Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Bits and Pieces #10


  • We were shopping at Shoe Carnival recently, and one of my dear, long-suffering children says with a moan, "I don't think this place should be called Shoe Carnival.  I think it should be called Poo Carnival!"
  • Last month, we celebrated Shadow's Adoptoversary.  Yep, it was just over a year ago that our black doggie became a part of our family.  We celebrated by giving him a Happy Dog Meal (which I bought on major Christmas clearance, of course!), complete with fries, a cheeseburger and some liver hearts.  What else says Happy Adoptoversary like liver hearts? We could tell he was very moved by our show of love. 
  • I have been filling up the burb lately for around $40.  I cannot tell you how overjoyed that makes me!  During the worst of the gas prices, it was well over $100 to fill up.  Woohoo!
  • Daughter:  "When I grow up I think I would like to be president." 
    • Me:  "That's a great idea, babe!  I would vote for you!'
    • Daughter:  "Well, if you're not dead yet!"  
  • I bought some Dove soap the other day, and more than once, I have walked into the bathroom after someone has showered, and I am instantly taken back 30 + years.  Taken back to my grandma's mauve bathroom, where she only used pink Dove soap.  It is amazing how a scent can transport a person to another time, another place.  I have blogged about this subject before, and it never ceases to amaze me.  One moment I am walking into my bathroom, instructing my 9-year-old son to keep moving after his shower, and the next, am 9 years old, washing my hands in my grandma's pink bathroom.  She passed away 16 years ago, and I very much enjoyed the little catapult to the past, and my vivid memories of my beloved grandma.




    Monday, February 8, 2016

    Slam Dunk!

    Sunday marked the end of my 14-year-old son's grade school basketball career.  It has not been an especially illustrious career; in fact, the losses have certainly outweighed the wins.  But these past four years of playing basketball for our Lutheran grade school have been a major part of our lives, and now it is over.  We end the season each year by participating in a large Lutheran school tournament about two hours away.  All the families travel together and stay at the same hotel.  We eat, laugh, cheer and hang out as one big school family.  It's a blast, and the highlight of the players' year (and their siblings' and parents' as well).

    The team ended up only winning two games this season, and although I would have preferred a winning season (who wouldn't?), I consistently told my son how proud I was of the effort I saw him put forth each game.  Even if they were losing by 20 or more points, he and his teammates never gave up.  They pushed and gave the game everything they had.  We all watched this team, many of whom have been friends since kindergarten or earlier, work together, rely on each other, trust each other, and grow.   In my opinion, that teamwork, integrity and growth is even more important than winning lots of games.

    During the final game of the tourney, with less than two minutes left and only down by six, my son and one of his teammates noticed that points had erroneously been given to us instead of the other team.  They waved quickly to the ref, stopping the game momentarily, to point out the error.  The scoreboard was corrected and the game continued, with us finally losing by about six.  A few hours later, when I asked him why he had stopped the game to flag down the ref, since the error made winning much more achievable, he said, "A dishonest win would have meant nothing".

    This is my black-and-white son speaking.  Having no room for any gray area has its challenges for sure, but I am so thankful that being ethical at all costs is so important to him.  There are rough waters a-coming in high school and beyond and I pray that this approach to life continues to be second nature to him.

    So the season is over, with a rather lopsided record.  But I think these boys had a winning season.  In the things that truly matter - integrity, Christian attitude, teamwork - they came out on top.