He'll Always be My Champion!

     This weekend Nate played in his football league's Super Bowl. The culmination of a long, hard season full of practices, games, sprints, hitting drills, running plays, wins and losses. A trip to the Super Bowl is the coveted prize and is always much anticipated by the players and the parents. The boys get to play at the local university, which makes it even more special. Unfortunately, Nate's team lost 6-0 in a hard fought game. Nate, however, had the game of his life! He had two sacks, several tackles and caught two passes, both for first downs! It brings such joy to our hearts to see our son succeed in what he has worked so hard for. As proud as I was to watch his performance last night, I am even more proud of his perseverance throughout the entire season. Football is a long season. It begins in early August and doesn't end until the middle of November. These kids practice and play in the scorching heat and in the bitter cold several days a week. They work hard! I am so pleased with how Nate handled a heavy practice schedule while balancing all of his other responsibilities. He always finished his homework and maintained excellent grades. I am also super proud of Nate's behavior on and off the field. He was always respectful to his coaches and fellow teammates. He was encouraging and the first to give "high fives" after tough drills even when he was tired himself. He played hard every game, worked hard at practice and would watch film of himself to see where he could improve. After a tough loss in the Super Bowl, he still had a smile on his face, thanked his coaches for their dedication and hard work, and even went over to the coaches of the other team and congratulated them on their win. I am very impressed with my son and my husband who helped instill into Nate this valuable work ethic and respect. Win or lose, I couldn't be more proud of how Nate handled himself this season and how he has grown as a player, but more importantly, as a person.

So Thankful to Be "Here"    

     I was thinking again this morning about just how thankful I am to be a stay-at-home mom. Being home, raising our children is one of the greatest blessings in my life. We may not have the newest cars, take exotic vacations, or have the latest technological gadgets, but the memories I've been able to make with my kids are priceless! I wouldn't trade one single second of my time at home with them. Not for all the money in the world. I have been so blessed to see their first steps, their first smiles and hear their first words. I've snuggled with them for afternoon naps and held them in my lap while we watched the snow fall outside our window. I've seen them laugh 'til they could barely breath and hugged them while they cried and I thought my heart would break. I've taken them to the park, the movies, the swimming pool, and the library. We've taken countless leisurely walks through the neighborhood picking up leaves, rocks and flowers. Looking at the shapes in the clouds and watching earthworms crawl across the sidewalk. We've colored in coloring books, drawn with sidewalk chalk, and cuddled in the rocking chair while we read book after book after book. I've dried their tears, kissed their scrapes, and put on lots of band-aids. I'm so thankful to be the one that greets them at the door when they get off the bus and surprise them with warm chocolate chip cookies and milk. To have lunch with them at school and go on their field trips. It means the world to me that I have been present for all of these precious moments in their lives. The good, the bad, the peaceful, the chaotic, the happy, the sad, the easy, and the difficult.....I have been so incredibly blessed to be here for it all. And for that, I am forever grateful.

One Hundred Years From Now....

It will not matter how much money you made,
What kind of car you drove,
What sort of house you lived in.
One hundred years from now,
The world will be a better place,
Because you made a difference,
In the life of a child.

-Forest E. Witcraft