High School

Luke's Freshman year of High School is half over already. Where does the time go? I feel like school just started. It's already starting to slip away too quickly. Part of the reason for this I know is because this kid is just so darn busy.

Here's the thing about High School that I never knew ... High School sports will completely and utterly monopolize your life.

And it starts over the summer before the school year has even begun. Daily Doubles. Now there is a monopoly on your time if there ever was one. Two practices a day, two and a half hours each, for two weeks. Who on earth would want to do such a thing? Luke did. When he came to me and announced that he was going to play water polo I thought he was crazy. He had never played water polo a day in his life, he had never even been on a swim team (although he is a good swimmer). Water polo is a tough sport. I had visions of him getting pulled under water, swam over top of, pushed around, drowned. Where is my faith in my kids? All that stuff did happen, of course - (except for the drowning part) but Luke is a tough kid, he can take it. He caught on fast and started on his JV team all season and played in a couple of varsity tournaments. Can I just say how much fun this was to watch? The games are fast and furious and they are over before you know it but it's really some of the most fun I have had watching my kids play sports.

Before I knew it, the season was over and he was on to wrestling. Not my favorite sport. But here is one thing I have learned about watching sports - if my kid is participating, I am interested no matter what it is. It is not an easy sport to watch though. I have never been so nervous watching my kids do anything. I start to feel nauseous before I even get there and my whole body tenses up just watching him. I admit I have had to close my eyes a few times. He is very intense about it too. It is one thing if your team loses a game, but when you lose a wrestling match - that is all on you and it can be a tough pill to swallow. Likewise, if you win it can be a big high. Needless to say, we have seen a wide spectrum of emotions around here this season. The win to loss ratio is about even right now.

(Gotta love the purple singlet!)

Wrestling will all be over with by the end of February and I must say I will be much more relaxed when it is. But I have to admit I will miss having some kind of sporting event to watch him in. ... At least until he finds something else to get involved with. I have a hard time picturing him with time on his hands.

Back to Reality

This holiday season has flown by just like every one before it. I am always a little melancholy at the start of a new year because it means the end of the winter break. I love having the kids at home for two weeks and having fewer activities and generally just having more time to relax and hang out as a family.

It was a good break. We slept in a lot and watched a lot of movies. We did some shopping, hung out with friends and baked up plenty of tasty treats. I definitely ate too much and so did Luke. He had a rough couple of days getting ready for a wrestling tournament that took place between Christmas and New Years. He wrestled 7 matches over the course of two days. He won 3 of them and lost 4, which was not what he was hoping for but not bad for a freshman wrestling on varsity among some fairly stiff competition. We spent the better part of two days watching most of it. As much as I will say I hate to watch wrestling, I think I hate not being there more.

Now the kids are all back at school and I am getting my house put back together. It's time for the January cleaning and organizing to begin...