Soccer, A-1 & lip gloss

I won't take it for granted
I won't waste another second
All I want is to give You
A life well lived to say, “Thank You”~~Jason Gray "Good to be Alive"

The oldest isn't playing soccer this season. He's played every season since age four. That's approximately 150+ games that's he's gotten up for, most on a Saturday. 

The middle took a year off of gymnastics, and is now ready to start again.  Her soccer career began and ended with two days of soccer camp a few summers ago.

The youngest is starting her third year of playing soccer.  She loves it.  LOVES it.  This season, she had to leave her team of two years for another team (her own age group, as the former team was all Sarah's age).  It's a new adventure that is taking some adjustment.  Her first tournament was this last weekend, a pre-season gig that her team went into with just a few practices.   The tournament, as well as discovering "Al's sauce" (A-1) made it a banner weekend.

Normally, I'm a very quiet person.  So if you hear about some crazy soccer mom making eye contact and yelling "quit shoving my daughter" to an opposing 10 year old while play was going on on the soccer field, it wasn't might have been me.  All of the sudden I felt like I was a mother bear and not really myself.  Chad looked at me like I was crazy.  Now, the shoving play was way down the field when the comment was yelled, but let's say I tried very hard to remain quiet the remainder of the game.

Onto something else.   Tonight was "meet the teacher."  Three kids.  Two extremely excited kids who DRESSED for the occasion, including hair and lip gloss.  (guess who)  The other was ready to find his locker, drop off his supplies, and exit at the nearest exit sign.  BLESSED.  Amazing teachers and school personnel, friends...I cannot explain how blessed we are by our kids' schools.

What gets me is that these kids are getting so big so fast.  Every parent knows.  Every parent will talk about kids outgrowing clothes and shoes.  (speaking of shoes....when the boy's shoe size is greater than his age by +2...)  Both of the girls' teachers have kids going off to their first years of college.  It just ALL goes by TOO quickly!  This time we have to shape these kids' hearts and minds....what a blessed opportunity and amazing responsibility given to us as parents and teachers and mentors.

One thing that God has been teaching me through all of Chad's health issues, is to be thankful for each day and each moment.

Sappy, corny.   Confessions of a mom who is confessing embarrassing soccer mom stories and acknowledging her kids are growing up....very quickly.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need some chocolate.