Should We Try Volleyball?

The older girls played volleyball for a christian homeschool organization, and they loved that experience.  That group doesn't exist as close to our house as it did before.  We have friends from Bread Of Life that are playing for a new league so we went to check it out.  I am not sure if we will end up playing with Christian Homeschool Sports Ministries or not but we did enjoy checking them out.   

I was very proud of these three girls.  Neither had ever played volleyball and yet they were brave enough to give it a shot.  They are so much more brave thanI ever was.

Go Pooker!

Pooker had a volleyball game and wanted to bring some friends. They were both in for a shock traveling with this crazy family. We got lost on our way to the the match. Pooker had told her dad the wrong school. Pooker dad and mom were all fighting until we figured it out. Our guest just saw us arguing then laughing. We defiantly showed them that big family always starts with some tension.
We loved watching the game. If only Pooker played more than 3 bumps. One bad and two good. Goobers and Bagel loved sitting together.
Dad and Pickle rest between games.
Jumba makes the shot with the help of our ever growing Bear.
Moogie is as crazy as ever.
Princess is still waiting for teeth.
Other than being lost we had a great adventure. Our friend Linda started Chemo on the same day. We dropped off some lunch meat and rolls for her family. While in the car we realized that Sugar gave them our bag. This meant that we only had a little sandwich for dinner. That didn't stop the smiles.
It was all fun and games until someone spilled water on the nice gym floor. Dad used the only thing we had with us, a diaper. It absorbed quit a bit.
Pooker is enjoying the time playing but wishing she got more of it.

Flying Squirrels and Broken Cameras.

My baby is an official flying squirrel. Community colleges have the oddest mascot names. . .but anyway I just wanted to brag about my Pooker. She followed through with several phone calls, changing her work schedule again, and making it to practice/try outs. She did not play that much because she was so delayed in making to the practices because of work. I suspect that will be a different story next week.

As she was being put into the game, I reached over to pick up Jumba who was crawling onto the court. He kicked my camera and it smashed in to the ground. My very expensive camera is now officially dead. My back up camera is being repaired. So no shots of Pooker during or after the game. I will cry about that elsewhere because this is about how proud of Pooker I am. Way to go my little squirrel.

In the end the team did not win any games but it sure was fun to be there cheering Pooker on again. The kiddos loved watching again. We all felt like we were back where we belong. And for Dad, well we could hardly keep him on his chair.

Being Involved

One way that we can help our children stay on the right track in life is to be involved. We try to help with any activity we can. We often giggle to ourselves when we hear someone use their children as the excuse to not get involved. I am always tempted to ask if they were coaches before they had children or if they plan to teach a class at church when their own kiddos are grown. "I can't coach I have three children and you have no idea how hard it is to get their dinner on the table." or "I don't know how you do it with these two and still teach at church, my one child is so demanding and he doesn't want me around!" I want to say I don't have 3 children but 9, my house isn't in perfect order, we eat out too often, BUT you need to be worried when your child doesn't want you around.

My husband and I were blessed with parents that saw the value in connecting with us through our activities. Mimi, my mom, would say that even though she hated to always be the driver that it was the best time to connect with us. That time in the car is so important. Even if it was just silence. Often it would start off quiet with the music playing but as the ride went on so did the conversation. I miss those rides with my mom. My husband's mom and dad, Nanie and Gramps, were always very involved with the church and sporting organizations. My husband has wonderful family memories of his mom and dad leading the church carnivals and fund raising auctions. Those events help to involve their children into the faith and the parish life and also brought the family together.

Nanie and Gramps also set the example for us by helping to coach. They were able to share their interest in the sport with their children. They also knew who their child's friends were. Nanie carried on that tradition with Pooker when we still lived in St. Louis. At that time my dear husband and I were helping to run the CYC volleyball program in our area, but Nanie was the one on the court each week coaching Pooker and her friends.

Too often my husband and I are asked how come our kids are so close to each other? We are asked how come our kids are so well behaved? The answer is to do what Mimi, Nanie and Gramps did. GET INVOLVED!! Sometimes it means just being the driver to an event for the entire group. They will talk to you during the car rides if you also listen. Laugh at yourself and remember that you are the parent not the friend. Talk to them when you listen to the song that is blaring bad words. Don't just turn it off, find out why they like it and explain why you don't. Coach, teach, volunteer and any other way you can be involved.




These are happy girls that have had the love and support from their parents and grand parents. I am not trying to say that we never have a problem. Our good kids get off track very easily, just like everyone else. I would never pass judgement on anyone by assuming that their child is in trouble because they are not involved. I am just trying to point out that to truly love your child you must die to yourself. In our world that means give up you rest time, your pride, your workout time, your personal time and get involved. Be the coach that knows the team. You will not regret the connection you will be able to make with them and their friends.

We are very grateful that my dear husband got the opportunity to help coach this year. We are thankful to the other parents that gave up their free time to coach, know and love our other girls this volleyball season. We are thankful to Mimi, Nanie and Gramps for setting that wonderful example and for keeping us out of trouble. (. . . OK and loving us anyway, even when we got into trouble.)

