Weekend Update

This weekend went a little somethin' like this...


Friday night: Date night with D. Meet up with two other couples. Enjoy wine. Switch establishments. Enjoy sushi, beer, etc... . Switch establishments...again. Enjoy fried pickles, beer, sports on about 80 televisions. Go home. See myself in the mirror. Wonder why I'm gaining weight (ha! All the "enjoyment" above have something to do with it, perhaps?).

Saturday morning: Wake up WAY too early after a fun/late night out for an 8am football game (at which Belle is cheering). While on sidelines, learn about new iPhone apps I've never heard of (including coupons!) while watching the game. Imagine we are getting the hairy-eyeball from the football parents because we aren't cheering enough, but the apps are too fun and we are laughing too much. Football game won. Watch the most enthusiastic little football players run through the victory line always done by our cheerleaders after each game. Watch the very excited coaches try to kneel down to run through the same line. They are always so supportive of our girls. Super Bowl bound, once again. Reminder: bring heavy blanket unlike last year.

Saturday late morning: Convince Belle to take a nap before her cheer competition that afternoon. Lay down with her. Snuggle. Talk. Catch up on her life. Take in that 'little girl smell' that I'll always remember and never forget. Belle decides she's not tired. Too late...momma is. I'm out. She's not.

Saturday afternoon: Dress Belle...again...in her cheer uniform. Hair in pigtails. Off to get more hair and makeup done. Get there early and watch her friends in another division cheer. She whispers in my ear, "This is just awesome." I smile that she has an activity to do with her friends that brings her such joy. Even though it's cheer...and that's never been much of a 'sport' to me until I watch how much they do and how hard they work. She's happy. That's what matters. Make up done, cheer competition complete. They did great and leave with medals around their necks. The entire football team shows up and brings them all white roses after the competition and take an adorable group picture. My heart grows a little more watching those boys be protective over their cheerleaders/little sisters.

Saturday night: Dinner with the family. Another family from school shows up. They have a little boy who is in Belle's class and they kind of have a 'crush' on each other, for lack of a better word. Really, they are buddies. Belle spends the entire evening smiling across the restaurant at him. I take a picture of her staring. She looks at me in amazement that I'd dare to do such a thing. Sorry. It's my job. Head to the casa. Throw some clothes in the washing machine. Sit. Relax. Snuggle. Sleep.

Sunday morning: Church. Reminded of confidence and encouragement (Hebrews 10:19-25). That our main source of confidence should come from God; not our zip code, belongings, clothes, job, etc... . That we should surround ourselves with a community of encouragement. Notes most of us don't experience the encouragement we seek because we don't place ourselves in the position of encouragement. Whoa...so true. The power of synergy. The grace of God and those we choose to associate with. Birds of a feather. Don't be surprised when the monkey eats the banana. You get the gist.

Sunday after church: Go to lunch with friends from church. Discuss our crazy kids. Our opinion of the church we are visiting vs. the church we are considering transferring from. The difference in the pastors. Weigh the pros and cons. Discuss how the role of kids sports has changed since we were little. Discuss how much we respect the dads who are coaching who don't have their kids playing the 'lead' role. Also discuss our admiration for them even volunteering to coach. It takes a lot of time. I want my kids to play sports, but definitely don't want to coach. Glad someone else does. Wish they all did it for the right reason (wanting to c-o-a-c-h and therefore teach all the kids) vs. the wrong (wanting to produce clips for their kid's highlight reel). Yep, too many out there just want to round up a group of kids who already possess some form of natural ability and just win. Discuss how it's become all about the win vs. kids playing with their friends and learning a sport. So very different from when I was little and played sports.

Sunday afternoon: Running errands and shopping with D. Spend enough at the grocery store to earn a free Thanksgiving turkey (yes!). Come home, continue with laundry started the day before. Shower. Start reading a new book (Have a Little Faith, by Mitch Albom). Pass out with glasses on and book on my lap (according to D). Set alarm to get up and start a new week.

Always remember and never forget: "Small events and choices determine the direction of our lives just as small helms determine the directions of great ships." M. Russell Ballard