Live from Tormville!

District Champs!

My photo isn't the best quality. 
I was struggling with timing and a lens change, and - as things happen- the moment was over before I had everything in place. 
It happens. 

We'd lost to Hartland twice this season, and Saturday's game had all the elements. The score was tight, the three pointers were sinking, there was at least one technical foul, and at one point I almost couldn't watch anymore as the Hartland team was gaining momentum and we were losing our lead in the 4th quarter.  My stomach was in knots, and I lost a few key photographs for it. 

But this one is my favorite, out of focus and all. 

Why? 

For a few reasons I suppose.  I'll look at it and always remember the energy that that game held. 
I'm grateful that, despite all the politics and all that goes with it, that winter sports were able to finish their season this year. 
And I love their smiles. 

I had to sit on my fingers Saturday night when the paper posted their article, and the lead picture was a picture of just the Howell team on the sidelines and two of the six pictures players with their masks slipping. Not off. Not all the way to their chin. Just slipping.

Within minutes there was a snide mask comment made. 

Not a way to go team comment. Not a congratulations on defeating the team that you lost to twice this season.  Only an impolite comment on the masks. 

I typed out at least three responses, deleted them all and crawled into bed. 

But it's weighing on me. Because I'm at those games.  I have seen those boys put on a fresh mask before they hit the court, only to come off a few minutes later and have to wring the sweat out of them into a garbage can. 

I have seen them, repeatedly, pulling them up during and after a play.  I've seen them pulling them away, not down or off,  from their face as they try and catch their breath

I've been witness to masks so drenched, they lay on their faces like a soaked sweaty sock. They. Are. Doing. Their. Best. They should be commended for their efforts and how well they've adapted.  

Now we are requiring them to get tested several times a week, and some of them are already getting tested twice a week if their job requires it. This is a fact. We have teenagers that are getting tested four times or more a week, so they can play. And work!  Give them some grace.

As for this picture - I love their smiles. They spend more time with each other this time of year than they do with their families. Their team IS their family. The eat pre-game meals together, play together, go out to restaurants together to celebrate their wins, have classes together, get tested together and hang out together during their off time.  

Let them enjoy the game. 

Tonight they take on Walled Lake Northern in the Regional Semifinal. 

Go get 'em Boys!  

 

 

Fifty-One

My husband is fifty-one today. 

Greg doesn't show up on here very much. He doesn't have social media, he's not a game chaser like I am, and he can most often be found out in his garage working with his hands. He still carves, he's built his own forge and likes to experiment now with metal by making knives and plant hangers,  he plays with his lathe now and then and he can still fix pretty much any problem we have with our home or vehicles.  And he cooks! 

While he's never been interested in my plus one ticket to the games, he's always been supportive of my going. In fact, he's been supportive of every single thing I've tossed out over our 33 years together, 29 of those married. 

Me at 23: Hey - I have an opportunity to live in Finland for a year
Him: That sounds like an amazing experience
Me, newly married: I joined a woman's hockey team. 
Him: That sounds like a blast. 
Me: I always planned to stay home, even after the kids went to school - but I there's an opportunity available. 
Him: Go for it.
Me, in the past: I may apply for a new job, but it would mean more days/hours. 
Him: It sounds well suited to you. 
Me: I changed my mind about that job, the cons outweigh the pros. 
Him: I trust your decision. As long as you're happy. 
Me: I've applied for a volunteer position that I feel very strongly about, but it's going to put me in high risk situations, and I'll be on call - so it will be a change of lifestyle. 
Him: That sounds very rewarding. 
Me: I want to go to a game tonight (and the next night, and the next night, and the night after that) 
Him: Have fun!
Me: We could use your robotics knowledge, do you think you could coach Brian's (and then Mark's) robotics teams? 
Him: What days and times? 
Me: They are looking for more coaches for archery, would you be interested? 
Him: How do I begin? 
Me: I want to paint the living room. 
Him: Tell me when and I can help move the furniture. 
Me: I want to replace your La-Z-Boy
Him:  NO

Grin. 

I am  blessed. 

