This morning I wake up and come out of my room to find him sitting on the edge of his bed. Wide awake. Just parked there, by the door...waiting. Waiting for someone, anyone else in the house to get up so he can announce: "there's no snow out there." The boy has been waiting. He heard the weather rumor mill like the rest of the family and he's been waiting. Friends, it was a little Twilight Zone-ish.
After the usual morning hustle and bustle to get the girls ready for school, Youngest was complaining about his ailments. I laid him on my bed and not two minutes later he was fast asleep. As in snoring, asleep. That kind of deep breathing stuff that had me thinking he would be there for awhile. I go downstairs to do some laundry. I have a large mirror over the staircase that when downstairs will show you the top landing of upstairs. As I hit the stairs to come up I see Youngest's feet planted squarely in the center of the landing. Again, a little Twilight Zone-ish, friends. Picture seeing just this:
Last night we had the distinct privilege of attending the football banquet for the Chantilly Chargers. If you've never been a part of a team of some sort, let me just tell you that watching these boys eat together, laugh and share good times, genuinely have a connection and enjoy their time together, it was touching. Moving, actually. This really is a family and I get the connection. Their bond represents such a special time in their lives. It will never be replaced or duplicated. And they know this.
My boy, Oldest, won the award for Most Improved Defensive Player. The coach's comments in presenting the award were: "This player has improved the most from freshman to senior year, constantly working out, and 'everyday is a bicep day, coach' was his motto. He's had the most improvement of any player I have EVER coached." Wow, friends. Big rounds of applause. You would have been proud of me. I kept it together, straight faced (okay, big smile) but NO tears. Didn't want to embarrass the big guy.
The banquet conclusion was watching a highlight film DVD that the coach was kind enough to make and to provide copies to each senior boy. The boys fell silent and you could sense in the air that the seniors were just soaking it all in. Enjoying watching it again, but a little melancholy that this is the last of their high school football days. The Hub likes to make fun of me for my Friday Night Lights loving self, but what I love is the connection those characters, and these football boys, have with each other. It becomes a family. They are tied by it, they watch each other's back, they understand each other, and they live for their Friday night games.
As we are leaving the banquet, walking through the parking lot I could sense the heaviness of my Oldest. All I got a chance to say was "you okay, Oldest?" and friends, the tears flowed. Hollywood could not have paid someone to show the feeling of this moment better. The Hub stepped right in and gave him a big hug as we walked to the car. Now you know, I didn't bother to hold anything else together after that. Sigh...I almost broke out in song, singing Boys II Men's "It's So Hard To Say Goodbye...To Yesterday." You know you want to sing it with me. This was no episode of Glee, so I didn't break into the song that the moment called for, but it was tempting. It's so hard for him to say goodbye to this time in his life. Change is hard. Especially when it involves leaving behind something you treasure so greatly.
Now, this morning Oldest tells me he was teary-eyed when he got his award. Really? Man, I could have had my moment too, then. I was trying to be tough for him. And looky here, I think I got jipped of an emotional moment! Today as he went off to school he wore his Letterman's jacket for the first time. You know he wouldn't let me take a picture. Besides looking oh-so-handsome, he was walking proud. He has loved this team, loved this season and he worked hard for success.
Have I mentioned that he's trying out for Lacrosse in the spring. Stay tuned to the athletic channel here, friends. This will be a whole new world for me.
On another note, I was truly blessed with a video camera for my birthday. Truly blessed! The outside world has no idea what they are going to get a glimpse of now. I WILL be filming Bball Girl's game on Saturday. And getting Youngest on film doing anything? Priceless
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