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My life is crazy. Mostly cuz of soccer. The other part is driving. For soccer. I've logged nearly 34,000 miles on my car is less than 2 years. I think I bought my car sometime in the summer. Some of that has been driving for vacation, but most of it...soccer.
And we do it cuz we love it. I'm not really complaining. I actually love the time in the car with my kids...some of our best conversations have happened on the way to or from a game. So it's worth the price. But there are some things you can't change.
I have a very lovely, responsible eldest child. Until yesterday. We had driven 90 minutes to and from and we were back a second day as we were returning to compete in the semi-finals. I allowed my daughter to sleep on the way down as we "sprung" (is that a word?) forward and lost an hour -- not to mention she gets up daily at 5:20 am. Sleep is evasive at best for her. Minutes before we were due to arrive, I awakened my sleeping beauty and told her to start putting her gear on.
As if wakening from a coma, looking at me with fear and almost immediate regret with those big eyes: "I think I forgot my cleats!"
Seriously. You're kidding, right? I mean, you couldn't expect me to maintain composure at this point, could you? Not proudly, I didn't. I mean...I am the self-sacrificing taxi cab driver, but I expect the passengers to be responsible!!!!!!!!!! Panic. I tell you! Panic! This is their last game play of the year for this team...it was the SEMI's! A big deal.
I pulled over and waved down the first person I could find. "Do you know where a Sports Authority is?" He gave me directions for the store that was only 2 minutes away. Mind you, its the weekend...these stores don't open til 10 or 11 am. It's 9:25 am. We're supposed to be to the field in 15 minutes.
We pull up to the empty parking lot. I hop out of the car with my daughter who is bravely standing next to me. I start knocking. I KNOW employees are there. I also KNOW they don't care that I'm knocking. Still, I keep knocking. I also make that praying sign with my hands pressed together. One girl even walked away from the knocking. But I perservered. Finally, a manager walked up, not looking very pleased, I might add, but she opened the door enough to hear my plea:
"I'm sorry to bother you. We just drove 2 hours (cuz it sounds more dramatic than 90 minutes) to play in a soccer game for my daughter and she forgot her cleats. Is there any POSSIBLE way we could come in and quickly buy a pair of cleats?"
And you know what? THEY DID!!!!!!!! Shocked and amazed, we both bolted for the back of the store and grabbed the first pair we could find in her size. They were only $30. I normally spend $90. I figured, if she gets blisters, she will have earned them. I thanked the check out gal profusely, even annoyingly, for their kindness.
We hopped in the car, and made it to the field at 9:42 am. Before about half of her teammates.
My friend walked up to me and said: "Lady, you are one crazy soccer mom." And you know what? I am. And while I was mad, we all make mistakes. And we all need to move on. And show our kids we love them no matter what. And we can find solutions.
We went on to the Final and lost in overtime. But at the end of the day, we think it was those cleats. I don't usually remember much about teams, scores, tournaments, or anything else. Like I said, it's really about spending time with my child and cheering them on. She learned a lesson that day and so did I. I'm touched and happy that people were understanding and kind and were willing to break the rules for a good cause. I asked the check-out girl, after she told us she played soccer for years and years, if her mother ever gave her a verbal tongue-lashing or two? She said "Oh yeah!" I think that put Mallory at ease.
You know...everything does always work out. Not always the way you pick or the way you planned...but it does. And she learned a lesson, too. But for sure, it's a weekend we'll both never forget. And those $30 cleats? Well, let's just say she'll be wearing those for a while.
And we do it cuz we love it. I'm not really complaining. I actually love the time in the car with my kids...some of our best conversations have happened on the way to or from a game. So it's worth the price. But there are some things you can't change.
I have a very lovely, responsible eldest child. Until yesterday. We had driven 90 minutes to and from and we were back a second day as we were returning to compete in the semi-finals. I allowed my daughter to sleep on the way down as we "sprung" (is that a word?) forward and lost an hour -- not to mention she gets up daily at 5:20 am. Sleep is evasive at best for her. Minutes before we were due to arrive, I awakened my sleeping beauty and told her to start putting her gear on.
