soggy saturday

Before I forget I want to share with you the enlightening information that made my evening Thursday. I was talking to one of my classmates, telling her about probably receiving my first college C, in A&P, this semester. She pointed out that because I'm taking it from another school it will just come in as transfer credit!! How totally, without a doubt, awesome is that!? Of course I knew this, but hadn't thought about it. I got a 76 on the lab exam Thursday, and a 70 on the lecture exam. Hey, passing scores=happy nursing student! And as long as I pass the course with a C or better I'm golden!

Other good news is LB is seeing alot of playing time with the American Legion team he plays for. Last year he was the low player on the totem pole and didn't see much playing time at all. I really need to talk to him about how far he wants to go with baseball. If he wants to try and play in college he needs to do showcase camps during the summer. One, the experience is priceless. It only helps him to get better. Secondly, showcase camps do exactly that-they showcase a player. College coaches are often times present, if they're not already directly involved with the camp. Showcase camps tend to be pricey (for a 2-3 day camp you're talking $399 and up), so if he doesn't really plan to play in college it isn't worth it. If he does, we'll do what we can to help him.

I'm keeping this short today as we're spending what has started out to be a rainy Saturday inside watching movies. The guys are patiently waiting for me to finish up.

a look at the bright side

I'm trying to stay positive, but it's been tough amidst the funky-funky-doldrums kinda mood I've been in lately. This weekend was a blessing as it kept us busy and left little time to ponder that which makes me unhappy, and alas I really don't have much to be unhappy about anyway.

It has to be the hormones...

Friday we went to see Land of the Lost with friends. It was the other mom, myself and 7 PWP (people with penises). We enjoyed the movie. There was very little I could remember from the TV show days. It was funny nonetheless.

Beware the Sleestaks

Yesterday we headed over to the same friends' house for an afternoon filled with a muddy football game, jousting in the jumpy castle, and a game of basketball. Oh, we can't forget the kids firing off the potato gun. It was a blast. No pun intended. It was so nice to get out of the house and just hang out with a fun group of people.

I should mention I decided to boycott homework all weekend! I'm going to give that a try every weekend. It's for the best.

Today we had the American Legion baseball season opener and it was a double-header. Our guys lost both games. It should be an interesting season. Our team will be one of the smallest. Most teams consist of a good amount of college players, as AL baseball allows Freshman in high school up through I guess the Freshman year of college. We have one college-aged player, and he's not the biggest guy on our team by any means.

Tomorrow I head out to the ENT doctor. Aside from that the week is pretty much uneventful...and I must have just taken a hit off someone's crack pipe! Lest I forget the boys' dental appointments Tuesday, a baseball game Thursday, and then there's Friday.

Not only is Friday our high school's graduation, it is also D-Day. We're not talking Normandy type, we're talking Driving-Day.

LB is legal to drive as of June 12th.

I'm. trying. to. think. positive...

scatterbrained

Take 3...

I attempted to write a post yesterday but my Internet connection kept failing so I can only hope it'll go more smoothly today. If more days go by without me posting I may not know where to begin, not that I do now.

From Take 2:
It's really very frustrating to write out nearly a whole post, Blogger says it's saving it, and then you try and post pictures onto it when you develop problems doing so. You sign out and sign back in only to discover the lengthy post was not even saved!!!!

Rather than trying to go into the recesses of my brain to drag out a similar post I will now just give the highlights.

I've been pretty busy this past week. The week ended at midnight, Friday night, after I'd sat through a total of 51 innings of baseball for the five-day span between Monday and Friday. The majority of them were spent watching LB and his high school JV team. Monday he played up to Varsity, and we were fortunate to see them win their, what I believe was, last win of the regular season.