Pandemic Banquets

Pandemic banquets are weird. 

Both boys had events last night.  Brian had an archery award ceremony last night - zoom style. They had to be present to win. Or not. 
As the slide show began, I was wondering if we were in the right zoom, as I didn't recognize any of the archers. I hadn't picked up on that it was a slide show and award ceremony for one particular hosted tournament and not specific to our team.
What I did pick up on is that when you have a lot of teens in a zoom meeting, at 4:30 before many parents are at home, there is a lot of chatter, scribbling on the presentation and attendees posting messages to please stop scribbling on the presentation. 

From his event, it was a quick dinner and then to Mark's Swim and Dive banquet award ceremony.  No food can be served during pandemic award ceremonies. Nobody beyond the athletes and coaches can attend - so it was a quick drop off, then back home to watch the live feed while guessing if it was going to finish early to send a driver back to pick him up. 

Only during pandemic banquets ceremonies does someone get awarded with "Most Likely to Get Quarantined" 

My husband: There is a lot of talking at this banquet. It's loud. 
Me: It's a middle school event with no parents. 
My husband: AAAAaaaaah! 

Best Team Player was the award given to Mark. 

Food in the form of pre-packaged treats were passed out at the door as they exited, an approved way of providing food at a banquet. Short and sweet and clean up was a breeze. 

On Yearbook, Plans, Markisms and Other Stuff

Yearbook

I've lost track of how many years I've put together our elementary yearbook, my favorite and my most anticipated (by me) project of the year. It's a project that brings together all my favorite things: photography, design and tedious organization.  

I had to let it go this year.  I had to let it go, or the frustration of a multitude of changes combined with not having the access to begin on my normal timeline - well, letting it go was the only choice I had if I wanted to maintain my sanity during a school year that has had double the normal work load. 

The only contribution that I put into this year's yearbook was proofreading, and I had less than a full day to do that in. So. It's going to look different. It's not bad. It's just different. 

I have high hopes of taking it back next year. Fingers crossed. 

What I HAVE enjoyed, is being accepted by the high school as a  photographer for their yearbook. While I don't have a hand in the design, that I've been able to contribute by attending events and taking photos has been my lifeline. I'm grateful. The work on the spring supplement begins soon, and my April calendar is delightfully loaded with new sports to photograph. I hope I can continue to contribute in some capacity in the years ahead. 

Plans

• Two more days of school until spring break! We are not going anywhere this year - but will enjoy Wendy and her favorite sidekick coming to town as well as hosting our guest minister - Greg's childhood friend who was best man in our wedding.  Greg has shared many memories with the boys over the past couple weeks in anticipation. 
• Forty-one more days of kids in the school. My days go by quickly, and as always, there are not enough hours. 
• More biking. The weather has been beautiful. I plan to pull my bike out of storage soon, and we've got one on order for Mark. Bikes are hard to find in the store, and ordering is a two month wait. Fingers crossed we like what we've ordered.  
• On walking. My step count is way down this year. I need to get on that. I've signed up for an IN PERSON 5K, so I really need to get my butt moving.  I wasn't at all motivated by virtual 5Ks. 
• I need to plan something fun for summer besides bringing Mark swimming 200 days in a row.

Markisms: 

• Mark, who rarely even turns his phone on: Mom, I don't even ever use Snapchat, and I got a friend request. 
  Me: Well, let me see who it is - maybe it's someone from church or school. 
  Me, not recognizing the name, I use my PowerSchool skills to confirm it is not a classmate. Delete. 
  Mark: Can I just delete Snapchat? 
  Me: Well, you could - but it's how your peer group communicates, and you might want it so you know what's going on at some point. You know, for social stuff. 
  Mark: Doesn't anyone just write letters and mail them anymore? 
  Me: Well. No. 
  Mark: Well. That's disappointing. 
  
  
• Mark: My age (14) is the perfect age. I'm old enough that adults take me seriously, but still young enough that I have freedoms. 
• Mark, on high school: They don't have a debate team OR a club for people who like board games?!?! 

