Snow and Basketball

That's what we did this weekend.

Zach had a couple of games this week. His team is undefeated. He's having a lot of fun, although he sat out most of the last game because of foul trouble. He thinks he broke his finger at practice tonight. If you remember last year, his basketball season was cut short because he slammed his finger in a car door and the doc had to stitch it all back together. Tonight he refused to go to the ER for x-rays. He thinks it's "fine." Sigh. PS. Buy stock in Ace bandages or athletic tape is my advice.

Kate had a tournament in Richland this weekend. It was a lot of fun. They didn't dominate like they did the last tournament. In fact, they looked a little sleepy in a couple of the games, but by the end, they turned it on. Zach is helping coach the team. He calls them "my girls." It's very sweet. I love to watch Kate come off the court, looking for Zach, him putting his hand on her shoulder, talking to her earnestly about something she needs to do. It's the kind of thing that you want for your children...for them to grow up caring for and respecting each other. Almost makes you forget he threw a bagel at her head on the way in the car, you know?

The driving there and back was not, I repeat NOT, fun. Snow all over the place. Millions of cars in ditches. And a couple of horrible wrecks. One where we had to wait in a long line of cars and missed most of Zach's game. But we were grateful for the delay, because it meant that we weren't the ones being life-flighted by the helicopters. It was truly gut-wrenching to see the remains of those cars. I clenched my jaw the whole way and it's now killing me. And when I told Zach I was sorry we only saw the last few minutes of his game, he said, "I'm not. I'm just grateful God made you late so you weren't IN that wreck." Another teary mom moment.

Like watching Kenny cheer Kate on. And taking her team's loss to heart.

And seeing Kate and Zach tenderly bandage Duke's paw. Something entirely magical about that dog. If I believed in reincarnation, I'd think he was Dave. Truly. I know. No, I'm not crazy. Nu-uh.

And watching Koda hold down the kitten and chew on its head as it purrs contentedly. What a hoot!

And watching Scott's eyes as he talked about seeing Zach step onto the basketball court, looking so much like Dave, with the same bounce in his step.

And watching Kate...lovely and so confident...playing the clarinet and the snare drum in the band recital.

And listening to Zach talk his friend, McKenzie, into getting up at 5:00 am to go to the girls' early game. And promising her a coffee. And to bake her a birthday cake.

And Kenny...unloading the dishwasher without reminders.

And Zach putting out the garbage and scraping the windows for me, all his idea.

Zach wearing Dave's shirt and tie on game day.

Will, joining our family to cut down a tree, in the cold wind and mud. Somehow it just feels right to have him along.

Zach, hiding in the car while we cut the tree. What a whimp! (Wimp? How DO you spell that?) And Kenny and Kate agreeing on a tree right away so they could get in the car, too. Hmph! You'd think they were sugarcubes about to melt! Pioneer woman chops down tree and drags it home single-handedly. Almost. Okay. My teeth were chattering, too.

Decorating the tree. Finding McIllvaigh Man and Patrick from Spongebob, hanging them right together. I'll have to tell you that story again when the pictures get back.

There are a lot of moments, each one with a story of its own. Gotta hit the hay and take a pain med for my jaw, but I hope to post more later. For now, pics...but no pictures of the band concert or tree decorating yet...I accidentally grabbed my 35mm camera that day. You know, the one that uses FILM????? Now I have to go to RiteAid to get it developed. I know. I know.