Back to Take 3:
Tuesday the JV team played one game and walked away winners. We had double-headers, both nights, Wednesday and Thursday. Wednesday they played the area rival high school and were smashed 15-0 in the first game. They didn't let it phase them, came back and opened up a can of whoop ass for the second game, with an 8-2 win. Thursday they rocked all night long. I have to laugh at what one of the other moms told me about the Wednesday night DH. That night us parents, minus Big B as he was out-of-town until Friday, had tons of fun. We were loud. No, let me rephrase that...we were downright rowdy, but not the kind of rowdy you might see on the news concerning sports parents. We just had a good time. Apparently the catcher on the opposing team told my friend's son that we were so loud we sounded like a big, Greek family. It's the stuff memories are made of. It was great to see the guys finish off their season with some wins. They should be proud. I took photos throughout the season and have forwarded copies to the other parents via email.

With the upcoming Varsity tournament scheduled LB was notified he had to go to practice Friday afternoon. No biggie, except we'd bought 4 tickets to the Phillies/Nationals game for Friday night. If you learn nothing else in the military, you learn to adapt and overcome...so Big B and I made it a date night! We were able to sell off the other two tickets after arriving at the stadium.




Saturday was a big day in our house as I walked at my university commencement. I'd made the trip to MD earlier in the day on Thursday to pick up my cap and gown, so along with that trip, Friday's game in DC and my graduation Saturday I've spent more than enough time in the DC/MD/VA area! If you don't live in the area or have never been here, please understand, after living in the country for about 8 years, between my current residence and Italy, it's very frustrating being consumed in traffic and congested areas.

Yesterday, my online Anatomy and Physiology 2 class started. As is par for my course, every semester I have to have mild feelings of anxiety up until I get the swing of the schedule and workload. My other two online classes don't start until Friday, so it'll take a bit longer to adjust than normal but by next Friday I should be golden.


Last night Big B, AW and I headed out for the last high school baseball game of the year. Tournaments started, and our team fell after round one. They lost 2-1. Next week starts the American Legion season with try-outs and practices. So today through then we have a bit of a break.

Today I finally went and had a CT scan done of my neck, to try and find out what is causing me to have the lump in my throat feeling I've been having, going on two months. I don't know what to expect. Part of me hopes they see something, because then we can go from there to fix it. Otherwise I don't know what'll happen.

As much as I hate to say this, I better get back to the books. The A&P class promises to be incredibly interesting. We do our lab by CD-Rom. It's truly facinating! As the CD-ROm says, "An interactive cadaver dissection experience". It's not the real thing, but pretty darn close and no smelling any formaldehyde!! There is a lot of reading, but after nursing classes it should be a breeze!

drama in the dugout

After the game ended last night the manager's mom, DH, and I ended up outside the door to the dugout. One of the kids' friends, ZA, was also with us as he was catching a ride home with DH. The manager, HH, hyper-extended her knee this past weekend while competing (cheerleading) at "Worlds" in Orlando, FL. The high school athletic trainer provided HH with crutches and DH wasn't sure if the trainer had instructed on proper use, so I told her I would. As we're standing there a couple of players wondered in and out of the dugout. One in particular, JB, ended up standing there with us, but not for long. It was within minutes that the coach had fervently instructed (yelled angrily) the boys to get back inside. We could here him yelling something to the effect that the boys should know better than to be standing around outside while their teammates are working to clean up the field (normal duties post-game).

Did I mention they lost 13-0?

We took that as our cue to depart and off we went. Being that the players have to tidy up the fields and then head into the locker room for further "coaching" and then to change, us parents are left waiting. For many of us this just becomes a continuation of social hour. So I went and got inside CB's car to hang out for the time being. She would be JB's mom. I, of course, took it upon myself to inform her of JB's encounter with the coach.

It doesn't help that it seems as if JB is not one of the coach's fave players. JB has seen little playing time over the past several games, although he did pitch a couple of innings in two separate, consecutive games. Oh, and he's been first base coach several innings. He hasn't really played though. He'd had a couple of rough games playing second base and making some errors, so he's basically been benched since.

