"We Ready" for all the Little Moments

Today sent me back into my whirlwind of a life. I was up before dawn to wake the kids and get ready for work. Family prayers at 7:30, followed by brushing hair, brushing teeth, finishing up packing lunches and out the door to school, kids in tow. I arrived early to prepare for a new student who is joining my class. It's my second new student who has always been homeschooled. That meant rearranging desks, labeling books, and the like. And, oh yeah, we're back to wearing masks. 

It was a lot to deal with along with the normal pains of reentry. The students were expectedly slow to jump back in to the fast pace I keep in my classroom. There were a million questions (all very understandable) from the new student. There were extra text messages about gathering the week's work for a student who's out sick, arranging to be at auditions for the upcoming literary competition, making changes to the Little Sisters' calendar, keeping books at which basketball game and when, picking up Max's teammates for the game, and, oh yeah...making the wedding cake I couldn't say no to. I literally couldn't breathe (I mentioned the masks right?).

We arrived back home with enough time to change clothes, review Spelling words, and answer some of the outstanding texts. Then I had a house full of 8th grade boys that needed to get to their game. I corralled them towards the car to find my keys were missing. I (almost) ALWAYS hang my keys in the laundry room. I was sure I had, and yet, they were not there at the moment I needed to be leaving. After a brief search in the three places I had been since coming home, I decided to ask my home from college son if he had seen them. I'm so glad I did because for some odd reason, he had put them back in the car. Sigh...

We made one stop to add another boy to the group and were on our way across town to the game. The conversation was fun and inclusive (even of me). Then it switched to them asking for some "pump up music", for which Max commandeered my phone. As I pulled into the parking lot, and dropped them at the door, the lyrics "We ready", were blasting from the car. Years ago, this would have embarrassed me. Today I took it in stride. I mean, how great is it that my kid and his friends left my car laughing and totally pumped to play some ball?

I keep the books for both of the boy's teams, and often for the girls since I usually stay at the gym anyway. Tonight however, someone offered to do the girls' game. I'm glad that happened because during that game I got a call from Dawson, who couldn't find his basketball shoes for his game, which was next. "I can only think I might have left them at the Christmas tournament." 

I swallowed hard and took a deep breath. "How would you have done that? Did you go back to the hotel after the game?" As I asked the question calmly, I was also secretly patting myself on the back for not losing my mind. 

"You know, they could be on the bus," he responded. "You're right. We didn't go back to the hotel."

It just so happened that his coach, who is also the high school principal, was standing right in front of me. "Hey," I shouted across the bleachers, "you don't remember seeing some basketball shoes on the bus do you?'

Thankfully, he did. Dawson got off the phone with me and called him. He guided Dawson to finding the bus key, and ultimately, his shoes. I knew this because as I was finishing my burger in the concession area with Max and Nelson, Dawson showed up in time for warmups, the correct shoes on his feet. 

You might assume that I'm going to end here by saying how grateful I am that Dawson found his shoes in time for his game. And, indeed, I am grateful that happened. However, I'm much more grateful for the bigger picture which, oddly enough, is not the big thing at all.

Sure my life is crazy and busy, but it's also blessed and beautiful. The older (and even perhaps wiser) I get, I am learning to relish the little moments instead of always searching for the big ones. I'm grateful for my sons AND their friends who don't mind including me in their jokes and conversations (although at this age they are often quite disgusting and inappropriate). I'm grateful that they still call me when they need me for the little and big things. I'm thankful I get to share their stats with them post game. I love that I get to listen to their conversations with their teammates as they wait at the table to be subbed back into the game. I'm hopeful (as well as prayerful) that these are the moments that will make a lasting impression. That in the end, they remember that I showed up for them like my parents always did for me. 

I'm grateful for all of the little moments that allow me to love my kids. I plan to spend this year finding as many of those as I can.