Kickoff Is Underway

Football season at our house has officially begun.  My husband is one of two videographers for the local high school team, and he attends every game, home and away, to video the game to assist the players and coaches for review and strategy.  After the game is over on Friday nights, he spends another hour (+) at their field house running copies and "making film."  A very busy evening for him, week after week, all through football season.

My younger son, a freshman, attends all the games to support his team, and after all home games attends "Fifth Quarter," an event at our local Baptist church that gives teenagers a place to eat, hang out, intramurals, an alternative and safer option than other places they might find themselves.  So I get to taxi him (and usually one or more friends) to Fifth Quarter, and then be available to drive back to take them home when it's over at midnight.  I am not a "late night" person.  I'm usually more than ready to fall asleep by 11:30 on weekends, and sometimes sooner, depending on how much sleep I've gotten that week.  So it's a long day for me too.

Saturdays are Game Day for my middle son at college.  It takes an average of 3.5 hours, or longer, to drive to W&J.  If it's a 1 o'clock game, we have to get up early and leave in time to grab a quick lunch for youngest son and still make it to the game.  We usually take him out to dinner after the game, so factoring in schmooze time by the field with players/families post game, then showering/dress time for him, we usually don't get finished with dinner until 7 or 8 o'clock, then the long drive home.  ANOTHER long day of the weekend.

My youngest son's football games (freshman team) are held on Wednesday and Thursday nights.  Some of the teams they play are very far from home, which makes HIS game day ANOTHER long and exhausting day, especially factoring in our work schedule that day.

No rest for the weary (parents) once KICKOFF is underway.

INHALE. EXHALE. REPEAT.

I've decided to use the Friday night game time to work out at our gym.  My son isn't playing varsity this year, so I would rather use that time in more productive ways.  I dress into gear, drop him and his friend off at the game, then head to the gym for my workout.  Back home, post workout nutrition, relax a bit, shower, do a few chores and a small amount of down time as a wait on his call:

"Game's over, Mom.  We won.  Score ...{insert "kicked butt" ...?}

Come pick me up... we'll be in the last row of the parking lot...

bring my black Nikes when you come,

I wanna play basketball (he doesn't want to get his "best, showboat shoes" messed up)."

I head to the field, traffic slow and congested, as I crunch on a few almonds and guzzle my water to catch up with the day's water quota.  To the church, drop them off, back home.  Down time.  I find myself getting really sleepy.  I was up at 5 for morning cardio, and it's time to Shut.It.Down.  But I can't.  I'm still in Mom Mode.

And this cycle will repeat itself ... all.through.the.fall.

I slept till 7:45 this morning.  Ahhh.  Felt wonderful.  On my second cup of coffee, I am planning my day.  G's games don't begin until September 8th.  I have a little bit of a breather.  Adjustment time for the busy weeks ahead.  I listen to the stillness of morning all around me.  I think of things that hit my happy.  I reflect on people and places and conversations and memories that have filled my world with meaning, past and present.  I think about those people I don't get to talk to anymore and wonder how they are, what they're doing.  I wonder.

Time for more coffee.  I have a list of things to do today.

It's kickoff time.  Let's get it done.