This is all upsetting to a mother who has to witness and deal with a kid who's becoming jaded and bitter. What's a mom to do? This isn't Little League anymore, when you could go to the coach and ask "why" they do what they do. This is high school ball, when at the beginning of the season you attend the parents and players meeting for all of the season's sports. You're told that you have big kids. kids becoming mature individuals, now and if they have problems they should man-up and go to the coach themself. Ok, I'll agree--sometimes it isn't so easy and mamma bear instinct has you wanting to defend your precious cub.

If this isn't all bad enough, we soon learn there's more to the story. A while later up walks JB and the coach. Coach asks CB to get out of the car to talk to him. Well he doesn't so much ask as he actually signals with his finger looking straight at her within the confines of her automobile. She gets out. I take leave of the car as well, so as not to sit there and appear to be gawking. I go and talk to JB who informs me that Coach had grabbed him by the jersey and slammed him up against the wall.

Ahem. Oh boy.

Apparently Coach is letting CB know that he had grabbed JB. JB verbalizes to me that he wants a couple of the guys to tell his side of the story to his mom, fearing she wouldn't believe him. I agreed to stick around in case LB had witnessed the encounter. Another one of the players had come out by then and confirmed what JB had said was true. Within minutes LB has come out and also confirmed JB's story. So we waited for Coach and CB to finish their conversation.

We then go up to CB, whom I've asked if she was ok. At first she was, because at first it was a matter of her kid "should have known better". Then the boys told her their side of the story. After a few minutes of speculation, disbelief, and shock we depart the parking lot for our homes.

It wasn't too long after we'd gotten home, since we had stopped off at the DQ drive-thru so LB could get his nutritious (ha) after-game meal, that my phone rang and it was CB. By then she was extremely upset. She had spoken with her husband, who happens to be out-of-town and consequently has become angered, and her brother-in-law, who happens to be an opposing team's coach. He's advised her to notify our school's activity director (the person in charge of athletics) of what our coach had done. In case there's any confusion, you just don't put your hands on a kid, no matter what.

Did I mention Coach is a former police officer?

Now, that's all good and well. Of course it should be reported, but wait...we have to worry about the big "R" that being repercussions. It's not quite as simple as reporting a misdeed and then everything will be hunkydorey.

Have I mentioned the overly political nature of our school's, not to mention, county's athletic programs?

You report something like this and you could very well be messing with your kids future, at least in high school sports. Black-listed is where your kid will end up. To some this may seem incredulous that anyone would care about this when we're talking about an issue that is actually punishable by law.

Nothing's quite so black and white, not even police cars, anymore. We also have a coach who did disclose to a parent that he did put his hands on said parents kid. He could have not said anything and left it to a he said/he said scenario. No, he manned up and admitted his wrong-doing.

I told CB, after speaking with DH, to find out if she'd witnessed anymore than I had-and she hadn't, that this is something she and her husband has to decide what's best. That and to inform JB of what his uncle has advised and to put the ball in his-that being JB's-court. No pun intended. If we're expected to let our cubs make mature decisions than so be it. Of course she already had told JB and he told her not to go to the AD, that Coach was just really mad and he happened to be the one who caught hell for it. Well he didn't use those words exactly, I'm sure, but nonetheless, you get the picture.

I really can't tell her what to do. I've never been in her position. I told her to try and get some rest, that things may be clearer after a night's sleep--even if it's not the most restful.

I asked LB, and ended up calling Big B, about their thoughts. LB said the same thing his teammate did, not to go to the AD about it. Big B gave credit to Coach for admitting what he'd done and that he might let it rest with that, but it's a tough call to make. Indeed, it is.

If that's not all enough to sour a day, we had one of those family shootings right here in our own county! Now we're not talking DC or Baltimore. We're talking Podunkville. Alas, a man shot his wife and then shot himself, but spared their two children. Those poor cubs.

