Expectations. A wise man once said that they are the enemy of gratefulness. I have been trying for many years to lay them aside and choose gratefulness. I had another opportunity today.
Our first 9 kids played every sport in season. Swim team in summer was followed by soccer and basketball and baseball. We watched all of their games which must have numbered in the thousands. They also took music lessons (violin, piano, flute), played in an orchestra and took dancing lessons (Camila danced with a company in SC that toured Israel). But the biggest focus was always on sports.
I was not sad to have to those sports watching days over. I said many times that if I had it to do over again, I would focus a lot more on the music lessons and a lot less on the sports. Of course, I never expected to get the opportunity to do it again. And when I did it was with Asian children. I fully expected hours listening to classical music and expanding from violin to cello lessons.
I certainly never expected to spend my afternoons at a soccer field again. Or a baseball field. Or a gymnastics studio.
But that is where we spent this afternoon. (Jed scored 2 goals and Dominic and Simon 1 each. Their team won. Ric's team lost. We took flipflops to Peyton and Cydni's birthday at the gymnastics studio, instead of presents, to send to Haiti.)
So. I am grateful for a beautiful sunshiny day and kids who love sports. Tomorrow I will be back at the field, grateful again.
Expectations. A wise man once said that they are the enemy of gratefulness. I have been trying for many years to lay them aside and choose gratefulness. I had another opportunity today.
Our first 9 kids played every sport in season. Swim team in summer was followed by soccer and basketball and baseball. We watched all of their games which must have numbered in the thousands. They also took music lessons (violin, piano, flute), played in an orchestra and took dancing lessons (Camila danced with a company in SC that toured Israel). But the biggest focus was always on sports.
I was not sad to have to those sports watching days over. I said many times that if I had it to do over again, I would focus a lot more on the music lessons and a lot less on the sports. Of course, I never expected to get the opportunity to do it again. And when I did it was with Asian children. I fully expected hours listening to classical music and expanding from violin to cello lessons.
I certainly never expected to spend my afternoons at a soccer field again. Or a baseball field. Or a gymnastics studio.
But that is where we spent this afternoon. (Jed scored 2 goals and Dominic and Simon 1 each. Their team won. Ric's team lost. We took flipflops to Peyton and Cydni's birthday at the gymnastics studio, instead of presents, to send to Haiti.)
So. I am grateful for a beautiful sunshiny day and kids who love sports. Tomorrow I will be back at the field, grateful again. 
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