Today I am sore, in pain, physically injured but mostly my pride and sense of invincibility is starting to get yanked away. Why you ask, BASKETBALL. This year we put together a city league basketball team with some family and friends. We played hard and got a lot of exercise but something i have learned a couple of things over this past season.
1-I am no longer able to recover from floor burns, tweaked ankles, bruises, elbows to the gut arm and head along with knees to the thigh and shin as quickly as I used to. This season was the first time I have ever worn an ankle brace in any sport and to make matters worse, when I sprained my ankle I didn't step on anyone, I simple tried to move faster then my body would allow.
2-I learned that basketball brings out all the frustrations, stress, and any other feelings or emotions that we are able to hide or cover up to some degree in our otherwise peaceful lives. For some reason when you get on the court and you are giving it all you've got and someone just hit you with an elbow to the head and somehow the ref calls the foul on you, it is real hard not to spout off at the ref or the giver of said elbow or at least be kind enough to return an elbow showing that you do indeed believe in the law of Moses.
Last night we played in the championship game for our city league. We played hard and we played well but when push literally came to shove, we had a few more mistakes, a few more missed shots, and in my opinion, a few more bad calls, all of which caused us to come up short. We ended up losing the game and going home after a great season and a great run through the tournament as the 2nd best team in our league. Some may say that 2nd place is the 1st loser but I think that last place is the first loser because they lost first but i guess for some that is to logical.
So, back to my question. Why do we volentarially play a game that causes physical, emotional, and occasionally spiritual injury? Well, I'm not sure. Maybe I know i need the exercise and basketball is a lot more fun then running. Maybe I am driven to competition like a fly to dung. Maybe it is the camaraderie of playing with family and friends. Maybe it is simply a way to blow off some steam and let the frustrations and stress of life go within a somewhat controlled environment. Whatever it is that continually drives us to play sports I may never know but one thing I do know is I don't want to be that old guy out there trying to relive his glory days when he was athletic. I don't want to be that old guy that yells at the ref and everyone laughs at. I hope when the day comes I can hang up my shoes and walk away with my head high knowing I played hard, I played mostly fair, and I never hurt anyone too bad(at least that they couldn't recover from).
I love sports and I Love the competition. Hopefully I will be able to say the same 10 years from now. Here is to getting a little older and slower each year.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Thursday, March 26, 2009
MY little boy
Last night Lesa and I watched a couple of our favorite TV shows then that dreaded time of night came. Bedtime which means morning follows shortly after. Neither of us really enjoy the morning. If we had our choice i think we would both be people of the night or at least people of the evening.
Last night 11 O'clock rolled around and we looked at each other as we do every night with that "do we have to go to bed" look. Lesa decided it was time for bed so even though i was 20 minutes into a pointless movie (K-PAX) i got off the couch and decided to join her. As she walked towards the room she entered Ryan's room to check on him and there he was, wide awake and egger to join the party.
Ryan's cute smile and enthusiasm for life is hard to turn down so Lesa pulled him out of bed and carried him into our room where she laid him down next to her. He quickly fell asleep but her attempt to transfer Ryan back to the crib was in vain. With Ryan wide awake and me wanting to push off bedtime so i could get back to my awesome K-PAX flick, i swooped in and saved the day by grabbing Ryan and sitting down on the couch with him.
Part of it was selfish so i could watch my movie and delay bedtime, part of it was because Lesa needs her sleep right now as her body is busy creating life. But to be honest, I enjoy holding Ryan when he snuggles up close as he falls asleep. I sat on the couch and Ryan laid on my chest with his large head nestled right up next to mine and we watch some K-PAX together. After about 20 minutes i could hear his breathing deepen and his body relax and then his hand grabbed my finger and he held it tight. I simply turned off the TV and snuggled there on the couch for a couple more minutes. I love being a DAD. I love the little moments that makes it all worth while. I love knowing my child loves me and to him I am a source of comfort and peace. I hope i can always be a source of peace and comfort to my children. My dad has always been there for me and i hope to always be there for my children.
Last night 11 O'clock rolled around and we looked at each other as we do every night with that "do we have to go to bed" look. Lesa decided it was time for bed so even though i was 20 minutes into a pointless movie (K-PAX) i got off the couch and decided to join her. As she walked towards the room she entered Ryan's room to check on him and there he was, wide awake and egger to join the party.
Ryan's cute smile and enthusiasm for life is hard to turn down so Lesa pulled him out of bed and carried him into our room where she laid him down next to her. He quickly fell asleep but her attempt to transfer Ryan back to the crib was in vain. With Ryan wide awake and me wanting to push off bedtime so i could get back to my awesome K-PAX flick, i swooped in and saved the day by grabbing Ryan and sitting down on the couch with him.
Part of it was selfish so i could watch my movie and delay bedtime, part of it was because Lesa needs her sleep right now as her body is busy creating life. But to be honest, I enjoy holding Ryan when he snuggles up close as he falls asleep. I sat on the couch and Ryan laid on my chest with his large head nestled right up next to mine and we watch some K-PAX together. After about 20 minutes i could hear his breathing deepen and his body relax and then his hand grabbed my finger and he held it tight. I simply turned off the TV and snuggled there on the couch for a couple more minutes. I love being a DAD. I love the little moments that makes it all worth while. I love knowing my child loves me and to him I am a source of comfort and peace. I hope i can always be a source of peace and comfort to my children. My dad has always been there for me and i hope to always be there for my children.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Highlights!
