Rock, A Hard Place, and a Good Kid

So summer really has taken hold now. We've been so busy swimming, tumbling, kicking balls, watching movies, planning a cheer season, hanging with friends, and dealing with drama.

What's the drama? Well my son has been playing Academy Soccer for the past 2 1/2 years with a local club. He's very loyal to this club as he's played with some of the other players since he was 4 years old. He loves his team.

This year the team is old enough to move up to the next level--competitive soccer. And a month ago we got a call that our son was going to be singled out and cut from the team. They felt like he just didn't have the chops. The other kids on the team who don't have the chops? Well there's where politics come into place. You know. It's an old story.

So during the past month we've gone around town looking at other clubs. Unfortunately for my son, none of these clubs felt like home. You see my son is one of these old fashioned loyal type of guys, and he really loves his teammates. So despite the fact he knew that he was probably going to get cut, he insisted on trying and only trying with the team that he's been playing with as long as he can remember.

And then he said, "Maybe I can change the coach's mind. Maybe he won't cut me."

Rock and a hard place--that's where my husband I were--rock and a hard place.

I mean how do you explain politics to a 10 year old kid?

How do you explain to them that showing up to every practice, trying hard, and being agreeable means nothing in competitive sports if you don't have the magic touch on the ball?

You can't.

So today, my husband took my son to tryouts. And he got cut.

Little B cried on the way home, and my husband then took him on a "man walk" for a "man talk." When they got home he told me he still didn't want to try out for other teams. He was going to find a friendship team and find the fun in soccer again. He was going to have time to explore other things he was interested in that he's never had time to do before, and he was excited about that. And he insisted that today, it was going to be a good day for only one bad thing had happened.

"Hopefully that one bad thing won't ruin the whole day," he finished.

And for him, I think it won't.

He's a good kid.

And for that coach who decided to single him out? Well, I'm sure you all have a few choice words for him. Don't you? I know I do.

You're Embarrassing Me!

I think I was 11 or 12 the first time I remembered being embarrassed by my parents. I was having a slumber party with my girlfriends, and right in the middle of us dancing to a rousing chorus of Sheena Easton's Morning Train, my Dad jumps in the center of our circle and starts doing the Monkey.

When I look back my Dad dancing was pretty funny, but at the time, what comes out of my mouth?

"Da-ad...you're embarrassing me!"

So Tuesday my 10 year old son and I decided to go see The Land of the Lost. It was mildly amusing, but there was one line that set me off laughing.

"Suck it Matt Lauer!" yelled by the amusing Will Farrell

It was one of those spewing-drink-out-of-your-mouth laughs. And just when I was really getting going I hear the harsh whispering reprimand of my son,

"Shhhhhhhhhhhh, MOM! You're embarrassing me!"

And there it is. Life coming full circle. Who knew it would come so fast?

So...Are You Still There?

So it's summer.

And the kids are home.

And the neighborhood pool is open.

And there was soccer camp.

And there was tumbling camp.

And the after-the-pool party with the neighbors have begun.

And the annual garage sale was last weekend.

And I still haven't uploaded my pictures from Mexico, though they are totally awesome.

And my daughter had surgery last week to get an earring out of the inside of her piercing. No. I don't know how it got in there. But it did. And apparently knocking her out was the only option.

And I've volunteered for one too many things. I think I need a shirt with a Superman "S" on it. Only mine will stand for SUCKA!

And I haven't blogged in weeks. Perhaps my "S" shirt instead will mean "Suck." As in I suck at finding time to blog.

Tomorrow I will find time to blog. No really. Something more substantial than a whiny entry with weak excuses about why I haven't been blogging.

Because really, I have a lot to say. I just have the find the time to say what I want to say, edit out all of the stuff that causes the gossipy be-atches out there to get all worked up (Oh, you know who you are...:P), and press "Publish Post."

Anyway, tomorrow. Tomorrow I will sit down and write something substantial.

You know unless I feel called to the pool or something.

Oh wait. I do have one more picture uploaded from my trip. Here's the hubby and I on our first night. We're exhausted because of our 6 hour flight delay, we're pale because we missed the sun our first day because of the 6 hour flight delay, but we're happy because we found the room's beer fridge which was part of the "all inlcusive" vacation package.

How have you been?

Are you still there?