the championship game, and it was back and forth the whole time. Some of the semifinal team stuck around to warn the other final team about all of our "tricks." Y'all, it was utterly ridiculous. The boys played so hard, and us moms were total wrecks by the middle of the game.
Thank the good Lord for sangria...that's all I have to say! Our team played like I've never seen them play before. As the 4th place team, we had the tops of the innings against the 3rd place team, and going into the bottom of the 7th (the last inning in U13), we were up 8-6. I cannot even begin to describe to you how amazing it was to see on of our boys catch that last pop-up at 2nd base. They totally came unglued and were jumping around, screaming. You never would have guessed they'd just played 5 games in 24 hours (2 of them back to back in some ridiculous temperatures). The parents were over-the-top excited, too (as was our newly acquired team mascot, Beau...mostly because he had free reign to run all over the field), and we all rushed onto the field to congratulate our team and applaud the guys who played such a good game.
Because even though the semifinal team was crappy, and these guys started off suspicious of us, they played some really excellent baseball, especially for having to play back-to-back-to-back. But you know what? This was huge for us. We needed this. I didn't know that our team had never won first place...but I DID know that this tournament was the first tournament we had ever played with this roster. Until this weekend, they'd played a handful of league games, but never anything this intense.
And they rocked it. They totally rocked it.
I also have to say...B found his calling on Sunday afternoon. One of the moms was kind enough to teach him how to run the scoreboard, and I never heard another peep out of him. He ran the board, cheered his brother's team on, and was so excited about doing both of those things. He even said, later this week, that he wished he could go to N's games this weekend instead of flag football. When I asked him why, he said, "Mom, N's team shows up and they're all in it to win it. My team never shows up, and if they do, there are only three of us who actually show up and don't jack around."
Love. Him. This new outlook has made baseball that much more appealing to him, and that makes me glad, too. I want both of them to be supportive of each other, and he gets dragged to a lot more baseball games than N does flag football games. In fact, B even rocked the scoreboard at the last league game on Thursday night. The team wound up taking second in their league for the season...but on Thursday night, still high off of their championship win (I'm sure), they left the only undefeated team staring at the scoreboard when they beat them 5-1, giving them their only loss for the season.
If that doesn't make you smile, I don't know WHAT will! And so, tomorrow morning, we do it all again...different teams, different fields, but the ultimate goal is still the same: Play good, solid baseball, be good sports, and take the team as far as they can while maintaining a high level of integrity. Also, these championship rings need some friends!
Aubs
Tuesday, October 13, 2015
What. A. Weekend. (Part I)
I feel like I need a 4 day weekend to recover from the 4 day weekend the boys had this weekend. I also feel that way during Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Spring breaks. And don't even get me started on summertime. Thinking that far ahead gave me a mini-panic attack. I need to slow my roll and focus on the here and now.
Friday was pretty relaxing, and there wasn't a ton on our agenda. Saturday, however, was a vastly different story.
My day started at 4:00 a.m. Yes, I mean dark o'clock. It was dark. And it was early o'clock. I headed over to drive friends to the airport so they could catch a flight to Florida to spend the week at Disney. Braggers. They went to Harry Potter World and everything. I can't even begin to describe the level of jealousy I feel as I flip through the H.P. pictures and like/comment on every single one. Because I do. And I want to (sweetly) thump my sweet friend on the noggin for not getting the appeal of the wonderful world of wizardry. Some people. I mean...
Anyway, I had her husband drive us to the airport, and then I drove their Expedition back to their house. The LAST thing I wanted was to have 12 eyes staring at me as I drove an unfamiliar vehicle in the middle of the night without having consumed coffee. I only closed my eyes about 4 times as I drove it...twice when I was paying to get out of the airport and then the whole electronic gate thing.
(No vehicles were harmed during this trip...just FYI.)
