School Plays and Soccer Games (with a side of Storms)

When the weekend begins to present itself because you turn the page in your date book or devotional, the schedule set up weeks ago stares you down. What seemed so achievable and so much fun, easy breezy, suddenly becomes very real.

Did we buy the tickets for the school play? Do I have something that can be quickly thrown together because the school play is at 7 p.m. on Friday? Can I just run a brush through the girls' hair and not have them change clothes because I want to sit for a spell before show time? Have I been grateful for the jeans I get to wear to work on Fridays so I don't have to change?

You would think my on-point fourth part of the day planning would have eliminated all these questions because everything was accounted for and checked off a list of some sorts. Well, let's say this has been an emotional week (Amy Grant concert, funeral for a friend and a luncheon where I heard and met Brene Brown) with groceries purchased mid week and even an IHOP dinner one night. Not my best planned week.

But, wait, there's more. Yes, another school play in another city. This weekend, also included a fun jaunt to Houston to watch my nephew perform in his middle school play. That required booking a hotel -- knocked that out Thursday (yep, fine planning) -- and packing (started that while I was supposed to be sitting for a spell -- by the way how does one night fill a suitcase and not just a duffle bag?!?).

And, on Saturday, when we were to drive the three hours to get to our second play of the weekend, we had a mid-morning soccer game in soccer clothes where there would be sweat and dirt. Bonus -- we had soccer team pictures before our game so the day was starting an hour earlier.

Again, my fourth part planning had these events on the calendar, but I did not account for the tasks to fulfill those events.

Were the soccer clothes clean? Did we have all socks, shin guards and cleats? Were the soccer balls in my truck? Did we have the little Gatorade bottles because the girls can't drink a big one and that is so wasteful?

Why did G have to work the regional track meet? Yeah, that was on the weekend schedule, too!

Then, came the little detail of something not so little according to the weatherman .... Rain storms. The storms were going to hit San Antonio late Friday and then go east toward, you guessed it, Houston. And, rain all weekend in Houston putting more water on to very saturated ground.

Let the unraveling of a not so well planned ahead of time, but planned in time, weekend begin.
(Oh, we still were able to see the play at my girls' school but didn't carry umbrellas inside with us because the rain was to come much later. Joke was on us. It poured! Our OJ-like dashes to the truck still resulted in our getting soaked.)

Cancel the hotel room because the play in Houston was cancelled. Put back the clothes, which included bathing suits for the hotel swimming pool. Think about putting away soccer clothes because all this rain means there is no way we are having a soccer game outside.

Storms came through all night and I slept peacefully knowing we had a free Saturday .... Until I heard the ding notification of a text which read "Fields open. Games on." What??!?!

Fed and dressed the girls. Loaded the truck with necessary game day supplies. Strapped on my rain boots. Headed to the game. As we unloaded (after passing through low-water crossings where the water was almost over the roads in the park where the soccer fields are located), and heard comments from parents coming off the fields along the lines of 'refs are calling the games,' I heard another text notification ding -- 'Fields closed. Games cancelled.'

Now, what to do with a free Saturday. Projects that have sat on a list for a while. Quick trip to Target to buy teacher appreciation week gifts.

And, an early fourth part -- pedicure, perhaps?

Fiesta Shoebox Floats and Summer School

The end of school year projects for first grade have started. And, the end of freshman year of college projects have started.

While the first grade projects require craftiness, lots of glue, and well, two of them, I'm thinking I would take those over my son's work.

Presentations, papers and finals are all coming to a head, but so is the reality of his mid-year decision to leave the school he chose to attend as a freshman. Not only is he wrapping up his first year in college, he's also packing up to come back home. For the summer, yes. For the fall, not sure. And, it is that 'not sure' part that is making me sad, tired, unsure and really doubtful of myself as a mom. I don't like feeling this way.

I manage to get a fourth part most every day with grand planning and preparation. Yet, all the planning, all the preparation, still leave me feeling as if there are so many other things to do. Not for me to do, unless you count texts and sweet, friendly reminder messages as tasks; but hints for him to do.

He quit the football team, but said he still wants to play college ball. He hasn't contacted any schools (that I know of). When will that happen.

He applied for summer school, but hasn't received the acceptance email so he can register. When will that be done.

He applied and received a job offer for the summer, but has to officially follow up to get that ball rolling. When will that take place.

He is packing up all his clothes, shoes and dorm room supplies that we spent so much time finding, organizing and buying. But where will those things go in the fall?

These end of school year projects are no fun at all. Glue can't finish them. Stops to the craft store don't result in creating anything.

My devotions the last few weeks have been on trusting God and realizing that He takes care of everything today. Yeah, I do fret about tomorrow. Yes, I know that is not demonstrating faithful behavior. So, yep, that anxious feeling inside me comes from my lack of trust.

I just want him to get situated. I want him to figure it out. I want him to have a plan. I want him to decide about football. I want him to get things done.

I know, I know. It's all about what I want. That's the rub. What conflict within me. I want to be faithful. I want to trust. I want to focus on today. Yet, I constantly work on a plan. I consistently organize for tomorrow.

I've read the Bible verses, prayed, studied and sought God's guidance ..... yet, I still hold on to getting my fourth part. I feel so convicted, and tired, and sad and out of whack.

So, when I sit in my chair, writing or getting another project started (or finished), I think I have a fourth part.

And, I don't feel satisfied.

And, I worry about my son.

And, I wish I could only have to work on end of year fiesta floats.