Deep Thoughts

• Can someone be both good with change and not like change at the same time?
• If every decision made is right in the moment, how can the accumulation of those decisions feel and/or be wrong? 

 

 

A New Day / A New Year

It is not so much for its beauty that the forest makes a claim upon men’s hearts, as for that subtle something, that quality of air that emanation from old trees, that so wonderfully changes and renews a weary spirit. —Robert Louis Stevenson

On March 13, 2020 - I began counting days. That was the day that in-person learning at school came to a screeching halt. 

Tomorrow, March 15, 2021 - we start our fourth quarter of face to face education. I'm proud to be a part of a district that pushed forward with in person learning along with a virtual option. 

Are we back to normal?  No. 
Are there things I wish I could change?  Yes. 
Have I changed the way I do things?  Yes.  And No. 

While the year has held trials, it has also held blessings. 
While the future is still uncertain, there is hope. 

I choose hope. 

 

Staring Down The Barrel / Day 361

I remember when my mom was raising kids and working, she'd often remark that she wished that Sunday and Saturday were reversed. Her wish was that as the day of rest, Sunday came first. 

I reflect on that comment a lot, and definitely felt it yesterday. 

Last week was a long week. The work week was filled with activity, some within the norm and some out of the norm. It was a week that kept us on our toes. 

The boy's activities are in full swing, so every evening we are running. Mark's first two swim meets of the season took place this week. He learned a tough, but memorable, lesson when he rushed his getting into the pool before Thursday's event and didn't take the time to properly put on his goggles.  His goggles slipped off during his entry, filled with water and blinded him. He smacked chin first into the wall. Right in front of me, as I was cheering him on and taking photos. 

He ice packed for the rest of the meet, but did do his other events. I told him that I witnessed the coaches scrambling. They'd seen the impact and were sure they'd have to find a replacement for his relay. His response, "Even if they did try and replace me, I still would have done them"  He's bruised, but he still has all his teeth and he won't make that mistake again. 

Yesterday I crashed. 

I walked to the bowling alley to photograph that team's senior event at 8am, but afterwards - nothing.  I'm blaming it on the tough week, cold temperatures, the daunting week ahead and a poor night's sleep. 

Today I'll putter on a few things, make a plan of attack for the coming week and hope to make a meal plan. I also need to get outside and get some exercise and Vitamin D. 

This coming week are two more swim meets - both away. 
I'm working 8 hours a day this week, subbing. 
More archery. 
I had hoped to make the girl's game in Brighton this week - but there was a time change on Mark's swim meet, so I have to scratch that one off my list. 
Brian gets a haircut. You know it's getting long when he agrees to an appointment. 

We have a few rounds of out of town company coming the end of this month/beginning of April - so I'll be squeezing in some extra spring cleaning in between the cracks. 

Spring is coming. But I am hoping for one more good snowfall. Sorry, not sorry. 

------

Fun(ny) note: It was realized yesterday that Allan, our oldest, is now the shortest of our three boys. It was one of those moments that had the walls shaking and the lamps nearly breaking as chaos erupted. 

*Sploosh* / Day 357

The first swim meet of the season is in the books. 

It's a weird feeling as we're coming around to where we left off last year. Last year we had a few swim meets in when the world suddenly stopped. This year, it's masks on deck, one spectator per swimmer/diver, no transfer bus to meets and limited locker room time. 

It's hard to wrap my head around at times. 

Yesterday was the type of day that had me strategically planning from the minute I woke up. 
Work is cold = layers. 
Leave work on time to feed swimmer and get him to his meet. 
Deck is warm = change into something more comfortable. 
Have quick light dinner prepared for when the boys get home from school. 
Make it portable, as eating is done on the way to the meet.
Pick up more dinner after swim. 
Get other kid to archery in time. 

One of them kind of days. 

Tomorrow is pretty much the same schedule, but with a little more time before swim and little less time between swim and archery.  

Greg, meanwhile, is going to the office today for the 8th day in a row. He still considers himself as working from home. 
I'm curious how many days in a row he'll go to the office before he realizes that he can't say that anymore.