There's always something to make a situation you find enormous, insignificant.

mother nature's mess

After the baseball game last night I texted my friend, who happens to be the team manager's (as in the high school girl who assists with various team related needs) mom (yeah, we're friends), to let them know the final outcome of the game...which wasn't pretty. We ended up falling, 8-0, and you could see the heartbreak in each of our player's eyes as they exited the school to depart with us, their parents. My friend let me know that on their way down to NC for a cheer competition that they had come within a half mile of a tornado. Friends of theirs, who were about a mile ahead caught it on video.

During the game one of the moms, who hails from North Dakota, and with whom I have a small bond with because of her hometown, (since we'd been stationed there and LB was born there), informed me that her brother was notified to evacuate (within ten minutes of notification) from Fargo, to get away from the flooding.

Another friend put up her Facebook status as something to the effect of preparing for the blizzard they were about to be faced with, in Oklahoma of all places.

Floods in ND, blizzards in OK...?

I have family in Colorado who was snowed in the other day due to blizzard conditions, and a friend up in Winnipeg, Canada who told me, via Facebook that they'd had something like 25 inches.

Here in Virginia we've only had brief encounters with the sun.

In fact we were supposed to be going to a baseball game today, but it was cancelled because of wet fields from the rain that poured down throughout the night last night. You don't find me complaining because I have gotten a little bit behind this past week, with the new schedule, in my reading. That's what I've been doing today, and am now taking a bit of a break to ponder how depressing the weather has been lately.

Tonight Big B and I are going to a dance that the high school booster club is putting on as a fund raiser. We got our tickets free being that we're both American Legion members and the AL supports the boosters, so they'd bought a block of tickets from which members were able to take from and go to the dance on behalf of the AL. The dance should be interesting. It's being held at some building in our local fairgrounds. The fairgrounds are surrounded by dirt....and in rain that means mud. Oh joy. It's a casual event though, as in jeans, so at least there's that!

I better get back to the books since I did make some pretty good headway earlier!

If you're reading this I hope you're staying warm and dry!!

bittersweet redemption

re-demp-tion
an act of redeeming or the state of being redeemed; deliverance.

There comes a point when your son starts playing baseball at the age of four or five that you start dreaming of him playing for high school someday. As the years go on you see a natural athlete blossom and you're almost assured that your dreams will be fulfilled his freshman year. He not only plays baseball proving his athletic abilities, but also basketball, soccer and flag football. Soccer would be his next favorite sport to play, and if baseball didn't seem to be a calling than soccer would surely fit the bill for his needs. Baseball is in his heart. He loves the Dodgers. He loves the game.

In 1998 LB started playing baseball. He never played teeball, as it wasn't an option on the base where we were living at the time. They offered coach pitch, so Big B took the reins and started up a team with me in tow as the team mom. Even though I often dreamed that LB would play high school ball someday there were often times that I didn't think he'd ever play again. If you have small children you might know how stubborn they can be when they do not want to do something! No way, no how...nu uh! I guess that's a memory I can look back on with some pride in our parenting abilities knowing we made him stick it out, not letting him quit.

Last year, his freshman year in high school, my dreams were shattered in an instant as we refreshed the school website page the team roster was being uploaded onto. Tryouts had been extended because weather last year around this time was bad, so we were already exhausted. That last night after we picked LB up we headed over to Subway for a quick bite to eat and then headed home. We knew that in the time we'd taken to eat and go home that they might have started to enter the roster online so we checked. The varsity team had already been picked and there was no chance he was going to be on it anyway so we went directly to the JV page. Sure enough, there were a couple of names. We kept refreshing and as we got closer to our name alphabetically, the anticipation grew. If you haven't figured it out by now I am a pretty emotional person. At this point I'm pretty much in panic mode. Then it happens. The kids name who would be after ours shows up and I immediately burst into tears. Yeah, not good. Not good for LB, the kid who's trying to put up a brave front, and not let this utter disappointment get to him. But of course his freak of a mother is well, freaking out. Oopsy. I sorry.

