First Game of the Season

                               

Oh yes.  Today is the day.  This evening, Peanut will be playing in her first volleyball game of the season.

Just when I started to get used to getting home at 7PM each night, I can now look forward to getting home around 9PM..at least.. a few nights a week.  Until the middle of October, anyway.

Awesome.

And, let's not forget that Butter's football season starts next week.  But, I'll give him his own post when that happens.

Despite the major lack of sleep I'll be getting, and the lack of time I'll be spending at home.. I actually really enjoy watching volleyball games.  Well, the games that Peanut plays.  You're not going to catch me watching volleyball on TV or anything, but there's something amazingly special about seeing your own child on a court participating in a competitive sport.

It gets the pulse racing.  It gets my competitive edge flaring.  

Yes. I'm one of those moms that sits in the bleachers and yells and whoops and hollers.

And I really enjoy every minute of it.

This is Peanut's second year on the volleyball court.  And she's advanced so much.

Last year, she was just starting out and was placed on the B team.  The county has two teams per grade..an A team and a B team.  The A team is made up of the more experienced players, and the B team is more for beginners.  

This year, my Peanut takes her place on the A team, and she couldn't be more happy about it.  Neither can I.  She had one heck of a season last year proving to herself that she could definitely play some volleyball.

In fact, at the one game I didn't attend, Peanut managed to consecutively serve 23 times that resulted in points for their team.  When their team was looking at a scoreboard of 24-0, match point for the other team, Peanut pulled the team up to 24-23 before the other team made their winning shot.

And, it just so happened that the 8th grade coach was in attendance for that game.

This year, she's worked her tail off at learning some new techniques and positions on the court.  Last year, she didn't really have a designated position that she played...she rotated around the court playing all of the positions.  As did all of her teammates.  This year, the coach has put them in to positions, and has been teaching them the skills they need to work together and cover their spots.  

I'm excited to see the differences the team has on the court this year.

This is one of two games I'll be attending this week.  She has another game on Thursday.  That's her first away game, and thankfully the town she's playing in is only a 15 minute drive from the high school.  It's the closest of all of her away games.  

The only downside to teaching in a different state is the traveling that occurs for away games.  In Missouri, the schools are divided up by counties.  So, unlike Arkansas, one town doesn't play another town.  A county plays another county.  Meaning that my drives to away games will be around 45 minutes to an hour away from the school I teach in.  That doesn't even include the 30 minute drive home once we get back to our school.  There is one game I won't be attending, and that's because it's two hours away...and even if I did make the drive, the game would be over by the time I got there.

Thankfully, that game happens on a night of one of Butter's home football games.. so I can go to his game and then pick Peanut up after, when she gets back.

But, one of the good things about having an entire county come together to make up the sporting teams is that the kids get to meet other kids from different schools.  So, by the time they head off to high school (next year for Peanut), they already know several people other than just the kids they go to school with now.  All the kids they've played sports with will be attending the same high school as them, so it won't be so daunting and scary to think about 6 jr. high schools that come together to make up the high school.

I'm just really happy that my kids have decided to participate in competitive sports.  I wasn't really a sports person in jr. high or high school.  I was in the band.  I loved the band.  I lived for band.  But, Peanut and Butter both tried that route, and really haven't enjoyed it.  Their hearts belong to sports, and I'm OK with that.  More than OK.  They are active, are learning a lot about discipline and team work, and have a focus on something fun and engaging.  

And, deep down, I've always wanted to be a sports mom.  No mini-van, though.  I'll keep my SUV.  But, I live to drive all over Southwest Missouri if I have to in order to watch my kiddos compete.  

Butter has already resigned from band, and Peanut wants to make this year her last year.  She kinda wishes she hadn't participated in band this year, but she did..and she plans on sticking it out until at least Christmas.  I am in full support of their decisions.  My only requirement for them to join band was that they at least give it a good try.  Peanut has been playing the clarinet since 5th grade, and Butter had his first year last year.  They both gave it a good run before coming to the decisions that band wasn't for either one of them - sports are what they want to do.

As much as I whine and complain about not being home much or having to travel so much, at the end of the day I'll do all of it because I'd much rather be complaining about those things than having two kids that sit on the couch all day and night and never do anything.

I want my kids to be active.  I want them to be involved in extra-curricular activities.  And it doesn't matter one bit how much I have to do in order for that to happen.  It's my job.  It's what parents do.  

I read an awesome quote about this very thing the other day...a quote I try to live by...

"Children shouldn't have to sacrifice so that you can have the life you want.  You make sacrifices so your children can have the life they deserve."

So true.

OK, time to go get ready for work.

Have a great Monday, everyone!!