I went home, fully intending to do some laundry and get snacks ready for our busy day...and I totally did. Inside my head. Because my eyelids closed all on their own, and then it was 10:00 and I was running like a crazy woman because I needed to do ALL.THE.THINGS.
My dad was early (totally fine), so we loaded everything into his truck and dropped N off to do some batting practice before the tournament. Then we headed to B's flag football game. I know B loves to play, and I love to watch him play, but I get so irritated for him when I see the ball always going to one particular player. I mean, I know he always catches the ball, but how can anyone else always catch the ball if it never gets thrown to them? B was also suffering from a "foot injury" that seemed to ebb and flow as far as pain level goes based on if we were sitting in the car or he was able to run around and play. Clearly, it was life threatening.
B played almost all of the 40 minutes, and became almost inconsolable after his "injury" sidelined him in the last 2 minutes of the game. He was moody and cranky the whole way to N's first game (already in progress), and claimed he only wanted a Dr. Pepper when we went through the drive-thru at Chick Fil-A. Lucky for him...Mom knows better.
When we got to the ball fields (It was a Lewisville tournament, but our pool games were being played at "other area fields" and we wound up a good 30 minutes away in east Plano), the first game was almost over. This mom was a hot mess...she hates missing games and knew N didn't have any of "his people" there to represent. Luckily, we were totally winning, and although I felt bad, I knew that getting a solid win would be what mattered. The first game was an 8-1 victory, although N and I are still arguing about that because the scoreboard wasn't working. He says 7, the website said 8...and I sided with the tournament. He obviously thinks I'm a moron.
We had a break between games, and it was a tough decision. Ultimately, my dad took the boys to the mall to meet the team while I went with my mom to get N the Jamba Juice I promised him because it was nearby. Let me just say...Jamba is one of our favorites, and there just aren't enough locations nearby. It was a thing I had to come through on, or I'd lose any cool-mom cred. As if he would agree I had any to begin with...but I digress.
The second game, I have to admit...I didn't really watch. I mean, I watched, but I was on the phone for the entire game (and then some), talking to someone I legitimately hadn't spoken to on the phone since roughly early 2005. And they needed me. So I was there. It's what I do. We lost, but it was a squeaker...6-4. When the rankings were posted while we were STILL on our way home, CBC (our team) was ranked 4th, and that gave us an 11:00 a.m. game time. I can handle that all day long.
We met at 9:30 for batting practice, and then went to the (MUCH closer) Lewisville fields to finish out the tournament. We were pumped because we knew if (WHEN) we won our first game, we wouldn't have another game until the semifinal at 5...which meant hours to go home and nap or watch a bunch of episodes of Psych or make sangria in case we made it to the finals.
We won the first game pretty easily, 10-5, and knew we would more than likely be facing the team that beat us the night before (ranked 1st in the tournament) in the semifinal. When we got back for the 5:00 game, the score was 6-5, and they still had a while to play. We held our breath, hoping the lower ranked team would pull it off, but they didn't and lost 9-5.
And that's about when all the shit hit the fan...
Aubs
Friday was pretty relaxing, and there wasn't a ton on our agenda. Saturday, however, was a vastly different story.
My day started at 4:00 a.m. Yes, I mean dark o'clock. It was dark. And it was early o'clock. I headed over to drive friends to the airport so they could catch a flight to Florida to spend the week at Disney. Braggers. They went to Harry Potter World and everything. I can't even begin to describe the level of jealousy I feel as I flip through the H.P. pictures and like/comment on every single one. Because I do. And I want to (sweetly) thump my sweet friend on the noggin for not getting the appeal of the wonderful world of wizardry. Some people. I mean...
Anyway, I had her husband drive us to the airport, and then I drove their Expedition back to their house. The LAST thing I wanted was to have 12 eyes staring at me as I drove an unfamiliar vehicle in the middle of the night without having consumed coffee. I only closed my eyes about 4 times as I drove it...twice when I was paying to get out of the airport and then the whole electronic gate thing.