Lesa and I spent the last weekend in Vegas for the MWC tourney (tickets and rooms where free). We had a great time watching the games, and just being together. The funny part of the story is that I am so cheap we shared a room with Dan instead of getting our own room. I'm guessing that was a little weird for Dan but he was a good sport about it and we had a blast.
One thing I enjoy about working with my family is the hour we have during lunch to laugh and talk and take a break from everyday life. We used to be regulars at Magelbys Fresh because of our 2-1 card and the free Chocolate cake they would give us because of our Magelbys devotion. Not so anymore. The times of stuffed breadsticks and BBQ chicken salads are over and have been replaced with a daily ritual of Costco Hotdogs and on a good day we may even share a Costco pizza. We still enjoy laughing and being together but the idea of piece of Magelbys chocolate cake has never sounding so appealing. Oh how good that cake tastes!
Last night we did our yearly "March Madness Draft". It has been a ritual in our family for as long as I can remember. Truth to be told, I have never done very good in the draft. Some attribute that to my non-ross dedication to watch any basketball game that is on no matter who is playing or what the score may be. Personally I attribute my lack of wins to 1 thing and 1 thing only. I am too good looking that I feel bad for the rest of my family so I let them win so they can have at least 1 thing to feel good about.
Last of all, today is St. Patty's day!!! I'm in green, our pancakes were in green, our milk was green, my kids were all in green and the trees I cut down with the chainsaw this morning were not green. However, soon they will be black as I burn them. Pyro!!!
One thing I enjoy about working with my family is the hour we have during lunch to laugh and talk and take a break from everyday life. We used to be regulars at Magelbys Fresh because of our 2-1 card and the free Chocolate cake they would give us because of our Magelbys devotion. Not so anymore. The times of stuffed breadsticks and BBQ chicken salads are over and have been replaced with a daily ritual of Costco Hotdogs and on a good day we may even share a Costco pizza. We still enjoy laughing and being together but the idea of piece of Magelbys chocolate cake has never sounding so appealing. Oh how good that cake tastes!
Last night we did our yearly "March Madness Draft". It has been a ritual in our family for as long as I can remember. Truth to be told, I have never done very good in the draft. Some attribute that to my non-ross dedication to watch any basketball game that is on no matter who is playing or what the score may be. Personally I attribute my lack of wins to 1 thing and 1 thing only. I am too good looking that I feel bad for the rest of my family so I let them win so they can have at least 1 thing to feel good about.
Last of all, today is St. Patty's day!!! I'm in green, our pancakes were in green, our milk was green, my kids were all in green and the trees I cut down with the chainsaw this morning were not green. However, soon they will be black as I burn them. Pyro!!!
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Over the past couple of months i have been introduced to Facebook and blogging and i have enjoyed reading some of my families Blog's so much that I have decided to start my own blog as a way to share my thought with all those that I love. I have a couple of things that have been going through my head as of late such as, Why does my phone keep dying? and, Is anyone actually going to make it through the next 4 years in 1 piece?
With everything that has been happening around us and to us all, there has been a common theme that continue to come to the forefront, God. Everyday people ask how the business is doing in these rough times and I find myself usually responding with, "It's hard right now but we're doing all we can." I often ponder if things are going to work out for the business or if we are going to become yet another casualty of this recession. I don't know if or when this recession will end and i certainly don't know what our outcome will be but one thing i do know is that everything will be all right. Lesa and I will be alright. Our kids will be alright. Our family will be alright.
When faced with the question, What is going to happen? I find that i dont have the answer but what i do have is a very assuring comfort that the gosppel gives me. We might end up broke, lose our house and our business. We might lose all the earthly comforts that we enjoy today but one thing that cant be taken away from us is the comfort that our Father in Heaven gives us that assures us that whatever does happen, it will be okay. Our trials are but a short moment when looked upon with eternal eyes and we can be assured that we will never be alone. Hold tight to the rod and the blessings to come will be greater and more eternal then a nice house or a new car.
Will we make it through these tough times? Absolutly!!! Will life go on as normal? I sure hope not!!! What i do know is this trial has brought me closer to my Heavenly Father and for that I am greatful.
With everything that has been happening around us and to us all, there has been a common theme that continue to come to the forefront, God. Everyday people ask how the business is doing in these rough times and I find myself usually responding with, "It's hard right now but we're doing all we can." I often ponder if things are going to work out for the business or if we are going to become yet another casualty of this recession. I don't know if or when this recession will end and i certainly don't know what our outcome will be but one thing i do know is that everything will be all right. Lesa and I will be alright. Our kids will be alright. Our family will be alright.
When faced with the question, What is going to happen? I find that i dont have the answer but what i do have is a very assuring comfort that the gosppel gives me. We might end up broke, lose our house and our business. We might lose all the earthly comforts that we enjoy today but one thing that cant be taken away from us is the comfort that our Father in Heaven gives us that assures us that whatever does happen, it will be okay. Our trials are but a short moment when looked upon with eternal eyes and we can be assured that we will never be alone. Hold tight to the rod and the blessings to come will be greater and more eternal then a nice house or a new car.
Will we make it through these tough times? Absolutly!!! Will life go on as normal? I sure hope not!!! What i do know is this trial has brought me closer to my Heavenly Father and for that I am greatful.
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