They say when it's over, you'll miss it. They say you'll go to high school sporting events just to watch other peoples kids because you miss the competition. They say that you will miss the running around and the endless hours of sitting on cold, hard benches. They even say that you will miss when your kid stares at you (blankly I might add) and says, "Hey Mom, I forgot my shoes (or my mouth guard, or my uniform.....)" and then emphatically declares that you have nothing better to do than run home and get it.
Do I believe them? Yes, I think I do! For the past two days, I sat and watched the wrestling instructor teach moves I have never seen before. This guy was good. I mean really good. His technique was amazing and it all made perfect sense. I actually caught myself leaning in the chair as if I were doing the moves. Embarrassing right? Well, it wasn't until the Dad next to me saw me doing it. Oh no.....I've turned into one of THOSE moms! But boy, when this is all over, I think I'm really going to miss it. Found a great camp for Ryan. It lasts 10 days, but I think it's definitely worth the investment. There are so many kids the same size as Ryan, which is hard to find at a camp sometimes. OSU last week was awesome. Love that campus. The wrestling program is amazing. Those coaches are great to work with, and they have such a wealth of knowledge that they share with kids. The week before that was 5 days with Cobra Wrestling. That's right folks....Ryan is going to be a monster on the mat next year! Ok, maybe not a monster.....but he will have some GREAT moves. Proud of how hard he is working. It is so exciting watching your kids make investments in themselves. It would be easier (and hey, let's face it, LOTS cheaper) if the kid just wanted to stay home and watch TV all summer while I work. But does that build character? Does it build self-respect? Heck no! Not only can you see Ryan working on his physical strength, but you can see him building characteristics like patience, perseverance, integrity and humility (it's not easy losing, but he is learning to be a good winner & loser). These camps are reinforcing what he already knows; you can only succeed through hard work and dedication. A good lesson for us all in this life....don't you think? Such a strange thing when 3 out of your 5 kids move out. I feel like I'm desperately holding onto the last two! I missed Matt so much the other day I made him come to lunch with me just so I could see his shining face. Genevieve was at 4H camp this week and I showed up an hour before I was supposed to because I missed that little munchkin so much. I offered to buy Grant summer clothes just so he and I could browse on-line together. I suspect Greg is feeling the same way, as he and Alex are together in Salem working side-side. They started jogging together last night, which ended in a wrestling match in the middle of the floor. I won't reveal who won, as that might embarrass my husband. With all of this said however, people don't understand one thing when they state that I will miss all of this chaos when the kids are out of the house. I WILL have grandchildren that adore their Grandpa and I. We WILL sit on cold benches in the rain and wind. We WILL be there when their tournaments last 14 hours. We WILL follow those grand babies around like there is no tomorrow. So....I won't be missing the action for long!
Well, it's official; Alex is a graduate. Happy, happy day for him. We had an absolute blast at his party - over 500 people came. It was a little overwhelming, but we did it! After a night-long party, he is now off to work until he leaves for the MTC. Setting aside some $$ for when he returns home. Thank you to everyone that helped us celebrate Alex's accomplishment. We love & cherish all of you. I talked to both Matt & Grant this morning and they will be here for graduation...yahoo! So excited to have all of the kids together. We are going to have photos taken. After all, it will be 2 years before we can ALL be together again! We have so much to celebrate this weekend; Alex's mission call, graduation & his Eagle award. We're going to be busy. A good kind of busy.
Blessed. “Imperfect people are all God has ever had to work with. That must be terribly frustrating to Him, but He deals with it.”–Jeffrey R. Holland
You are a beloved child of God. Handle others with tenderness and care, and remember that we are all learning our way through life. Wow. I found this quote just as I was fuming mad at the high school. Once again, something with Alex has been royally messed up. Not the first time, I can assure you. I was an inch away from totally losing it and calling a teacher (and the principal, and the school board...and....) when I found this quote. The Lord works through many avenues. He let me get mad. He let me cry. He let me scream about how mad I was. Then, he led me to this quote by Elder Holland, reminding me that someone at the high school made a mistake, yes.....but, people are imperfect. And by the way......He reminds me in that gentle way, "You're not so perfect yourself". Point taken. Perhaps I'll handle the situation a lot better tomorrow than originally planned. Blessed by his forgiveness, guidance & strength. |