The Straw?

This is Lucy, she is watching her brother play in his first soccer practice of the season. Lucy's mom is taking the photo, her heart is racing and her forhead beaded with sweat. This is not because Lucy's mom has just been cycling or training for her upcoming race, this is because her mom is running in the race of life...
Porter has begged to play soccer for the last 18 months. Why 18 months? 'Cause that's when his last soccer season ended.
During the past 2 seasons we have either been living abroad or moving in to a new home/neighborhood/routine, which means no soccer for Porter.

Only trouble is, I think soccer might be the straw-you know that straw, the one that broke the camel's back...

Soccer begins about 45 minutes after piano ends. Soccer is a day after "Winkids" day, in which we eat dinner at 4:30 p.m. and then spend hours at a sports facility for all our kids to develop their talents (no soccer at winkids; darn!). Soccer comes a day before gymnastics team and friends day (Friends day is every friday; as long as the kids do well in school they can bring kids home with them. Mason has his buddies over every Friday night for movies, or video games or board games. Good grades=friday friend day). Soccer happens two days after Scouts/Achievement day, which means 4 days of each week there is something happening besides homework, dinner, bath and bedtime. Just writing it down causes physical exhaustion and mental anxiety.

so, As I was hollering at the kids to "get yourselves into that car" to go to soccer I realized my pulse was racing and my voice a bit shrill. Once we got there (15 minutes late but at least fed) It was nice to sit down, watch my boy in action, help my kids do homework as we sat and talk to my teenager about music and friends (David Archuletta is a current favorite, but thank goodness for his guitar teacher who encourages the Jack Johnson influence as well as Pete Brienholt, now those guys I can jam to).

We'll see if soccer is the straw. Most weeks I'm pretty organized and fairly "together", getting the kids where they belong (it really isn't that many places, there are just that many kids!). I am just longing for a little time at home and the chance to reflect on my blessings. I think I'm a bit busy delivering opportunities to my children at times, and it is difficult to feel I am delivering the lessons they need to know that life has meaning beyond the soccer field or the piano recital. Do they know that? I hope so. Because in the end it won't matter if my Porter is a soccer star, but it will REALLY matter if he knows that I love him, and that I am calm and patient as I teach him to be a good team member and a good and honest boy who says his prayers before he falls into bed after a good hard soccer practice.

Gotta run, happy Friday!