Friday, January 23, 2015

Hanging On...

Seasons come and go.  They change, not always when you want them to.  Some of them are welcome, some knock the wind out of you.  But one thing is for sure... change is coming.

Right now, we are neck deep in basketball season.  12 games last week and 9 this week.  Sometimes at the same time in different gyms, which means I'm missed a few.  I LOVE watching my kids play sports.  It's fun when they play well and it's still fun when they don't.  Yes, winning is fun.  But appreciating the character that comes through loss is pretty great, too.

It's been a new experience having the Coach back in the stands with me, again, after a two season stretch coaching the high school girls. He coaches whether he's coaching or not.  If you know what I mean.  Ha! How I love him. He missed 99.9% of the other kids' games last year (we have five playing), so I'm tremendously grateful to have him enjoying all of it with us.

If you have ever enjoyed an Oklahoma Winter, you know that change is the word.  It will be below freezing for days and then back up in the 60's for a few.  I finally braved the cold for a sub-freezing run last week.  Wasn't too bad.  Then it warmed up.  Ha!  It is what it is.  The kids have to check every day to see if they need a coat or just a jacket.

After a month of so much sickness (I ended up with a doozy of a sinus infection a couple of weeks ago), I'm finally back into a season of working out every day.  It's amazing to me how LONG it takes to build strength and endurance (and lose weight!), and how QUICKLY I can go backwards. Get weaker, slowly, fatter.  Such a bummer.  I'm finally learning though, after so many years, that the seasons and change are part of it.  When the whole family has the flu?  Time for a break.  When everyone is better?  Get back to it.  Understanding it will take some time.  My running pace still isn't back to where it was in December.  But it will be.

There are seasons in the school year, too.  This one isn't my favorite.  January and February are PROJECT season.  Three science fair projects, currently.  And don't ask about the dog bank made from oatmeal container.  Just. Don't. Ask.  The autobiography for the senior (thesis over - whew!).  Workouts again for the Sophomore.  It's a lot to keep up with.

My favorite thing right now?  This season of our marriage.  It just keeps getting better.  We think the same things at the same times.  We look forward to time together, whether date night or just time to talk.  Can I SAY how fabulous it is to reach the season when you can not only go on a date by yourselves regularly, but leaving for the weekend is an option, too?  I'm telling you.  It's the best.  The coach?  He's my favorite.  The other night one of the kids said, "You know, Mom, someday we'll all grow up and leave and it will just be you and dad.  How awkward."  HA!  Little does he know...

Maybe the strangest season we are in right now is this new season of parenting an adult.  Son #1 has been in Brazil almost two weeks.  He has another two to go.  We've only heard from him briefly - he doesn't have his phone or laptop.  We have no idea what he's doing every day or even where he is.  And that's just the beginning.  He's making Spring Break plans.  By himself.  He's applying for Summer jobs in other states.  Making college plans for next year.  I'm telling you, so strange.  But it's wonderful, too.  I'm so grateful for him and so proud of the young man he is becoming.  We raise them up to send them off.  But it's still strange.

This is also the season of the Camp Gladiator Nutrition Challenge and my second "cup" of coffee (4 oz coffee, 4 oz of almond milk - because we are limited to only 8 oz of coffee per day.  So sad!) is almost gone.  Time to get going.

Whatever season or seasons of life you are in today, may they be filled with gratefulness.  And a little sunshine doesn't hurt.

Happy Friday!



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