Mileage

January 16th is MLK day. The kids are out of school, and I did not have to work. My hubby was not thrilled about that, since he has a new job, and he did, in fact, have to go to work.

We laid low today.  I caught up on cleaning toilets, doing laundry (I know, you are green with envy, I will try to dial down the glamour in this post a titch), trip to the orthodontist for the son, and tending to my daughter who isn't feeling well.

Anyway, today is significant in that it marks the first day that our extracurricular activities resume.

My son will be having soccer practice, not two, not three, but FOUR times a week starting today. That is a lot of driving back and forth for me. My hubs is working farther away now, so it will mostly just be me making the 25 minute trip each way four nights a week.

A lot of parents would just say forget it, that is too much. I know, and I understand why parents limit sports and things.

Here's the thing, though. He made straight A's on his report card Friday. He had a 4.0 for his first semester of middle school. He just made it in Beta Club.

He is such a great student.

And he loves soccer. I mean, he really loves it.

 And I love it, because Saturday night at the last indoor soccer game over the outdoor soccer Christmas "break", he scored. He was elated.

There is just something about your child doing something that they love that makes it worth it to crawl out of your comfy clothes and warm home to drive across town and let him play his heart out for a couple of hours. It must be love.

Really, it's giving up the weekends for the four tournaments and ten games that hurts the most. But it is rewarding. He is making memories and life lessons. Believe me, we would quit if he were not!

I would not do it for myself, that is for sure.

Not to be forgotten, my sweet girl has still been working on her back handspring for cheerleading that commences in the Fall. However, she is going to start volleyball soon with a local church sports group.

I think it will be good for her. She is an excellent student, and I think being on a this team will be both fun and challenging for her. Plus they only practice one night a week. Score! Still, they have Friday night games, but we will work it out.

You see, our time with them is going so quickly. It is ever present in my mind these days. A friend of mine lost her brother last week. It brought home to me that I want to invest every ounce of myself into their lives.

To be a godly influence on them. To etch in their memories the many, many times we pray together from morning, before tests, before games, after games, dinner tables, to night prayers after devotion.

To be the best parent I can to them. Praying often for wisdom and seeking to find God's will as we make the big decisions in their life, and realize once again that one day they will make these decisions for themselves, and we want those to be good decisions.

To be their biggest fan. Which is why I am walking out the door right now to drive a cute little blond haired boy to soccer, where he can't wait to go and show of his new cleats and see his friends.

And that's mileage I'm willing to travel.