Senior night.

As we arrived to the final regular season football game last night, the announcer was proclaiming the Seniors for the football team, cheerleaders, and the band. We knew many of the young people, my husband coached 8 of these young men on his first football teams years ago. We have watched these cheerleaders cheer through middle school, and grow into young women. As the parents escorted their child, I realized that will be us next year with our son. My how time flies. From wearing his converse, red tennis shoes with gap shorts and t-shirts and a pile of blond hair, to being 6'1", brown hair and a quick wit. As I sat there trying to understand how quickly we had gotten to this point, a young man was called out to be the son of his two late parents, his aunt was with him. A fine football player who has been dealt a rough beginning. No parents waiting for him after his game. The seriousness found in such a celebrating moment. I am so thankful for the priviledge of seeing so many ballgames that I can't remember where to go until I look on the refrigerator for the schedule. I am so thankful to have been through my son's ACL episode. I am so thankful I was there to listen how my daughter's friends made fun of her purple hat. I am so thankful for being so sleepy waiting up for the car to pull in the drive, after late ballgames, that I drank coffee. I am so thankful that I do remember what my children wore their first day of school. I am so thankful to wonder how powerful hormones are and sometimes feel like we are on a rollercoaster. I hope and pray, this time next year, I am standing on the field, with my husband, fighting back tears, listening for our son's name and being there to watch his final, home football game, playing the position he earns back and listening to my daughter tell me another girl story. THEN, we go home to hear who we will be playing in the PLAYOFFS, WIN the region and go to the STATE. Make it last as long as possible.