High School Rivalry

It’s our version of Friday Night Lights. We swapped the helmets for shin guards and exchanged the football for a soccer ball. We played our rival highschool this weekend, and we came home with a win. Evan played the full JV game and assisted the team in getting a shutout, 3-0. 

He was supposed to play in the varsity game, too, but in the last fifteen minutes of the JV game, another player slide tackled his ankle. Evan tried icing and stretching it, but the swelling just kept increasing. He sat the varsity game out. I hated his missing the game because he wanted nothing more than to keep the opposing team (and Harrison) scoreless. It just was t meant to be. We ended up with a win, but it was not with ease. We will play the same team again in district playoffs. Evan will be ready!

Soccer Saturday

Hard rain and straight line winds cancelled our weekend of soccer, but not before Keagan got his state league game played. Today’s game was against the team with two of his best friends. As luck would have it, Keagan played defense on Chance’s side of the field. There was a lot of trash talking in between plays (or maybe Fortnight tips were shared - we aren’t sure).

Keagan won every ball and kept them scoreless. We won 4-0. 

We maintain our third place standing and hope to move up after next weekend’s games. 

Evan was set to make more than $300 reffing this weekend, but with the bad weather, he’s coming home with only $35. Not a bad hourly rate, but he has his heart set on a Jeep. He’s not getting a Jeep anytime soon if this weather doesn’t cooperate.

My Guy

Thursday Keagan was announced as the team captain of his travel team. The coach appointed him as captain because of “his encouraging talk on the field.” Sunday his team won another state league game. And he only got called for one foul in the entire game. 

This was it.

But he had some great footwork that got him around the offense. 

Then today his math teacher texted me to say he made a 95 on today’s test. More than half scored lower than 80%. 

All of this talent? It’s definitely my genes. Now the other kid I still haven’t decided to claim. Last night I found he was the one buying music and charging it to my credit card! Last month Wes cancelled his card because we thought some type of fraud was transpiring. Then I noticed we were still getting charged. Evan denied buying anything - even after I was able to link the purchases to his Apple ID. He’s now volunteering as a parking attendant at next weekend’s soccer tournament.

Student of the Week

This kiddo was awarded student of the week. His math teacher, his dear math teacher Ms. Robards, awarded him for hard work and perseverance because math is not Keagan’s forte. Yet, he earned an A quarter three in advanced math! This kid does not completely grasp his potential - yet. I’m hoping today will open his eyes and help him realize the world is his.

My other son received no such award. He is being recognized in the principal’s office for skipping class. Who needs to attend every class every day, says Evan?

I do. 

He’s mopping floors and vacuuming today. And his phone is turned off and hidden in my underwear drawer. He will never rummage through that drawer so I consider it safe!

Sports Banquet

Better late than never, I guess. We celebrated the end of the basketball season three months after it ended with dinner and medals. I assure you it was better received in April than it would have been in January. I didn’t feel much like celebrating after winning only two games. Tonight each player was recognized with a personalized medal.

The seventh graders will be leading the team next winter. Someone in the audience mumbled to his table, “Well I hope they grow.” Clearly he didn’t mean for the parents of the “short” kids to hear him. You better believe I didn’t let it pass. I immediately responded, “You do not have to be tall to play basketball.”

Keagan says next season will be his last season to play basketball. He plans to concentrate on playing soccer in highschool. Just like his brother. My heart hurts to hear this, but my life will be so much easier with only one sport schedule to manage.

Easter Sunday

We started our Easter Sunday with the dreaded 15 hour drive back home. I hated missing Easter service this year. Hated it. We did listen to the podcast but it wasn’t quite the same. We arrived in Mount Pleasant just as church was releasing and had brunch with the family. 

He is risen.

He is risen indeed.

God Blessed Texas

Maybe because I had to spend Tuesday relinquishing my Texas residency and establishing Tennessee residency. Maybe because I want to ensure my boys have a strong connection to “home.” Whatever the reason, I subscribe to Texas Monthly, proudly speak with my Texas accent and want my boys to feel Texas is as much of their home as Tennessee. On our way to San Antonio we stopped in Austin to see the Capitol. 

The best part of the trip? Seeing how the interstate was lined with bluebonnets and Indian paintbrushes. I can’t tell you how much I wanted to get out of the 80 mph car and frolic in the flowers. It’s been more than twenty years since I’ve seen them in bloom. Luckily, I got a picture while standing still. There’s nothing more beautiful than Texas in spring!

I got my authentic Mexican food at Mi Tierra but we also found a new favorite Mexican bakery. My weekend was complete and I hadn’t even seen a basketball player! 

And we experienced the king of gas stations, Buccees! It’s only after this I-35 stop that I think my kids can be officially considered Texans!. 

Final Four

We spent weeks debating how to spend spring break. Iceland? - expired passports; New York? - too expensive to fly; The Ark? - not exciting enough; Chicago? - too cold. Texas? - perfect! We hit the road on Wednesday geared up for the 15 hour road trip to Texas Hill Country to see the NCAA Final Four games!

San Antonio is beautiful in spring! I had two wishes: see bluebonnets and eat Mexican food. I got to check both of them off of my list - and then some!

Our seats were so far up that we couldn’t hear the ref’s whistle and I got dizzy if I stood up too quickly! The seats were scrunched together so tightly that I couldn’t stretch. And Keagan got a headache from all of the noise. But we got to see the final four games! 

We stumbled upon Fan Fest at the convention center prior to the game and debated whether it was worth the ticket price. The smiles in this picture say it was worth it!

The boys got to meet David Robinson of the Spurs!

Then we got lucky and got an autograph from Tony Parker of the Spurs. The guy had spent an hour doing nothing but signing his name - over and over. Keagan put his hand out and offered to shake his hand. It took Tony by surprise, but he obliged.

Now if we had just had phones that could keep a charge so we could take a few pictures with a flash! Although we were hoping for a Cinderella win, Loyola lost in the last few minutes. However, in game two Villanova put on a clinic!

Tonight we get to watch the championship game at home in pajamas, in comfy chairs, and with a perfect view of the court!