(No vehicles were harmed during this trip...just FYI.)
I went home, fully intending to do some laundry and get snacks ready for our busy day...and I totally did. Inside my head. Because my eyelids closed all on their own, and then it was 10:00 and I was running like a crazy woman because I needed to do ALL.THE.THINGS.
My dad was early (totally fine), so we loaded everything into his truck and dropped N off to do some batting practice before the tournament. Then we headed to B's flag football game. I know B loves to play, and I love to watch him play, but I get so irritated for him when I see the ball always going to one particular player. I mean, I know he always catches the ball, but how can anyone else always catch the ball if it never gets thrown to them? B was also suffering from a "foot injury" that seemed to ebb and flow as far as pain level goes based on if we were sitting in the car or he was able to run around and play. Clearly, it was life threatening.
B played almost all of the 40 minutes, and became almost inconsolable after his "injury" sidelined him in the last 2 minutes of the game. He was moody and cranky the whole way to N's first game (already in progress), and claimed he only wanted a Dr. Pepper when we went through the drive-thru at Chick Fil-A. Lucky for him...Mom knows better.
When we got to the ball fields (It was a Lewisville tournament, but our pool games were being played at "other area fields" and we wound up a good 30 minutes away in east Plano), the first game was almost over. This mom was a hot mess...she hates missing games and knew N didn't have any of "his people" there to represent. Luckily, we were totally winning, and although I felt bad, I knew that getting a solid win would be what mattered. The first game was an 8-1 victory, although N and I are still arguing about that because the scoreboard wasn't working. He says 7, the website said 8...and I sided with the tournament. He obviously thinks I'm a moron.
We had a break between games, and it was a tough decision. Ultimately, my dad took the boys to the mall to meet the team while I went with my mom to get N the Jamba Juice I promised him because it was nearby. Let me just say...Jamba is one of our favorites, and there just aren't enough locations nearby. It was a thing I had to come through on, or I'd lose any cool-mom cred. As if he would agree I had any to begin with...but I digress.
The second game, I have to admit...I didn't really watch. I mean, I watched, but I was on the phone for the entire game (and then some), talking to someone I legitimately hadn't spoken to on the phone since roughly early 2005. And they needed me. So I was there. It's what I do. We lost, but it was a squeaker...6-4. When the rankings were posted while we were STILL on our way home, CBC (our team) was ranked 4th, and that gave us an 11:00 a.m. game time. I can handle that all day long.
We met at 9:30 for batting practice, and then went to the (MUCH closer) Lewisville fields to finish out the tournament. We were pumped because we knew if (WHEN) we won our first game, we wouldn't have another game until the semifinal at 5...which meant hours to go home and nap or watch a bunch of episodes of Psych or make sangria in case we made it to the finals.
We won the first game pretty easily, 10-5, and knew we would more than likely be facing the team that beat us the night before (ranked 1st in the tournament) in the semifinal. When we got back for the 5:00 game, the score was 6-5, and they still had a while to play. We held our breath, hoping the lower ranked team would pull it off, but they didn't and lost 9-5.
And that's about when all the shit hit the fan...
Aubs
Friday, October 9, 2015
Why is this week so crazy?!
There has been so much going on...and at the same time, nothing at all.
You know those weeks that just feel insanely busy, but when you look at them on paper, there's just no real reason why things feel so chaotic?
The boys have a four day weekend for elementary conferences and Columbus Day (aka Fair Day). This is the second year the school district has turned this into a 4 day weekend, and I can't say I'm a fan. I still haven't figured out why this week has been so hectic, but it feels like such a chaotic beatdown. My homework levels were moderate, and one of my classes was cancelled all week, so I don't get it. I think the whole "having Friday off" thing has thrown a serious wrench in the ebb and flow of my life.