We can look back and laugh about it now. Wholeheartedly.

Cuz, guess what!? Tryouts ended yesterday, after the regularly scheduled three days of cold, but sunny weather. I went and picked him up and we came home. This year we're exhausted, but for other reasons. Me? Well...because I'm a nursing student for gosh sakes! The guys? Well, because they're...well, guys. So we ordered Dominos.

Big B and AW were upstairs rearranging AW's room to accomodate the larger than life drum set, and LB and I were cruising Facebook as we were awaiting our gourmet cuisine.

While on Facebook I had updated my status and commentary ensued:
status: ...is waiting on pins and needles
friend: It's more comfortable to wait on the couch
me: Baseball tryouts were the past three days and we're waiting on the roster
other friend: They're posting them right now!
me: ..., you made me scream, no lie!

I did. I screamed. Sad, sad, woman. Of course LB and I are rushing to get on the school website, he on one computer and I on the other. This time we go straight for varsity, since it's the first list anyway. And wouldn't you know it there was his name!

HE MADE VARSITY!!!

So we keep refreshing since the list was somewhat short and although it's alphabetical, it's not being entered as such. The names were being entered any whichaway, ending up alphabetized. He is one of 14 players on the team, and the only sophomore!

Once again I will say it, hard work pays off!

Last year after he didn't make the team, along with his friends who also didn't, we were able to get them all on the same county recreational team. They won the championships! LB also played for our local American Legion post, went to the University of VA summer camp, and played for the non-sanctioned school fall ball team. Basically, he played baseball all year long last year. He really must have improved in his skills, more than he would admit. In fact before yesterday, if you asked him he probably would've said he sucks at baseball. Go figure.

Like I said, he's the only sophomore that made the varsity team. So after the elation (instead of instant tears it was instant delirious laughter from me of which the guys had to tell me to shut up) wore off we kept refreshing the varsity page and once we knew the roster was complete we went to the JV page. We saw the names added, at random as the varsity had been, yet still alphabetically. As your kids grow and bring friends home you come to care for some of their friends. They become like surrogate children. All but two of the boys who didn't make the team last year, did make the team(s)this year. It's sad for both, but one especially and anyone's heart would break knowing the heart this kid has for the game.

Redemption is bittersweet.

I feel the greatest pride for my own son. I did give him the speech about going in to school today just like anyday, and to not let his head swell, but to remain humble. I can't help but feel sad for the other boy, who is like a son to me, who has to go in to school today with a broken heart and shattered dreams.

they call him the Philly Phanatic

Big B returned from his trip to Philly this morning, with tons of photos from the 2008 World Series Champions, Philadelphia Phillies, parade and stadium celebration. I thought I'd share some photos of their mascot, the Philly Phanatic.

These (as well as all the photos I add on here) are taken with my Canon Powershot A720 IS. It's pretty small time I guess, but it's just enough for this sub-amateur photographer and her hubby! We're just learning how to use its more advanced functions.

tortured no more

Phillin Phine in Philadelphia.

So I've caught the bug. Who wouldn't especially being somewhat of a history buff? I watched, along with a zillion others, as history was made last night!

In a world where so much can be depressing this was a sheer moment of joy. If only you could have seen the look on my husband's face.

Big B is heading up to NJ this afternoon. He's from the Trenton area, which I guess you could say is the sister city to the city of "brotherly love." He'll stay at his dad's house tonight, wake up tomorrow morning and set out with his brother to Philly so they watch the parade.

Wish I could go, but the boys have exams today and tomorrow, and I have to study along with completing some assignments.

A picture is worth a thousand words

Brad Lidge after throwing winning pitch,with Carlos Ruiz, photo courtesy of The Charlotte Observer


photo courtesy of Associated Press


Ryan Howard just before dog piling his teammates, photo courtesy of Reuters


Chase Utley celebrating with champagne, photo courtesy of Associated Press


Cole Hamels won 2008 World Series MVP, photo courtesy of Reuters

holy cannoli!

