Just for Sonny

After spending most of the weekend laying in bed, I feel so much better today. I still have a slight cough and a runny nose, but my fever broke late Sunday. You forget how bad a fever can make you feel until have one again.

Today I got several things done (mainly laundry) even though I had to stop a few times to rest. Tonight we had another soccer game. William got one assist. We won 7-0. In the rain. Which reminded us of playing in Guam.

Winning in the rain is so much better than losing in the rain.

Soccer Update

Friday night and all day Saturday was a local JV tournament. We were not planning on this as William is on the varsity team, but he came home from the Thursday night game (which sadly, we lost) saying that the coach asked him a two others to come out to play for the JV.

Urgg. I really was not happy. This field is all the way across town....and Drew was out of town, so it was all on me.

So. We went. (Don't really think I'll get the best mom award since I had a bad attitude - but that get a little better as I did get to visit the other parents -that's always fun.)

The good news is that William played all three games - probably 80-90% of the time in each game.

The bad news is that we lost. All three games. Badly, at times.

Friday night several of us parents couldn't help to notice the man on the field in uniform. No, it wasn't that he was a head taller than our little freshman and sophomores. And it wasn't that he was much wide in the shoulders, either. It was the full beard. Only a few of our guys even have peach fuzz on their faces and he's sporting a full beard like he was a Duck Dynasty family member.

Then Saturday we played two more games. With a few more players with full beards. And yes, those men just ran over our JV team.

Urrrrggg.

Frankly, I'm not sure if they just ignored the JV part and sent their best players or if this was truly their JV team. But William feels like at ten were varsity players based on their shorts being different from the rest of the players from that team.

I guess in the end it doesn't matter. Our boys got some play time. The school hosting the tournament got their money (all tournaments are really a fund raisers as they charge teams to enter as well as an entrance fee each day.)

It was a beautiful day - nice temperature - full sun. Could have been so much worse....now...if only we could have won...next year, right?

 

The Best of America

Last week I had the privilege of spending some time with my friend, Sage, as we measured little feet for new shoes.  Eight or nine years ago, Sage wanted to help some of the needy students in her children's school. She decided that she could at least buy them  a pair of shoes. So.  She did.  She talked to some members of her church, took up money (but still most of the money came from her own pocket), and just did. No telling how many children she touched through these last years.

We now attend the same church and she has brought this wonderful ministry to our church.  Our church took up an offering - and wow! Several more schools have been added to the list, because people were generous - over $4,000!!  Thursday I was able to go with Sage to measure little feet. They were so sweet. Many were stinky - I'll be the first to say that. But all were sweet. All were thrilled to get shoes.

Well, except one. He wanted to get a pair for his little brother.  Now - that can't be any more sweeter.

One boy's shoes where torn with his socked toes sticking out. Sad. Heart-breaking. One of the middle school boy's shoes were literally falling apart - he had not had a new pair of shoes in about three years. Sad. Heart-breaking - all here in America.

One women just wanting to help. And she did - she is!  Black Friday she and a few friends will spend the day shopping - not for themselves, but for hundreds of little feet. Then the week after Thanksgiving, we'll go back into the schools to hand out the shoes (in a very private way, so no one is embarrassed.)

Sage is the best of America. She encourages me to be a better me just by being herself.

Where the Action is

Saturday brought more soccer.  Drew and I dropped William off at the gate while we waited in the car for about half an hour as William's team was not scheduled to play until then (and it was a tad cool,  so we wanted to stay warm!). As we were walking up to the field where our JV team was playing, we realized that William was playing.  Not sure why he was playing for our JV - we never got a clear answer. William, of course, was just glad he got play time. He could care less about which team it's for.

He, also, got play time for the varsity - which, of course, he was happy about.

Afterwards we did several errands that caused us not to get home until mid-afternoon. So, when Sunday came I really didn't want to go anywhere after  church. Melissa was not too happy about that. She ended up staying home most of Saturday, so she was ready to go.

She was disappointed.

Monday come with more soccer.  Surprisingly, William started for the varsity! I was shocked! He ended up playing probably 60% of the game - even got a goal!!  He was so thrilled!! I was, too! It's fun seeing him be so excited!

When I asked why he thought he got to start, he said it was because another player was late.   But I'm not so sure. Yes, a player was late, but William still got play time after he arrived.  And William was playing more than one position.

Well, whatever reason, we're all glad William is getting to play.  Last year he did not.  It's not a whole-lot-of-fun watching your child warm the bench.

Not matter how well he warms it, it's still not where the real action is!

Soccer and A Dead Battery

Monday was the first scrimmage for William's high school varsity team. The game was tied. Which is a much improvement from last year. I think that team killed us last year. So, it was nice that we could hang with them.

Tonight was the second one. We should have won, but ended with a tied because one of our players accidentally kicked the ball into their gaol. And, sadly, it counted.

Then the real excitement happened. My van battery was dead when we tried to go home.

Deep sigh.

Thankfully, one of the fathers was around and one of the players had jumper cables. 

Of course, the biggest blessing is Drew is home and can take care of the dead battery this weekend.

That, I love!

Being Fanaical

As I said last year, I hate Halloween.  To seems to me it's just a time for kids to beg for candy they don't need (and in our case, my kids can't eat due to food allergies) and teens to act crazy. And many adults as well.  I think every year I'm surprised by the adults that dress up.

This year with Halloween being on Wednesday, it was easier for us - We went to church. Like normal. That's what we do on Wednesdays. Last year our church did a carnival thing on Halloween, but this year they had the event Sunday night.  The children's minister told me there were half as many kids last year as they were  the year before when they held the event on a different night.  So, she decided that instead of "competing" with it all, she would just have the event early. She wanted to have as many kids as she could get.

And if that's the goal - fine. Outreach is a good thing. But churches started fall festivals not as an outreach, but to give church families an alternative. Things are different here, I'm learning.

Once again, I did nothing for the church's event Sunday night.  Just had no desire to be involved in it. Benjamin did, though. He went with his good friend from across the street and helped out. He had a great time.

Every since the summer Melissa has known what she wanted to be - Queen of Hearts. She got the idea from our trip to Texas this summer. She saw a skirt made out of playing cards. So. she made one.   (I need to get a picture -it turned out cute!) For her it was just a time to dress up, act silly, and hang out with friends. The boys were going to dress up as well - William as the King of Hearts and Ben as the Jack. Or at least that was the plan before they all realized Halloween fell on a Wednesday.

One of Melissa' friends actually came with her to church last night (as her church cancelled all of their events), then afterwards they went to find their other friends. Of course, the youth went late last night, so by the time they caught up with the others, they were pretty much done with begging for candy and were headed home.  Melissa only came home with a handful of candy she got from her friend's father. Fine with me!

What really surprised me last night was the number of people that normally come to church who were not at church last night. I was shocked! I think the children's minister told her teachers not to worry about a lesson, so I think most of them skipped. Ben said there were less than ten kids  - when there's normal well over fifty - that's huge!!

I get that Halloween is only once a year. I get that kids LOVE dressing up and LOVE getting free candy.  But still.  Can't help but wonder what message some of these kids got last night.

(And if you think I'm being too fanatical about all of this - I get that too - and I'm fine with that.)