Whew.
We made it through what is scheduled to be our toughest game-night of the season. A 2 hour choir party overlapping 4 kids playing 3 games in 2 different towns all scheduled for the same time. Typically the kids ride their bikes to games, but with the threat of storms, and the overlapping schedule tonight, it meant the Big Red Bus was going to be taxi-ing a bit more than ususal. And everyone tells me it's just going to get worse as they get older. Yikes. Just one day, one moment at a time...
3:15 kids arrive home from school, and raid the snack cupboard. I had splurged today and made apple crisp...so we had that with a dallop of vanilla ice cream.
(a quick homework check...reading, and writing, and spelling lists.)
3:50 Load all passengers into the van for transport...Alice and Sam have their "end of the year" Choir Party at the bowling alley. Supposed to last till 6, but I've given them strict instructions to meet me at the door at 5:20...and on to games.
4:30 supper, potty breaks & diaper change, and scurrying to find shoes and socks for all the kids at home (too tough to keep gravel out of the flip-flops and sandals at the baseball park), as we prepare to pick up Alice and Sam, and move into baseball/softball mode.
Grace and Emma are getting dressed for their games, and still trying to help me with readying the little ones as I finish cleaning up from supper. It was hotdogs, chips, pudding, strawberries, and milk tonight...simple (though not-so-healthy) crowd pleaser.
5:20 We're just getting out the door, and I'm sure Alice and Sam are waiting for me.
5:30 pick up Alice and Sam...
drop Sam off at home to get dressed for his game. Alice is changing shoes in the van.
5:40 dropping Alice and Emma off at the ball park to catch their caravan...away game in New Bremen tonight.
5:45 back at home...picking up Sam, making sure he and Grace have waterbottles, and mitts, and cleats double-knotted...and we're back in the van dropping them off for warm-ups prior to their 6:30 games. Thank goodness their playing on back-to-back diamonds.
6:00 while we're out and about, we stop by grandma and grandpas to return a dish, and visit a bit before we have to be back at the park for gametime.
6:30 game time...constant head-count as the 6 youngest spend most of their time playing in the gravel with a half a dozen other kids who remembered to bring trucks and sand toys for entertainment. A constant walk-about between Sam and Grace's games to try to catch them at-bat, or even in the dugout for a quick thumbs-up. I saw very little of either game...but it seems important to at least make the effort.
8:15 back at home to breathe and begin baths. 10 kids playing in gravel and dirt. No one could skip tonight.
9:15 the last of them are in bed...and I'm feeling like I might not be too far behind. Just a few loose ends to tie up in the kitchen...thank goodness I managed to get laundry folded this afternoon. Well...except for all these baseball uniforms...more games on Saturday. Better go toss a load into the washer while I'm thinking of it.
In all the chaos, a simple moment shared...like when Lucy chimes along with our "Angel of God" prayer as we walk up the stairs to bed...and she giggles when we pray for the "baby in mom's belly." (Maybe she's laughing that I'd want to add to the craziness...or maybe she just likes the notion of another little baby in the house...I think it's the latter.)
Yep. Life is good. God is good. We are blessed.
G'night all.