Wednesday was my mom's canciversary, so my hair went from dark blonde with highlights to a seriously dark espresso color. It's been 2 days and I still freak myself out when I catch my reflection in the mirror or a window. N was asleep when I got home on Wednesday night and when he walked into my room on Thursday morning (when I was halfway through drying my hair), he stopped short and said, "Whoa. Mom. That's dark."
No kidding. Dark hair makes for a dark & twisty mom...aka "Watch out, children...Mom plays even less than usual now."
Thursday morning was early conference morning at B's school, and we got an excellent report! He has been having some issues with responsibility, and the math has kind of thrown him for a loop, but he is doing so well. I was worried about how he would transition to a new school within our district, but he really seems like he's doing well, even though I know he desperately misses his friends at DCE.
Thursday night, N had a hitting lesson, and then we had to run a few errands. My dad and our friend, Stella, came up this weekend to attend football and baseball games, so I knew we'd be busy most of the day on Friday. We slept in this morning, and then cleaned up the house and ate lunch while we waited for them to get here.
Also, MLB. Be still, my heart! I have not been that anxious about a game in years! Watching the Rangers take the first game of the series yesterday afternoon is probably one of the sweetest memories I have with my biggest boy. The atmosphere for today's game was more intense in Toronto AND in our living room! Stella and I finally left to go get manicures for her birthday when they were headed into the 11th inning. Her Astros had just started, so I asked the sweet man at my nail place to put the game on for her...thinking the Rangers game would be finished before my nails were painted.
I was so wrong. Bless the woman doing my manicure...every minute or two, she'd swipe my phone for me to refresh my sports app so I could see if anything changed. When the Rangers won, I messed up a toe and she had to repaint! It was an awesome win...and I can't wait to bust out the broom on Sunday!
I hope I'll be able to watch. B has a flag football game tomorrow at 1:00. N has games at 2:00 and 6:00 in an entirely different place than what we originally thought. The outcome of his two games on Saturday determines the time(s) we play on Sunday. I do love tournament season, but I bet I won't be the only one trying to "watch" two baseball games at once on Sunday!
I have a sweet someone in my life...someone I care a lot about, who is going through some stuff. I was feeling like I was being ignored and getting frustrated, until I received a text tonight informing me of the situation. And then I felt like an idiot. Because I know this person, and I know they wouldn't purposely ignore me. They know better. And my irritation pales in comparison to what they're dealing with, which makes me feel even worse.
And now it's 8:43 (and OU still sucks) on Friday night, the weekend of the Red River Shootout between Texas and OU (we ate dinner at Babe's tonight...surrounded by gross OU fans), and I'm in bed. Why? Because I'm driving a sweet family to the airport in the morning so they can spend a week at Disney with their extended family. At 4:45 a.m. Because I love them...
Even if I won't be remotely social.
Aubs
You know those weeks that just feel insanely busy, but when you look at them on paper, there's just no real reason why things feel so chaotic?
The boys have a four day weekend for elementary conferences and Columbus Day (aka Fair Day). This is the second year the school district has turned this into a 4 day weekend, and I can't say I'm a fan. I still haven't figured out why this week has been so hectic, but it feels like such a chaotic beatdown. My homework levels were moderate, and one of my classes was cancelled all week, so I don't get it. I think the whole "having Friday off" thing has thrown a serious wrench in the ebb and flow of my life.
Wednesday was my mom's canciversary, so my hair went from dark blonde with highlights to a seriously dark espresso color. It's been 2 days and I still freak myself out when I catch my reflection in the mirror or a window. N was asleep when I got home on Wednesday night and when he walked into my room on Thursday morning (when I was halfway through drying my hair), he stopped short and said, "Whoa. Mom. That's dark."
No kidding. Dark hair makes for a dark & twisty mom...aka "Watch out, children...Mom plays even less than usual now."
