Celebrate Spring!

I love Springtime but only when it starts to warm up. Rain doesn't bother me as long as it is not a cold rain. Spring brings with it the flowers, birds, green grass and lacrosse! All three are my favorite parts of Spring.

This Spring we are very immersed (more so than normal) in lacrosse. Not only are all three kids playing but I am coaching the Thunder girls team (Syd's team). I have coached soccer and played field hockey, soccer, tennis and volleyball but I was worried that I didn't understand enough of the girls game (it is very different from boys) and I wouldn't be able to teach it. I think I am doing an okay job of it--I began practices in March with just 8 girls on the roster and I now have 21! My team played in the Chicks with Sticks tournament this weekend and they took first place (see the photo above)! I am so proud of how well they playing including the girls that hadn't picked up a lacrosse stick until just a few weeks ago! I am having as much if not more fun teaching them the game of lacrosse as they are in learning it. Syd had an incredible day as she scored 11 of our 19 total goals. She is extremely talented (that is from her Mom and her Coach).

This is our last Spring with Cole playing high school lacrosse so we are also sharing bittersweet moments as we realize that he has less than six weeks left before he graduates. We had an amazing Senior night at Cole's lacrosse game last Thursday. After the game, the parents were assembled on the field. Each of the parents received a letter from our seniors and the Moms were given lacrosse necklaces that our seniors had purchased for us. Spring is also a time of endings and beginnings. It is the end of Winter and the beginning of warm weather. For Cole, it is the end of one period of his life and the beginning of a new one.

Charlie has come out of his brother's shadow and is making his own name on his lacrosse team. He is a leader on the field and his teammates enjoy playing with him. At one of Cole's games, one of his coaches pointed out Cole on the field to his wife and daughter and said, "That is Charlie's brother, Cole." I had to smile and Charlie had a grin on his face as well!

So, celebrate Spring. Enjoy the warmer weather, the sun, flowers, birds and sports. Celebrate the endings and beginnings of Spring!

Celebrate Support!

Saturday afternoon we went to the Westminster/Gonzaga lacrosse game to support our friends. We have friends who play on on both teams so it was difficult to know who to cheer for--we went with Gonzaga because we were sitting on their side with friends. As we sat there I had a thought I shared with Eric, Charlie and Syd---if Cole doesn't get the Naval appointment we could be sitting here for the next four years as his ROTC scholarship would allow him to attend Westminster. With that thought hanging in the air, Eric received a call from him Mom. After months of waiting the letter from Navy was finally here. We pleaded with her to open it since Cole was still in Washington D.C. and would be for another 3 days. The news was not good. They didn't not offer him an appointment. After a few tears I called Cole and broke the news to him while I sat in the Westminster stadium. He was quiet and as a Mom I was worried about his reaction to the death of his lifelong dream of attending an academy. He was clear across the country and I couldn't be there to hug and comfort him. I prayed his buddies would be supportive and then I did the only thing I could think of---I called another Mom. Ann Jones or Mama Jones as the boys call her was on the trip with them. She waited in the lobby for Cole to return from his walk around the city. When he enter the hotel, she crossed over to him and without a word, gave him my hug. Cole looked at her and said, "You talked to my Mom!"

Celebrate support! Whether it is from your immediate family or those who walk in and out of your life, it is wonderful to have the support of those who love you!