Mom and Son Conversation

Evan: "Mom, why don't you leave post and come work in the county. You would love it at Rossview. The teachers are young and teach like you do. You'd get along great with them! And if you're having a bad day, just go spend a few minutes in the foreign language bathrooms."

"Why would I do that?"

"That's the bathroom the students use to smoke pot. You'd feel happy in no time!"

"I Made Varsity, Mama"

Thursday and Friday were middle school basketball tryouts. Keagan made the first cut and got invited to round two on a Tuesday night. At school one of the kids told Keagan, "Bro, you and I are about to put up points for the JV team." Keagan looked at him sideways and told him he could play JV but Keagan planned to play varsity. The kid responded with, "Dude, you're only in seventh grade. Look for your name on the JV roster."

Tuesday night K put up 14 points at round two of tryouts. Wednesday morning this was posted on the gym door.

Congrats, Baby Boy! I never doubted you would make varsity. Now drive to the goal and put up those points!

Smell Test

Evan has spent several of his Saturdays reffing rec soccer. It has been really hot and he has been very tired. But he had a goal: earn enough money to buy new Jordan's. He took his wad of cash to the mall last week ordered his dream shoes. Today they arrived in the mail. He took them out of the box and sniffed them. "Oh, man these smell good!"

The true test of a good pair of shoes - the smell test!

Now he must use the rest of his hard earned money to buy a new screen for his cracked phone. Real life just hit him hard - especially since opportunities to ref are dwindling. 

Soccer Weekend

Evan had two state league games in East Tennessee this weekend. This made for really early mornings, but both games ended in wins and put us closer to securing first place in the state league bracket. He also reffed a few games on Saturday.

Keagan had his club's tournament and multiple games each day that made for really long days. I had concession stand duty at 0630 on Sunday. When my alarm went off at 0430, I just about decided to ditch the soccer mom duty. His team played up and lost three games/tied one game. But it was great competition for our boys.

The weekend is already coming to an end, and I've not done anything but spend all of my hours on the pitch. I'm in heavy need of a long weekend and sleep. Lots of sleep! May this week go by quickly!

Because He Has Good Taste in Shoes

Keagan reffed his first soccer games today. He was a nervous wreck since all Evan could talk about was when he reffed his first game and parents yelled the F word throughout the game. To make matters worse, Keagan overheard his center ref say, "Well, damn! I gottta work with the newbie." As a newbie, he was shadowed by an experienced ref who handed out advice and pointers. After two games, he determined Keagan was ready to be on his own. 

One set of parents in the second game suggested Keagan was too young to have a job and should be at home "having fun." Clearly these parents do not understand teaching the value of a dollar or have a kid with a love for expensive shoes. I say let the kid work and pay for his own Addidas Tubulars. 

I'm not sure he will be buying any new shoes any time soon, though. The $54 he earned today was burning a hole in his pocket. After a long morning in the sun, he spent $4 on an Italian ice and then made plans to go to 

Game Stop. 

But first a nap was needed!

Labor Day Soccer Tourney

We introduced my 92 year old grandmother to Tennessee and soccer this weekend. She was lost watching the games, and the heat was nearly unbearable, but she cheered when we cheered and seemed to love the combined experience of soccer, soybean fields, and tobacco barns.

My aunt Suzanne was gracious to drive the eight hour drive and spend the holiday weekend in the sun so that Moo could see her great-grandson play. 

The boys dominated the first three games winning 2-0, 3-0, and 5-1. Unfortunately, we didn't win the final game. We lost the championship game in PKs and came home in second. 

Catchin' Up

When one boy plays a tourney out of town and the other boy remains behind, the late Sunday afternoons reunions are the best! They laugh, tell jokes, recap the weekend highlights, and then this. 

Sunday night they were up until 11:00 doing this! 

Best of friends. Family. Brothers.