Thursday morning was early conference morning at B's school, and we got an excellent report! He has been having some issues with responsibility, and the math has kind of thrown him for a loop, but he is doing so well. I was worried about how he would transition to a new school within our district, but he really seems like he's doing well, even though I know he desperately misses his friends at DCE.
Thursday night, N had a hitting lesson, and then we had to run a few errands. My dad and our friend, Stella, came up this weekend to attend football and baseball games, so I knew we'd be busy most of the day on Friday. We slept in this morning, and then cleaned up the house and ate lunch while we waited for them to get here.
Also, MLB. Be still, my heart! I have not been that anxious about a game in years! Watching the Rangers take the first game of the series yesterday afternoon is probably one of the sweetest memories I have with my biggest boy. The atmosphere for today's game was more intense in Toronto AND in our living room! Stella and I finally left to go get manicures for her birthday when they were headed into the 11th inning. Her Astros had just started, so I asked the sweet man at my nail place to put the game on for her...thinking the Rangers game would be finished before my nails were painted.
I was so wrong. Bless the woman doing my manicure...every minute or two, she'd swipe my phone for me to refresh my sports app so I could see if anything changed. When the Rangers won, I messed up a toe and she had to repaint! It was an awesome win...and I can't wait to bust out the broom on Sunday!
I hope I'll be able to watch. B has a flag football game tomorrow at 1:00. N has games at 2:00 and 6:00 in an entirely different place than what we originally thought. The outcome of his two games on Saturday determines the time(s) we play on Sunday. I do love tournament season, but I bet I won't be the only one trying to "watch" two baseball games at once on Sunday!
I have a sweet someone in my life...someone I care a lot about, who is going through some stuff. I was feeling like I was being ignored and getting frustrated, until I received a text tonight informing me of the situation. And then I felt like an idiot. Because I know this person, and I know they wouldn't purposely ignore me. They know better. And my irritation pales in comparison to what they're dealing with, which makes me feel even worse.
And now it's 8:43 (and OU still sucks) on Friday night, the weekend of the Red River Shootout between Texas and OU (we ate dinner at Babe's tonight...surrounded by gross OU fans), and I'm in bed. Why? Because I'm driving a sweet family to the airport in the morning so they can spend a week at Disney with their extended family. At 4:45 a.m. Because I love them...
Even if I won't be remotely social.
Aubs
Tuesday, October 6, 2015
The B's Knees
My B...when I think about him, I shake my head and laugh. He has so much character and heart in that almost-10-year-old body of his. On Thursday, he had a run-in with part of a bleacher in P.E. and asked the nurse to call his stepmom. When they called me to tell me about it, I mentioned that I was impressed that the nurse called her instead of me (because she usually calls me when there's an issue, and I relay), B said, "Mom, I knew you were really busy with school because it's Thursday and you had that paper due, and I didn't want to bother you. Plus, I knew I was going to my dad's after school."
It was a simple statement, but what I took from it is that B knew I was stressed about my deadline and he didn't want to add to the stuff I was dealing with.
I know he doesn't enjoy being at my house. I understand why...but it wasn't always like this. And I hope it doesn't stay like this.
Allergy shots are really beating him down, too. Wednesdays are his shot days, and he spends Thursdays and Fridays absolutely miserable...and then he goes to play flag football on Saturday. I really wish a cold snap would come so he would get a little bit of relief.
It has been so much fun watching him play flag football this season. Even though we haven't talked about it, I think it means a lot to him that his brother shows up to watch him play. It's only an hour, and N complains initially...but B has been dragged to practically hundreds of N's baseball games with minimal complaints.
This Saturday, N has a tournament (game times tbd) and B has a flag football game at 1:00. My dad and our friend, Stella, are coming up for a weekend full of sports. B will have to come with us on Sunday to the games (again, times tbd), and I'm not sure he's going to be excited about it, but he will do it without complaint...especially if there are snow cones. I don't think he's ever met a snow cone he didn't like.
