Jam packed weekend

I have never been more happy that this is a 3-day weekend! I so need a day at home to do chores.

First off, the baseball tournament. DS2 had an OK effort. I had a conversation with one coach who is also the dad of one his best friend’s so he’s known DS2 for a long time. We talked about behavior and obedience issues. The dad agrees that DS2’s mind being as always active as it is (you have never heard so many questions and ‘what if’ statements in your life, I promise!) that baseball is a particular challenge for him in the self control department since there is so much down time. He also warned me that while DS2’s natural athletic skills have gotten him to this point, that he needs some real help with batting skills to break some bad habits or else he will really decline compared to the other kids as they get older. So I need to ramp up those batting lessons ASAP. Meanwhile, the team went 1-1 on Saturday and then lost their game today. Many of us were not pleased because the manager decided to play 9 kids with three ‘subs’ who basically saw no playing time until the final inning and then only on defense. DS2 was one of those three. At this age, I was not terribly pleased with that strategy. One dad was livid – and I saw him telling the manager exactly what he thought 🙂 Considering that this manager is the one who is the best batting instructor, I may just politely ask him what was behind that thinking but not pick on him TOO much! Anyhoo, we also found out his Little League team and were pleased about that. He made the majors division with some other kids who we known and a parent coach who we also know and respect. I think for once we might have a good LL season!

Here is an example of a team player though. One boy could have gone to the Charger playoff game with his family today. But last night he told his parents that he wanted to stay with the team and play. Since his family always helps me out on Thursdays to get DS2 to practice, I said that I would take him home with me after our game. When his mom asked how he would feel if he stayed only for us to lose (which we did), he said “we win as a team, and we lose as a team.” What an amazing kid! Interestingly, he said to me as we got in the car to go home, “That was wrong to just play 9. That means we didn’t keep the whole team involved and that’s not right.” I agree.

We froze our butts off. It never went over 50 degrees. At night it dropped into the low 20s. There was ice all over the ground this morning. Our game was delayed for two hours while they cleared the ice and then repaired a water pipe that broke in the freeze. I need to spend some time outside in my yard tomorrow to assess any damage.

These tournaments are also social events and I do love spending time with the families on our team. Today as we waited out the game delay, I ended up in a deep two hour conversation with one mom who is a truly bad place with her marriage. Counselling all last year went no where. 17 years and suddenly he is pretty much treating her like a child and becoming controlling and borderline emotionally abusive. Gawd my heart broke for her. I hope I was able to help her a little. I also hope she takes me up on my offer to come over anytime to talk. She has no family in town and none of her other friends have been through anything like she is facing. I don’t want her dealing with this alone.

Oh yeah – and not only did the baseball team lose – the Stupid Chargers did too! I was so pissed about THAT I ended up cleaning my refrigerator!! It is all sparkly inside now. I think I needed to do soemthing – anything – that was in my control to make something better. It was very frustrating watching the baseball and football teams lose with obviously NO actual control over the outcomes.

Phew! No alarm tomorrow. Bliss!