As if wakening from a coma, looking at me with fear and almost immediate regret with those big eyes: "I think I forgot my cleats!"
Seriously. You're kidding, right? I mean, you couldn't expect me to maintain composure at this point, could you? Not proudly, I didn't. I mean...I am the self-sacrificing taxi cab driver, but I expect the passengers to be responsible!!!!!!!!!! Panic. I tell you! Panic! This is their last game play of the year for this team...it was the SEMI's! A big deal.
I pulled over and waved down the first person I could find. "Do you know where a Sports Authority is?" He gave me directions for the store that was only 2 minutes away. Mind you, its the weekend...these stores don't open til 10 or 11 am. It's 9:25 am. We're supposed to be to the field in 15 minutes.
We pull up to the empty parking lot. I hop out of the car with my daughter who is bravely standing next to me. I start knocking. I KNOW employees are there. I also KNOW they don't care that I'm knocking. Still, I keep knocking. I also make that praying sign with my hands pressed together. One girl even walked away from the knocking. But I perservered. Finally, a manager walked up, not looking very pleased, I might add, but she opened the door enough to hear my plea:
"I'm sorry to bother you. We just drove 2 hours (cuz it sounds more dramatic than 90 minutes) to play in a soccer game for my daughter and she forgot her cleats. Is there any POSSIBLE way we could come in and quickly buy a pair of cleats?"
And you know what? THEY DID!!!!!!!! Shocked and amazed, we both bolted for the back of the store and grabbed the first pair we could find in her size. They were only $30. I normally spend $90. I figured, if she gets blisters, she will have earned them. I thanked the check out gal profusely, even annoyingly, for their kindness.
We hopped in the car, and made it to the field at 9:42 am. Before about half of her teammates.
My friend walked up to me and said: "Lady, you are one crazy soccer mom." And you know what? I am. And while I was mad, we all make mistakes. And we all need to move on. And show our kids we love them no matter what. And we can find solutions.
We went on to the Final and lost in overtime. But at the end of the day, we think it was those cleats. I don't usually remember much about teams, scores, tournaments, or anything else. Like I said, it's really about spending time with my child and cheering them on. She learned a lesson that day and so did I. I'm touched and happy that people were understanding and kind and were willing to break the rules for a good cause. I asked the check-out girl, after she told us she played soccer for years and years, if her mother ever gave her a verbal tongue-lashing or two? She said "Oh yeah!" I think that put Mallory at ease.
You know...everything does always work out. Not always the way you pick or the way you planned...but it does. And she learned a lesson, too. But for sure, it's a weekend we'll both never forget. And those $30 cleats? Well, let's just say she'll be wearing those for a while.
5 comments:
Congrats to Malory for making it to the finals! (and for having such an awesome mom!)
Huge props to that Sports Authority for breaking the rules in the name of humanity. LOL, I can picture you standing at their door, pounding, while the poor employees listened on, wondering what crazy person lurked outside. Good for you!
Open, open, open, open, open...
Sports Authority should pay you for their next commercial.
Why do these lessons have to be learned at such inconvenient moments? You were both amazing,Mallory for her soccer playing, and you for finding the cleats in record time and beating the clock! And I bet Mal remembers that for a long time!
Crisis plus time equals humor, and I can see a movie called "The Soccer Crazies" with a mom pounding on the door of S.A.l Maybe you should write the script and send it off...
Okay. This is seriously one of your best posts. And I just read one of Grapefruit's best posts as well. Such talent in your family!!
The comments above say it all--especially Grapefruit's. You are a great mom. So cool that you were able to make that happen. Sorry about the loss, but great team effort on all fronts!
This was my P.S. on Grapefruit's post: Fairy Godmother, wish for clear complexion for me while you're at it! I'm having the same difficulty at 38! Sheesh!! :S (No wonder you're breaking out. Soccer mom stress would be enough to send me over the edge!)
Hooray for a manager who remembered we are all human :). So glad she didn't have to play in her socks :)!
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