I really appreciate his stepmom and our ability to work together to create the best schedule we can for him. I know sitting at a baseball game can be boring to a kid who wants to run around and play. I know it sucks infinitely more for someone whose allergies are the worst I've ever seen. And his stepmom has been great about having B stay with them when N has games during the week or early morning games. We handle business.
And he deserves the best. He has such a sweet heart and a fun sense of humor and a caring personality. He's just the B's knees!
I love both of my boys...for some of the same reasons, but for a lot of different reasons, too. They are similar in some ways, but their differences are what I love the most about each of them.
Aubs
It was a simple statement, but what I took from it is that B knew I was stressed about my deadline and he didn't want to add to the stuff I was dealing with.
I know he doesn't enjoy being at my house. I understand why...but it wasn't always like this. And I hope it doesn't stay like this.
Allergy shots are really beating him down, too. Wednesdays are his shot days, and he spends Thursdays and Fridays absolutely miserable...and then he goes to play flag football on Saturday. I really wish a cold snap would come so he would get a little bit of relief.
It has been so much fun watching him play flag football this season. Even though we haven't talked about it, I think it means a lot to him that his brother shows up to watch him play. It's only an hour, and N complains initially...but B has been dragged to practically hundreds of N's baseball games with minimal complaints.
This Saturday, N has a tournament (game times tbd) and B has a flag football game at 1:00. My dad and our friend, Stella, are coming up for a weekend full of sports. B will have to come with us on Sunday to the games (again, times tbd), and I'm not sure he's going to be excited about it, but he will do it without complaint...especially if there are snow cones. I don't think he's ever met a snow cone he didn't like.
I really appreciate his stepmom and our ability to work together to create the best schedule we can for him. I know sitting at a baseball game can be boring to a kid who wants to run around and play. I know it sucks infinitely more for someone whose allergies are the worst I've ever seen. And his stepmom has been great about having B stay with them when N has games during the week or early morning games. We handle business.
And he deserves the best. He has such a sweet heart and a fun sense of humor and a caring personality. He's just the B's knees!
I love both of my boys...for some of the same reasons, but for a lot of different reasons, too. They are similar in some ways, but their differences are what I love the most about each of them.
Aubs
Thursday, October 1, 2015
The "Mercy Rule" is awesome...when you're the team showing the mercy!
Some days really go my way, and others seem to be stacked against me.
Today was one of the good days. I've had a deadline looming over my head for a couple of weeks: an outline of the 25 page paper that's due toward the end of September. With footnotes.
I loathe, despise, and abominate footnotes. I never know how much information to put in them. Also, they suck.
Anyway, I've been meaning to sit down and start it, but things have gotten in the way...like grocery shopping, and trying to figure out how to work my new phone, and staring at my messy house that I need to clean for my Monopoly session with random people I've never met on Friday.
This morning, though, my first class was optional since the outline is due at 11:59 p.m. I decided to take an absence in my other online class and spend the morning working on the outline so I'd have a better idea about how stressed I would be during N's doubleheader.
So, I started. Because that's the hardest part...getting started. I used random sentences and headings and pictures and footnoted the crap out of everything. When I attached it to an email to send to my professor, I sent a disclaimer: "This is an extremely rough draft...please. Be gentle."
She emailed me back less than an hour later and said, "This is exactly what I was looking for!"
It was submitted before 12:30, and I had the rest of the day to do whatever...so I went to Target.
Because that's the funnest.
I came home and whipped up my favorite veggie dip (Thanks, Aunt Patty!), then went to pick N up from school. Oh, and I picked up some new batting gloves because he totally ripped the palm out of his other pair last weekend. That kind of makes gripping things difficult. I think. Anyway, he was surprised and pleased to find new gloves in his seat when he got in the car, and decided they were pretty great. Mom wins.