So get involved and enjoy the time with your child and their friends! I promise you will not be disappointed.

Pictures from the past few days

Cowboy A.K.A 'Super Baby' is flying around with the assistance of Bear.




Pooker enjoying life before her game with her entire team. They are a fun group of girls. Their Coach (Dad) is loving the time getting to know Pooker's friends. He loves that they don't tease him for coaching from the ground. (If confused see the post titled "No, that is how he coaches")


Goobers and her friend holding back tears of frustration after a painful loss. The match ended with a very close game.


Sugar with most of her team at their last game of the season.


Moogie letting Pickle get a shot of the future volleyball star.


Pickle looking too cute and wishing that the game was over. He would really rather be at home playing than out watching his sisters play, again!



Princess and Bagel doing anything and everything but watching the game. The picture was taken by Moogie.

Busy, Busy, Busy

The past few days have been full of life, love and family. (Oh and raking needles that never seam to go away!) Pooker was gone this past weekend on a retreat. It really did seam to offer her the peace in Christ that we are all looking for. She is much more relaxed and happy. I am very happy to have my joyful daughter back. Inner peace does not change what we must do in the real world though. She is back and we are all running.

The rest of the Family spent the weekend trying to gather up as many needles from the lawn as we could. We did not have much luck. The needles are so much like our laundry. As soon as we think that we might be about to catch up someone cleans their room and the pile is out of control again. In the case of the needles there is a small storm and the ground is covered yet again.

Monday the weather changed about five times. It was cool, then sun came up and it was hot, then it became extremely muggy making the hot air feel worse, and then it was overcast but still muggy and hot. We were all relieved when it started to rain, until the wind blew. It was now cool and rainy. I changed a few times, one due to a baby spit up but most changes were due to the weather. In my confusion I left my flip flop Crocs on and headed off with the Cowboy to watch Goobers play volleyball. The good news is that the Eagles won!! The bad news is I fell in a muddy downpour and the most comfortable pair of shoes that I have ever owned, died. In my graceful fall the thong part of the Croc broke! (Secretly I cried. If you have ever owned a Croc you know my pain, if not you just can not relate!)

Cowboy and Bagel also went to see the doctor for their check ups. Cowboy is up to 10 lbs and 4 oz, and is growing as expected. (Thank you God.) Bagel is as healthy as can be. Then the shots came!! We had dad go with us to this appointment. If there is a problem it is just easier to have dad's help. (The one time he didn't join us we ended up in open heart surgery with Moogie - but that is another story for another day.) When it came time for shots Bagel needed three, Cowboy needed three and Dad needed just one - the flu shot! The nurse thought that it would be best to let Dad go first. She was wrong. He demanded stickers for his pain. Bagel and Cowboy were real champs. Bagel was scared but extremely brave. Our family rule is that you get McDonalds if you get shots. Bagel enjoyed rubbing that in the rest of the day. She would show everyone the treat from her happy meal. So we went to bed last night with shouts of "I get to go next! Make my appointment for tomorrow please? How soon can I go to the doctor?" It is just too bad that dad can't be bought off so easily by McDonalds.

Yesterday was one of our last crazy volleyball days of the season. We had three games across town and they all needed to be back on this side of town for EDGE. As luck would have it two games were in a place known as 'the Cage' and it was very close to the school where Sugar played. After Sugar's team won in two games we headed over to watch Pooker and Goobers play. What a fun and exciting day! I need to go nap again, though! I love our lives. We are very busy but the kiddos are happy! As crazy as the past few days have been we can all see God's hand with us. We have good friends, good programs for the kids to be involved in and happy children. What a blessing!

No, that is how he coaches!

Pooker woke up Sunday morning with a very bad neck ache. She had no other symptoms so we chalked it up to ‘sleeping funny’ but she moved very slow the rest of the day. When she woke up Monday morning I knew we would need to visit the doctor. Why would one go to the doctor for a crick in the neck, you ask? Well when the patient is a strong willed die hard volleyball player who’s dad/coach stubbornly demands perfection at all times, that’s when. I knew that poker would ‘want to play anyway’ and her dad would tell her to ‘tough up and play through the pain’. Pooker has a very high tolerance for pain and she doesn’t need to hurt herself by ‘playing through it”.

Tonight’s match went well. Her team pulled a win out by wining 2 out of 3 games. Coach dad just helped tonight. I was thrilled that I got to see him ‘coach’. I had been warned that he really gets into the game. We took Cowboy and went with dad and Pooker. Goobers had everything under control at home while mom and Cowboy enjoyed a night out at a volleyball game. My DH is hysterical. He really does get so into the game that he can’t stay off the floor. One girl asked Pooker if her dad was looking for something. Pooker just smiled and said, “No that is how he coaches!” We hope that Pooker is back on the court soon. The season is almost over! GO EAGLES!