Another Mission

On the heels of Wednesday's Boosterthon Fun Run (last post), Nicholas (7) had his first soccer game of this fall season yesterday morning. Again, it just amazes me how much a year makes in the lives of these little kids, whether they're athletic or not.

This particular league is run out of this Southern Baptist church in one of Atlanta's suburbs, not far from us. This architectural style is very typical of the USA south.

Off to the races again!

This year he's green and #6. Can you tell that he's actually looking at and running after the ball! Don't laugh. He used to follow the feet of whomever was in front of him, whether the ball was there or not.

This year, he really is paying attention.

Sometimes he just stands there, like he's in another world. Or maybe he's heard too many times that he needs to stay in his position!

Look how boring it is when you have to sit out a quarter because there are too many kids on the team! B O R I N G! No one likes that.

In the meantime, the fan club hoots-n-hollers (this is Uncle Mark, my son, turning 32 in October)....

...while we also catch up on what's happening with each other. (Donica is talking about something very important, but don't ask me what. I just take the photos.)

Mommy (my daughter, Amy, turning 35 this week!) is the one Nicholas always looks for first! He is definitely his mommy's boy and we all eat it up, just to see it.

More than the sport itself, we all love to see the camaraderie of the team spirit and what it is instilling in these kids...

...congratulating each other whether they win or lose.

I also love that there is time for unwinding and having even the smallest of rewards.

And saying Good-Bye till next week.

Grandmas get to make these posts as many times as they want, of course! Now that Donica and I are traveling so often, we're just glad for every game we can make, so here's to the first soccer game this year, and hopefully not the last!

**********

Another mission: Donica is flying back to Amsterdam as we speak and will be there all week. While she's gone, I plan to drive to Bridgewater, VA, tomorrow to go visit my Auntie Sue, who is now 97 and whom I last saw in March of 2005. During our last trip to Amsterdam, we expected a call any day to say she had died, since she had stopped eating and drinking. But she perked up and seems to be hanging on a bit longer.

I made the decision to make one last trip...either to see her before she dies or to go to the funeral. Not knowing if this might happen while we're in Amsterdam, I decided to drive to see her now while she's alive. It's approximately 500 miles each way, so I'll be grateful for your prayers for journeying mercies, going and coming back. I love to drive and expect beautiful fall weather. Depending on how alert she is, I may return right away on Tuesday or wait till Wednesday.

Of course, knowing her, she may decide to live another 3 years till she hits 100. If so, THAT will be "another mission!"

Man On a Mission

What a difference one year can make in the life of a little boy!

Do you remember last year when Nicholas did his Boosterthon Fun Run for his school fundraiser and ran 22 laps? That was a big deal at age 6 (1st grade) because he ran the most of anyone in his class. Woo Hoo.

So this year, when he heard that second graders can usually run 25-30 laps, he told Amy that his goal was to run 30 laps. Like last year, Donica said she'd donate $3/lap.

So, at the beginning of the hour's time allotment, everyone has to pay attention to the rules.

Excitement is in the air as the kids wait in anticipation. Would you please hurry up!

Then they're off and running. 30 laps, remember!

After each lap, teachers are positioned to mark off each one, with Nicholas barely standing still long enough to make it count.

And off he goes again.

Sometimes he DID have to slow down and walk! Yes. He wasn't maniacal all the time. He even gave G'ma a nice smile.

But then he was off to the races again.

Is he having fun or what!

Over and over again.

Now look closely. Can you see the grid well enough (click to enlarge) to tell that there are spaces for 40 laps. F O R T Y. One square left, 5 minutes to go, and Nicholas is on his 40th lap!

F O R T Y laps, G'ma

Now listen to this story. When Amy told Nicholas earlier that Donica was donating $3/lap, he immediately responded with, "And what is G'ma donating?!" HA! Amy told him that G'ma and Donica usually are together in their donation, and that's the truth. But he wanted more money because maybe he could get a prize if he had the most donated. HAHAHA. Smart boy. "A salesman in the making," both Amy and Dennis said.

But as I drove to the Boosterthon, I said to myself, "G'ma, you're just gonna have to donate $1/lap!" And so I told him that before he started the race.

All's well that ends well with a satisfied little boy, enjoying his victory. During the race he had heard it announced that a third grader had just run 40 laps. Who knows what was going on in his head, but when he made HIS 40 laps, his name, too, was announced.

That is a mission! If he can go through the rest of his life like THAT, who knows what that little boy will dream up next as a goal to achieve...and then change his mind mid-course and up the ante!