My win was short-lived because he was not about to get ready for baseball nor did he want to leave early to avoid traffic. I sweetened the deal by offering Chick Fil-A if we went early, and he was in. It was one of the funnest car rides EVER. My XM did NOT disappoint on the way to the ball fields, and N was mortified. But he was also laughing himself silly.
He just wouldn't share my microphone. It's also my fist. So there's that. Here was the 4 song line-up that put us both over the edge:
When I Said I Do: Clint Black
Goodbye Earl: The Dixie Chicks
Lost in this Moment: Big & Rich
Tim McGraw: Taylor Swift
I went from song to song without skipping a beat or missing a word...and even when N turned off the radio during Goodbye Earl, I kept going and matched up with the song when I turned the radio back on. He was trying so hard not to laugh...but he just lost it. Y'all, it was so funny! And I'm so glad we had such a good time on the way to the baseball fields because it totally set the tone for the night. We were there an hour before game time, which was kind of perfect because he had time to warm up with his teammate before everyone else started showing up. Us Margarita Club girls stick together...and plot ways to get our third member back home to us.
Anyway, my main gripe is that the score boards haven't worked for the last two weeks, and it's really irritating. I can't be expected to keep up with the score of the game in front of me AND shout out updates for the Rangers game for those who have dead phone batteries. The first game started at 6:00, and they run 1:45, so I was really confused when the umps said, "That's game!" and it was only 7:15. I mean, I knew we were scoring runs, but I didn't realize they were scoring none. Mercy rule! Yay us...sad for them.
That left the boys with a ton of downtime between that game and our second game with its 8:00 start. So things got silly. A couple of the dads got the boys lined up to take a serious picture ("No smiles, please."), but some of those boys are just smilers. Then they did a fun picture...and this is where it got super fun! Y'all! My new phone takes pictures that move!
It's like I have Hogwarts right in my phone! I showed the boys, and they were like, "Whoa! Do it again!" They all sat on the front row in the stands to watch the remainder of the first game and I got the entire group of them sitting there, paying attention to the game, with all of their numbers on their backs.
It was precious. I love it!
The second game started on time and...wouldn't you know it? The second game kind of went the same way as the first. I was hollering out Rangers updates (They won, 5-3) and our boys went on to mercy rule again: 17-1. I think. I mean. I lost track. But they scored all the runs and the other team only scored one.
We were taking one of N's teammates home, so N, W.K., and I headed home. On the way home, it's like N has this epiphany and he says, "You know...I never really got it before, but baseball games really do go better if you have a good time while you're playing."
Um, you think? He went on to talk about how he had a really rough 5 years with trying to learn that in his life, and I responded with, "YOU had a rough 5 years? How about the rest of us who had to deal with that mess?" while W.K. laughed in the backseat. Then they collaborated while trying to figure out what my password might be since chopping off my thumb to access my phone is not an option.
We did some super stealth moves to get W.K. into his house, and then we were on our way home. EARLIER than normal. I told him..."Mercy rules work for us as long as we're the ones showing mercy, not receiving it."
He said he'd try. Which is great. Since there's only one more regular season game and tournaments don't use the mercy rule. It makes me nervous and excited!
Tomorrow? It's all about my B!
Aubs
Today was one of the good days. I've had a deadline looming over my head for a couple of weeks: an outline of the 25 page paper that's due toward the end of September. With footnotes.
I loathe, despise, and abominate footnotes. I never know how much information to put in them. Also, they suck.
Anyway, I've been meaning to sit down and start it, but things have gotten in the way...like grocery shopping, and trying to figure out how to work my new phone, and staring at my messy house that I need to clean for my Monopoly session with random people I've never met on Friday.
This morning, though, my first class was optional since the outline is due at 11:59 p.m. I decided to take an absence in my other online class and spend the morning working on the outline so I'd have a better idea about how stressed I would be during N's doubleheader.
So, I started. Because that's the hardest part...getting started. I used random sentences and headings and pictures and footnoted the crap out of everything. When I attached it to an email to send to my professor, I sent a disclaimer: "This is an extremely rough draft...please. Be gentle."