No, I'm not really talking about the delicious Italian dessert.

How can anyone be excited about anything other than the Phillies are in the World Series!?

Yes, if you really know me you know that is some sort of BS line.

Literally.

That's not only the degree I'm finishing, but it is also my husband's initials. Haha, you probably thought it meant cow poo.

Nope, the hubs loves those Phillies.



This year, upon seeing some of the finer strengths of the Philadelphia Phillies, I've sort of stepped on the bandwagon too. How could a girl not, with all that there is to admire?

Really now, my hubs is the eternal "tortured Philly fan." Philadelphia sports fans are nothing if not loyal.

Let's just say it has been a long time since any one of their teams has won a season title. They've come close, even in recent years-but no cigar!

It's almost a poetic justice as the Phillies are playing Tampa Bay in the 2008 World Series, after the Eagles lost to TB in the 2003 Super Bowl, which was apparently a close game and a truly devastating loss. I wouldn't know, didn't really care. I'm sure I quietly tiptoed around the house for days after the loss, because Big B was most assuredly grumpy.

So the next few nights, while the World Series plays out, as the tension mounts, will hopefully culminate in a win and Philly will be tortured no more.

retrospect on dealing

Sifting through my computer files I came across the blogs I'd saved from my old Myspace account. Following is one, that I wanted to add back in.
updates to the blog:

AW didn't make the school soccer team this past spring, but never gave up and went on to play for the city league. Their team name was the "annihilating nutheads"! How appropriate. He also did not have anything entered in the art show. No biggie. He did bring home some of his work from class, and as usual it's always impressive. We bought him a guitar a while back and he spends alot of time tinkering around with it. I wanted to put him in lessons, but he insists on learning on his own.

BZ's continued on with baseball. He played for the county Babe Ruth league, with a bunch of his friends who also did not make the high school team. They went on to win the championship! They rocked like you would not believe! He also played for the local American Legion team. He didn't start, but did get some good playing time in, not to mention the invaluable experience practicing with players older than he is--some were college aged. In the midst of all that we sent him to UVA baseball camp, with one of his friends and they had a blast. He plans to play fall ball with the school associated team this coming school year. They don't have fall ball officially with the school, for some strange reason. The teams are associated with the different area high schools, for instance everyone on his team goes to his school. The coaches are typically parents or volunteers from the community. He played last fall, and it was a great time had by all. He will go on to try out in the spring for the school team. With all the experience he's gained recently he should do well. He better after all the money we've spent on this sport!
dealing

I just posted the following comment on someone's blog in reference to her still watching cartoons with her boys:

"Lap up the cartoons while you can! There will come a day when you miss hearing Squidward yell, "Spongebob!", or Chucky talking about how he's scared of something, or even Steve singing the Blues Clues song! But it's really cool when they start developing into the young adults they will become...getting into music, art (AW), relationships, trouble (more then who broke something, or who pinched who), life in general...spreading their wings. Show them strength, because someday when one or the other breaks your heart you'll look back to the days of innocence and cartoons, with a need to draw from your inner strength."
Oh, the heartbreak! This past year, or so, as my teenage son, BZ, and my pre-teen son, AW, have gone about their lives I've had to develop thicker skin. Well, let's just say it's still thickening. Maybe a mother's skin continues to thicken from this point on, and that ultra-thick skin is what allows her to be a wonderful grandmother. Anyway! Let's not get ahead of ourselves!

My eldest, in particular, because he's developed a larger-then-life social life, has provided the forum for some serious thickening. The child who once told me everything, and I was his major source of everything, has, at times, informed me, and not necessarily in a mean way (that probably would be better-at least you'd be able to think it's out of anger or such), that he doesn't need to tell me certain things, some things are just none of my business. Don't get me wrong I can appreciate ones need for personal privacy. It just stings when someone who you've been privy to all their privies doesn't want to share as much anymore.

