My oldest is a senior in high school this year. And what a year it is turning out to be!! For as long as I can remember Jackson has lived to play sports. For years, it didn't matter the sport as long as he was active and competing. Over the last few years, football has emerged as his passion. He has waited patiently on the sidelines for the last year or so, only playing a few plays throughout the game. Now he is a senior and is stepping up to take his turn.
I have always been of the mind set that football was just a game and felt that people got WAY to worked up about it. I mean really, take a deep breath, it just isn't that big of a deal. Until.... it is my baby out on the field catching the ball and making a touchdown. Did I mention that he made a touchdown? Not just one or two, but three this season, and is basically playing every play of the game. More importantly, he is having more fun that humanly imaginable, and I love it! I have become that person that I used to sit next to in the stands and look at with a condescending smile, shake my head, and think to myself, "get a life!"
So for this season of our lives, our family basically revolves around football. All week long we are gearing up for that Friday night game. Come Friday morning, I am nervous and hopeful, excited and a little bit worried. I say a little prayer before each game for the safety of all the players. There is always a little nagging worry in the back of my head that he will get hurt. But it never seems to overwhelm the pure excitement that comes when the captains walk onto the field for the coin toss. The boys line up and play begins! They are "The Boys of Fall!" (I have to cry everytime I see the video of that song by Kenny Chesney.) Knowing that this is his last year in high school, I am just storing up all these fun memories in my heart and mind to have for later.
I remember it well. When I cried like a baby the first play of the first game of his senior year Jerry asked me what in the world I was going to be like on the last play of the last game of his senior year. And I answered truthfully - I'll be just the same, still crying. :) You are so right that you are storing up the memories. I can still close my eyes and see him walking out onto that field. Of course, I can open my eyes and still see him walking out on that field 16 years later. :) It's just the same even though he's an adult...I jump with joy when he wins and my heart breaks when he loses. No matter how old they get to be they're still your babies. blessings, marlene
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