September

I got a message from my sister-in-law wondering where I've been and what we've been up to.  So here is the short and sweet version.

My Girls has been playing soccer on Saturdays.  The under-6 teams have a practice followed by a game each week.  It's nice and low-key three on three on mini fields.  She is on a team with a friend from preschool and she is loving it.

One morning as I was walking out the door with my water bottle, visor, folding chair, and My Girl in her uniform some 20-something guys drove by in a big truck and yelled, "Soccer Mom!"  My thought was, "Yes, isn't it obvious?"  It makes me laugh, but I'm a little confused by it.  Was it supposed to be some sort of insult?  Were they cheering for their memories of youth soccer?  Were they just stupid?  No one will ever know.

Buddy Boy and My Girl started piano lessons.  I've been thinking about this and chewing it over for years.  I finally found a teenage girl through church to be their teacher.  She is great and the kids love her.  She has a little sister My Girl's age so she knows how to work with the little ones.

Cub Scouts has started up again.  Buddy Boy earned his Wolf badge and is now working on his Bear.

I thought that I would have all this time with both kids in school, but I have filled it up.  I volunteer at the school twice a week and I have started a watercolor painting class one morning a week.  I'm really enjoying it.  It is as much of a stress relief meditation as anything.  It doesn't matter if the painting turns out or not.  I'm enjoying it.  I'm the youngest in the class by decades.  That is a stark contrast to the book club I attended last week where I was the oldest by as least one decade, two in some cases.  It sometimes feels strange to hang out with "peers" who were born after I graduated from High School.  (We have kids the same age so I guess that makes us peers, in a way, sort of.) 

I am also back to teaching.  This quarter I have two sections.  One on Friday and one on Saturday.  Four hours is a long time to be in class for me and for the students, but it works.  At least it is only one prep for the two classes.  I'll miss the rest of the Soccer games, but Dad makes a great Soccer "mom".

When you put this on top of the usual Mom stuff it feels a little crazy at times.  I'll get used to the new pace in a few weeks, until then, it's one day at a time.