Rewind

We had our last ballgame yesterday. The last of 63 this year, folks. With both boys on a city rec team and the town’s traveling team for their age, that is how many nights we’ve had a game since the season began in early May.

That’s a lot of cheering and clappin’; bottles of Gatorade and hours in a lawn chair. My backside just may be permanently striped from the weave of my chair. Good thing baseball is my absolute favorite sport. Seriously, when I am an old lady and heading to the store at night, I know I’ll be the kind who stops off at the town’s ball fields just to watch for an inning or two and cheer on the batter, “Pick a good one and give it a ride, son!” 

It’ll keep them guessin’, “Whose Grandma is that hootin’ and hollerin’ behind homeplate?”

Everyone’s boys. Everyone’s.

After coaching last night, Todd headed down to take care of his mom who just had foot surgery. So Spence and I had to catch a ride back with another family. It was an hour drive and it gave us a good time to visit.

The mom who took us home is a former cheerleader from the days when I was  a substitutete teacher and cheerleading coach up at the high school. She lives in our development and her oldest is my youngest’s age. They played ball on the travel team together and have become fast friends, both loving sports, stupid jokes and all things X-box.

We caught up on the last 20 years (and it made me feel REALLY old when I realized it had been 20 years since my public school teaching/coaching days.) She too, married her school-days sweetheart. She also has three kids. Like me, one boy and two girls. 

On the ride home, her youngest piped up from the backseat and asked for a McDonald’s burger and fries. We stopped to eat supper and she helped him with his meal. Her daughter, ever the artist, colored pictures all the way home. At one point, she asked, “Mrs. Ehman? What is your favorite color?”. When we arrived home, I was presented with a lovely portrait of Piglet. He was holding a peach butterfly. Yep. Peach is my current favorite color.

After arriving home, her oldest rode his bike down and he and Spence had a homerun derby. Let’s just say I was glad dad wasn’t home as they pelted tennis balls from the front yard over the roof into the back yard. Most of them made it. Some nearly shattered the front window!

While getting the laundry folded before nightfall, I couldn’t help but feel that I was watching my life in rewind. This mom is about 7 years behind me in parenting and watching her interact with her kids flooded my mind with memories.

It has been so long since I had to help anyone with food at a restaurant. No one colors sweet pictures for me anymore. My concern this fall isn’t for my oldest heading off to middle school. My oldest is heading off to LIFE!!! There was a bit of sadness in my heart as I realized I cannot rewind. I must go forward.

So, imagine my delight when a bit later, Spencer came to me on the sly. “When Brendan asks if he can spend the night, tell him not tonight but maybe later this week, okay mom?”  I was puzzled, but obliged. A few minutes later, when his buddy left, I questioned Spence. “What was that all about, bud?” His answer was one of those little kisses from God.

“Well mom. I really love having friends spend the night, but then I remembered everyone is gone tonight but you and me. So I was thinking we could make a snack, get on our jammies and snuggle up in your bed and watch tv ’til it was really late. Like way-past-midnight late.  I love it when just you and me hang out. It is way better than hanging with a friend. Can we mom?”

So snack and snuggle and veg out in front of the tv we did.

It was almost like a rewind. Thanks God.

Oh, and thanks to the good folks at Nick at Nite. The weekend-long Sponge Bob marathon was over by the time we flipped on the tv. 

I cannot tolerate that singing, squared-pantsed sponge. Steve Urkel, I adore. But y’all can keep the sponge!

On second thought, if it meant I’d get to rewind for an evening, I guess one night of the absorbent, yellow, porous dude wouldn’t kill me!

Happy Monday! 

Sweet Blessings, (The rewind kind :-) )

2 Comments

  1. Ah…that was just the sweetest read ever! My eyes are all misty. Our one and only son is heading off to University in just one more year. I’m praying the Lord will really help me focus on this last year that he’ll be home…and that yes, the Lord will give me some precious “rewind” moments to cherish.

    Rejoicing in the gift you received,
    Joy

  2. What a sweet moment! I had one of those this weekend. While on vacation my nearly 3 yr old daughter opted to stay in our room, snuggle and “read” to me while the 2 older boys went swimming with dad. It was a sweet time!

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