OK--- I know that we're a bit crazy. So what's new? We have 6 kids-- Todd left his job at Ford to go back to school-- AND, we signed up 4 kids in soccer this season.
On Tuesday afternoon at 6pm we have 4 practices-- each at a different field across town. We have 3 practices Thursday at 6pm and one Friday from 6 to 7:30pm. Saturday is full of soccer games.
Why? Because we LOVE driving kids around, we LOVE finding 8 pairs of shinguards and cleats, we LOVE finding clean uniforms- socks, shirts and shorts, we love game schedules, make-up games, size 3 and size 4 soccer balls, water bottles, snacks for the games, bug spray, sunblock, frenchbraids and coordinating hair ribbons, sweaty bodies, fights about showers after practices and games, taking off earrings of little girls for the games, etc., etc...
No-- but we DO love kids who think they are soccer stars because they scored three goals in the last game. We LOVE kids who know how to listen to a coach, try their best and run hard even when they're tired. We LOVE the sweet friendships that we have made with others in our community. We LOVE that for a few hours a week our kids are outside, getting exercise not in front of a computer or TV monitor. We LOVE that soccer games only last one hour-- BASEBALL is INSANE!! And of course, we LOVE the groans of envy we get when we tell people we have 4 kids in soccer. We really do it all for those few, "I don't know how you do it" comments...
Plus, we had the boys in soccer for many seasons before we let the girls join... not cause we're sexist, just cause it was hard to imagine having 4 on different teams. We finally bit the bullet and signed everyone up-- it just happened to be the same month that Lily was born, but hey-- we LOVE to do hard things. (right Diana?!)
So, this email goes out to all of you who have rolled your eyes when you've seen us up at the fields on Saturday with a small day-care... to any of you who have heard our driving schedule on Tuesday or Thursday and asked WHY? I'll just point and say- read the blog. Why Soccer?? Because when we signed up for parenting we signed up for better and for worse (well, maybe that was marriage but you know what i mean). When we signed up for 6 kids we signed up for after school craziness, 6 spelling tests, 6 Tuesday folders and 6 SOCCER PRACTICES... our family is a free-family, opportunity for all, first and fourth children, brothers and sisters, all are given the same opportunity to become world famous soccer players... The boys got the coolest ever cleats when they were little, and the little girls get PINK soccer shoes now...
If you ever see Todd or I walking in circles or talking to ourselves or shaking a six year old who still refuses to remove her earrings for a game. If we seem a bit crazy on a Tuesday, Thursday, Friday or Saturday... just know it is all an act. Deep down, WE LOVE IT!!
Did I mention that I am now the PTA President at the kids' school?!!... Yeah, CRAZY I know!!
Corrie-- I do still write "Superhero" when it asks for my job title... LOVE IT!!
President Spencer W. Kimball said, "My life is like my shoes—to be worn out in service".
We do love it and we can do hard things and you definitely are doing it! We had 3 in soccer just a month ago and it was crazy but a good crazy. So what's another one, you'll be fabulous. I got to be really good at fast dinners and fast showers, and yes we had a lot of whining, but I just smiled and thought it would all be over before I knew it!
ReplyDeleteOh, I forgot to say that PTA president might be pushing it a little. Don't you think Jen? ha ha
ReplyDeleteThose pictures look so great! Your kids will have to read that entry one day, when it finally hits them that it may have been somewhat challenging to pull all this off. Until then, they will just remember their fun, full childhoods. Way to go.
ReplyDeletewe took a break from soccer this year. It is kinda nice.
ReplyDeleteWe're all in again next year though.
you are a superhero.