Tender Mercies

I volunteered to coach Mary's soccer game today because both coaches were going to be gone.  I was supposed to take the net and the flags as part of my coaching responsibility.  I forgot them.  I didn't remember until we were at the game, getting out of the car.  OH NO.  The game was away, and we were half hour from being able to get the net and flags, so that option was out.  My only hope was that the other coach would be close enough to pick up a net and flags, if possible.  As I walked morosely out toward the field, I noticed that each corner had a flag already, and the nets were already up.  This is a brand new field this year, and apparently they saw fit to outfit the field with flags and the nets.  A parent was there, and aware of my situation commented, "You must be living right."  Well, I don't know about that, but I'm so grateful that the Lord provided a tender mercy for me.

Besides that, I got to the field with "Drive to Empty" miles on our truck.  And I went a long ways on that.  (I know it's not good for the engine).

Two very tender mercies for me today.  I acknowledge the hand of the Lord in blessing my life.

Dinner?

I forgot to post this about Josh being dropped off at BYU-I.  We said good-bye to him around 5:30 pm, and then we went over to Mom and Dad's and spent some time with Angie and kids there before taking off for home.  (Grandpa literally pushed us out the door).

Josh called around 10:30 pm just brimming with excitement.  They had watched the BSU game over at Jancen's (with more and more girls coming in all the time, including Raigen), and then gone to play Ultimae Frisbee.  After Raigen insisted that they "must do something for the talent show", Josh informed me that they were going over to his courtyard to practice "Beat It", the Michael Jackson dance they did last year for Show Choir.  This was at 10:30 pm.  After all that, I asked him what he ate for dinner?  He replied, "Dinner? Oh, I never had dinner.  I'm not hungry."  Ha ha ha ha.   He was having so much fun that dinner was way down on the priority list.  Now that is college life isn't it?  I love it.

Renewed Commitment

I'm going to blog. Even if it's only a few sentences at a time. I used to blog on Sunday afternoons. That time seems to have disappeared into thin air.

We dropped off Josh last weekend at college! He started classes on Thursday. He reported that none of his classes "were hard at all". Ha ha That made me grin. I hope that remains true! He went with three of his roommates to Grandma and Grandpa's. How fun is that? Is was weird for me to think that he was at my parent's house without me. That doesn't happen very often. I had to admit to myself that I was a little envious.

Joseph got a hairline fracture in his right fibula last Tuesday. It didn't even show up in the x-rays, but my friend Karen tested that the bone was compromised. We have been putting basil and marjoram (for muscle), wintergreen (for bone) and lemongrass (for ligaments) on the injury. He is able to put weight on it and walk without pain, but not for very long. It starts hurting soon. But it will heal up quickly, and he won't be out the entire season like we thought at first. Sadly, my nephew Chris did break his wrist and will be out for the rest of the season.

A sad thing happened at our high school this past week. A 15 year old classmate of Jesse's - a sophomore - was hit by a car driven by an 89-year old man in a cross-walk by the school, and died. He was not a friend of Jesse's but she had classes with him last year. Today Jesse told me that she had learned he was an only child. Oh, I just can't imagine something like that. Unfathomable.

Jesse is working so hard in soccer and piano. We got to go to a Faculty Recital last Friday night of a renowned local professor of piano performance. He did a concert in honor of the 100 year anniversary of Chopin. Two of the dozen or so pieces he played were pieces that Jesse has learned to play in the last six months. It was awesome to hear them in the concert! She is also starting as a stopper on the Varsity soccer team, and doing a great job.

Mary, Jesse and Joseph are singing in a Stake Youth Choir for Stake Conference next Sunday. I'm the director. It's so fun to direct this choir. They have a great sound, and certainly bring the Spirit when they sing. Mary is also a staple of defense on her soccer team.

Peter got invited by the U12 team to play up as a guest player on their team when he can. He was strutting around like he'd received an invitation to play in the World Cup, he was so proud and excited about that. He really enjoys his U11 team too. Last game he played forward, mid, defense, and he practices as keeper a lot too.

Libby made up a board game tonight. We played for awhile and had fun doing it. This is the second game she's made up, and they are quite creative! She is in 3rd grad and Peter in 4th now. Their classrooms are just opposite each other in the school.

Bruce is coaching the High School JV boys soccer team. They have been doing well. He is a good coach - all the Moms say their sons appreciate Bruce as their coach. He is also still irrigating on his parent's farm, although that should be ending soon.

I had a hard day today. I have so much on my plate right now. There's simply a lot to do, a lot of irons in the fire. Trying to balance everything is challenging in the extreme. Speaking of which, I need to go to bed!

So, I'll try to get in more blogging. It's another thing I'm trying to balance.