Just Another Soccer Mom

I spent ANOTHER cold evening watching Ty play soccer this evening. Well, I was supposed to be watching but my mind was elsewhere.  To be more specific, my mind was anywhere but on the soccer game.

Mostly I was too busy people-watching.  I was amazed at how many familiar faces I saw.  Granted I know I live in a itty-bitty town and I see the people I grew up with every time I run to the grocery store.  Yet for some reason this felt different.  

I was watching a mother and son as they got ready for the game. She was straightening his socks and sending him out on the field.  I'm not sure if it was a particular mannerism or just the expression on her face that caught my attention, but I suddenly realized "Hey! I know her. We took several art classes together. I didn't realize she had a child this age."

After that, it dawned upon me, that for 6 of the 7 (other) players on Ty's team, I had a childhood relationship with at least one of the parents.  Then I realized that I knew most of the parents on the team we were playing against.  Maybe not well, but I remember their faces in the hallways at school.  This revelation continued as I observed the other two games going on near our field.  It was actually ridiculous to realize that I knew (at least vaguely) 85% of the children's parents.

To me the sad part wasn't that I hadn't realized that any of these people had children the same age (or near) mine.

What saddened me was that I felt like such a statistic. Just another soccer mom.  No one special. Only another face in the dark.

Now don't ask me why.  I don't know why that made me sad.  Maybe it was because it's October and my S.A.D. is already rolling in.  Maybe it was because my sugar level was low due to having to rush to the soccer field after work with no dinner.  Maybe it was because I was surprised to find myself no different from the multitudes of people I grew up with.  Same place. Same Life.

So I just sat there and continued to do a mental roll call.

When I glanced back at the soccer game, it was just in time to see Ty go down in a flash mob of little people.  Layer by layer, the coaches pulled the players up and out of the heap. As they neared the bottom, I saw his coach help him up and she was checking out his face. I saw his coach nod toward the bench and him nod back. As he sprinted across the field with a red mark on his chin that was already beginning to bruise, I could see he was fighting with everything he could muster not to cry.

What unfolded may not have amazed anyone but me, but it definitely amazed me.

Ty ran straight across the field.

Past the bench.

Past his Dad.

Past his Lilly.

Past his Nana.

Past his Pa.

He ran straight to me.

ME!

My beautiful, red/bruised chin little boy ran straight to my arms, climbed on my lap, buried his head and cried.

It was at that wonderful moment that I realized that I wasn't just another face in the crowd. That I didn't have the same life as everyone else.

I was holding My Life in my lap while he cried.

My Weekend in Pictures

I finally found 5 minutes to do a little more decorating.

A Saturday morning Soccer Game.

  

 

A Birthday Party for a 3 year old Pirate!

Arrgh!!

A Ladies Jewelry Bingo night at EL Hasa Shrine Temple in Ashland, KY.

Busy, Busy Weekend Planned

Sleepover/1st Soccer Game/ Fall Decorations/ 2 Weddings (but thankfully no funerals)

I always begin to get excited about outdoor decorating at this time of the year. I suppose it's because all of summer's colorfully vibrant glory is beginning to fade, and I yearn for a little spice in the curb appeal.

This year I have been even more enthusiastic. I get to decorate my Mom's house instead of mine!  Her house is much bigger/nicer and already has a significant amount of curb appeal.  So I'm super pumped!

I patiently waited for Labor Day to pass (because fall decor before labor day is like wearing white after).  Of course, NOW the stupid weather certainly isn't cooperating.

Rain, Rain, RAIN!

And it's cold rain too, YUCK!

Anyway, I have all of my fall decorations waiting patiently on the porch. Just as soon as the rain lets up for an hour, I'll be all over it like maple syrup on hotcakes!

I carve Ty a Funkin each year and now we have a total of 6 for our display. I've already carved this year's addition and I can't wait to see them all arranged.

What?! You don't know what a funkin is?!   Its a faux pumpkin made from foam that you can carve or decorate.  The best part is that after all of that hard work, it doesn't rot in a week! They are a little pricey (anywhere from $10 to $30, depending on size); but I buy mine a year ahead of time when they are on sale. I can usually get them for about 40% off, so thats not too bad.


Unfortunately, I won't be able to do any decorating this evening even if it's not raining because Ty's little brother is staying all night.  (His little brother staying all night isn't unfortunate, only the no decorating part. Just thought I had better clarify.)

We are so excited, this will be Ty's first overnight guest and the first time Toby will stay all night with us.

Atleast we think he is staying all night. It's quite possible that there may be a middle-of-the-night child exchange. He IS only 3. Nonetheless, we're gonna give it an honest effort, hope for the best and be satisfied with however it turns out.

My only reservation/concern/worry, whatever you want to call it, is that Ty has his first Soccer game at 9:30 Saturday morning.  This means I get my first experience of getting TWO boys up, feed, washed, dressed and out the door on a schedule. I am certain that I will have a new found respect for Lilly after that. Or maybe just pity. Either way, I'll be walking in someone else's shoes when I don't do a great job walking in my on when it comes to meeting a schedule.

Then after the game and all little boys have been delivered to Lilly, I have a wedding and reception to go to.  Actually, I have two, but since I haven't figured how I can be in two places at once, I am just attending the one closest to home, which incidently has the guests from farthest away.

Hopefully sometime between Saturday evening and Sunday Evening, I will find time to decorate and sleep.

Wishing you all A Safe Happy Weekend!!