I guess I can't complain too much because he's the child (ha, that's not quite the best descriptive term...young man) who when I try to embarrass him, say at school, he shrugs it off and goes right along with whatever I'm doing. For those who don't know, I work at the high school he attends. One day, after school as I was waiting for AW to get off the bus (there for a while he was getting off at the HS so he could ride home with me...smiles) and I saw BZ standing with friends, outside. I said to one of my co-workers that I should go out there and embarrass him. I walked outside and yelled to him "Hello BZ! Mommy loves you!!" He didn't give me an angry look, didn't pretend like he didn't know or hear me, he waved back wholeheartedly! He's the one that if I ask him for a hug in the hallway, even though it goes against the school's PDA rules, he'll give me a hug.

Now AW on the other hand, he tells his father and I if we show up at his school we are supposed to act like we don't know him, to not say anything to him. He would have shriveled up and died if I had yelled something to him like what I did to BZ! In the least he would have turned a lovely shade of green, chartreuse maybe? But he's also the one when I am upset I can count on for a hug...as long as were at home in private, I suppose.

This past week I have been trying to deal with a heartbreak I've never known before. BZ started baseball tryouts at the end of February. To give you a little bit of history, he's played ball since he was four. So back to the tryouts. Because of weather the tryouts were extended out past the original cut day of Thursday, much to my anxiety and displeasure, to this past Monday. So after waiting eleven years, and one week of sheer suspense, Monday after picking him up, dining at Subway for a quick dinner, and returning home I figured they would start posting the list on the Internet. It had been plenty of time. Sure enough, came in the house, looked and there were a couple of names...ugh. It was being posted alphabetically, and hitting refresh every so often would show you more names. So we get to the R's and then we go to the Schxxx. I am bawling by now, from the anticipation, and now the utter devastation in not seeing our last name, knowing Brian didn't make it. Meanwhile, the B's are either laughing or yelling at me to stop, why am I crying, it's dumb...blah, blah, blah. Sweet AW is trying to console me, but I am flipping out.

Ok, so it wasn't a good reaction to have especially considering the person who should really be upset, and is trying to shrug it off in such a manly way. But if you know me you know I'm emotional, quirky, and an all-around basket-case! I won't deny it! I think I've even gone through the steps of mourning. Denial, sadness, anger....I'm still there, but with each day the resolve is taking over.

We knew there was a chance he wouldn't make it. There were over thirty boys trying out, and they only picked 17. So you can chalk it up to sure, some of them are just that damn good, but there's also politics.

BZ has been awesome throughout this whole thing. He did the pre-season conditioning faithfully, only missing one day because he was sick. He kept up a positive outlook, showing a confidence anyone would hope to have. In the end he's taken the disappointment with the grace a parent can really be proud of (and maybe should take from example!)

He has decided to play for the county rec league. We're trying to get him and his friends who also didn't make the team, on the same team. It won't be a season without baseball entirely, but I will have a hard time going to the HS games without a feeling of resentment. Some of his closest friends did make the team, and loving them like they're my own I'm sure I'll force my bitter self to go and cheer them on....once...haha.

There's hope for next year, as he's already said he won't give up, he will try out again.

Now on to AW. He is going to try out for his middle school soccer team. Can you just see my skin thickening? No, he has some hope. He has played soccer, unlike when he tried out for basketball. We were so proud of him for that. He'd never played formally, but gave it a shot (no pun intended), anyway. There's also the upcoming annual county school art show. He had a piece in it last year, and I would love for him to show off his ability this year. I really ought to take some pics of his drawings and post them to show them off.

Hmm...well, that's about all I have to say right now. Something to think about: the pride felt being a parent, a mother, outweighs the heartbreak...we can only hope!