She emailed me back less than an hour later and said, "This is exactly what I was looking for!"
It was submitted before 12:30, and I had the rest of the day to do whatever...so I went to Target.
Because that's the funnest.
I came home and whipped up my favorite veggie dip (Thanks, Aunt Patty!), then went to pick N up from school. Oh, and I picked up some new batting gloves because he totally ripped the palm out of his other pair last weekend. That kind of makes gripping things difficult. I think. Anyway, he was surprised and pleased to find new gloves in his seat when he got in the car, and decided they were pretty great. Mom wins.
My win was short-lived because he was not about to get ready for baseball nor did he want to leave early to avoid traffic. I sweetened the deal by offering Chick Fil-A if we went early, and he was in. It was one of the funnest car rides EVER. My XM did NOT disappoint on the way to the ball fields, and N was mortified. But he was also laughing himself silly.
He just wouldn't share my microphone. It's also my fist. So there's that. Here was the 4 song line-up that put us both over the edge:
When I Said I Do: Clint Black
Goodbye Earl: The Dixie Chicks
Lost in this Moment: Big & Rich
Tim McGraw: Taylor Swift
I went from song to song without skipping a beat or missing a word...and even when N turned off the radio during Goodbye Earl, I kept going and matched up with the song when I turned the radio back on. He was trying so hard not to laugh...but he just lost it. Y'all, it was so funny! And I'm so glad we had such a good time on the way to the baseball fields because it totally set the tone for the night. We were there an hour before game time, which was kind of perfect because he had time to warm up with his teammate before everyone else started showing up. Us Margarita Club girls stick together...and plot ways to get our third member back home to us.
Anyway, my main gripe is that the score boards haven't worked for the last two weeks, and it's really irritating. I can't be expected to keep up with the score of the game in front of me AND shout out updates for the Rangers game for those who have dead phone batteries. The first game started at 6:00, and they run 1:45, so I was really confused when the umps said, "That's game!" and it was only 7:15. I mean, I knew we were scoring runs, but I didn't realize they were scoring none. Mercy rule! Yay us...sad for them.
That left the boys with a ton of downtime between that game and our second game with its 8:00 start. So things got silly. A couple of the dads got the boys lined up to take a serious picture ("No smiles, please."), but some of those boys are just smilers. Then they did a fun picture...and this is where it got super fun! Y'all! My new phone takes pictures that move!
It's like I have Hogwarts right in my phone! I showed the boys, and they were like, "Whoa! Do it again!" They all sat on the front row in the stands to watch the remainder of the first game and I got the entire group of them sitting there, paying attention to the game, with all of their numbers on their backs.
It was precious. I love it!
The second game started on time and...wouldn't you know it? The second game kind of went the same way as the first. I was hollering out Rangers updates (They won, 5-3) and our boys went on to mercy rule again: 17-1. I think. I mean. I lost track. But they scored all the runs and the other team only scored one.
We were taking one of N's teammates home, so N, W.K., and I headed home. On the way home, it's like N has this epiphany and he says, "You know...I never really got it before, but baseball games really do go better if you have a good time while you're playing."
Um, you think? He went on to talk about how he had a really rough 5 years with trying to learn that in his life, and I responded with, "YOU had a rough 5 years? How about the rest of us who had to deal with that mess?" while W.K. laughed in the backseat. Then they collaborated while trying to figure out what my password might be since chopping off my thumb to access my phone is not an option.
We did some super stealth moves to get W.K. into his house, and then we were on our way home. EARLIER than normal. I told him..."Mercy rules work for us as long as we're the ones showing mercy, not receiving it."
He said he'd try. Which is great. Since there's only one more regular season game and tournaments don't use the mercy rule. It makes me nervous and excited!
Tomorrow? It's all about my B!
Aubs
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