Boys and Bullies

Boys and Bullies:

Life Lessons From My Seven Year Old Son

The last 24 hours have put the Bailey parenting skills to the test...while the toys, gadgets, and cartoons have changed dramatically from my childhood, the challenges our children have faced seem an awful lot alike.  Of course there are tons of new and different technologies for kids to navigate as our Atari and Nintendo did not connect to anything other than a tube television, and if someone mentioned a World Wide Web I'm sure it would conjure up visions of giant spiders taking over the world....I'm guessing something similar to those seen in Arachnophobia (although I wouldn't know because I hate spiders and never saw the movie).  But by and large, our children are facing situations that we faced as kids.  Up until now, we have only dealt with minor infractions, after all, my oldest is only 7, but I am not naive enough to think they will not deal with situations that involve underage drinking, drugs or sex...(oh please don't let it be drugs or sex!!).  But today we caught our first glimpse of what is to come.  That's what is funny about life, just when you think that you have got IT figured out, whether IT is a new job, school, or in our case, parenting, IT turns into something else.  And for us, IT was a bully we will call Jack.

This week is a big week for me because I have started working part time at our shop so I can have time to write and grow my coaching practice.  YAY!  So, at the end of an exciting day and then dinner with dear friends, we made it home with enough time to chat about the day before tucking everyone in bed.  While Jay was settling in, he lifted his shirt and showed me his chest and a spot that looked like a bruise just under his sternum.  He had been at baseball camp so I didn't think much about it because he gets beat up all the time in sports and after nearly a year of overprotection I finally got a grip.  He told me that it hurt and this kid Jack punched him in the back, in the chest, and spit on him in line at camp today....wait, what did he just say?  At that split second, my world was rocked.  In one second, Jay went from the little guy I was tucking in to bed, to a kid who is coming to his parent for comfort, help, guidance, and direction.  Wow, I sure didn't see that coming!  Of course I immediately begin thinking that our future is riding on how this conversation goes.  Will he feel safe coming to us when the times are tough.  Will he trust us with the BIG stuff? But no pressure.
After a deep breath, I just went with it... I tried to make my voice sound like it always does because I didn't want to make a big deal of it.  But this could be his last time coming to me if he felt like I was blowing it off as not a big deal...man, I was not ready for this.  So I asked him what he did and if he told anyone about it.  I asked him if he hit him back.  He told me he ignored him but Jack kept doing it.  Oh I hugged him as tight as I could and told him how proud I am of him, and then asked him if he thought he would see him the next day.  Unfortunately, Jack was in his group for the week, so I told him to go up to the coach the next day and say, "Hey Coach, this guy Jack just won't keep his hands off me!".  There!  I did it!  Mom came in and saved the day.  I gave him words that sounded tough not like a wimp and that'll fix it!  We hugged again.  I gave my sweet boy a kiss and told him that I love him and goodnight.  

Woohoo!  I can almost see myself strutting down the hallway back to our room to share my parenting triumph with Michael.  It felt good.  I couldn't wait to tell him how he practiced talking to the coach in his tough voice...hey, I may even get a high-five on this one.

So, Michael's reaction did not go exactly the way I imagined it would.  Evidently there is a guy code that says you don't tell on a bully, you punch him in the nose.  Michael explained to me what he thought and what he was going to say to Jay and why, and with that (and all my friends of FB who encouraged me and rooted for Jay) we went to bed.

This morning Michael and Jay had a long talk (maybe it was short, all this guy stuff is new to me); whatever it was, it was their first Man-to-Man. Michael explained to Jay that he is never, ever to start a fight, but if he is being bullied he can and should defend himself.  We will not be mad but he also has to realize that there may be consequences if it happens at school or camp, etc.  Michael showed him how to make a fist and told him to punch him in the nose.  I would have liked him to add run away, but I was good with the overall message.  I asked Jay what he was going to do if Jack hit him or spit on him again and he made his little fist and motioned like he was punching himself in the nose.  (Deep breaths...No tears, Sarah...keep it together!). I asked him how he felt about it and he told me he was going to try to ignore him because that is what Jesus would do...and that was that.  He grinned and off he went. 

I watched the clock most of the morning wondering how things were going.  The minutes ticked by, but I took comfort in the fact that I hadn't gotten a call to pick Jay up, or worse meet him at the hospital.  I went back over all of the scenarios we had discussed.  I felt better knowing that he we had given him several options for dealing with Jack the Bully.  Surely, it was going to be alright...would Jay punch him?  If he did, would he cry?  Would he be crying because he did something he didn't want to do? Would he cry because it hurt...did Michael tell him it would hurt?

Michael texted me earlier that he would pick Jay up...we both wanted to see what this Jack kid looked like, but I figured Michael could probably keep his cool more than me, and the last thing I wanted to do was embarrass Jay or give Jack more reason to bully.  I heard Michael's car pull up and the doors open and shut...

Michael came in first and I said, "WELL???".  

"Well what?".  Typical male!  He finally told me that Jay said nothing happened and everything was fine.

A minute later Jay came strolling in.  His face and swagger told me he was enjoying keeping me in suspense.  Two can play that game, Buster!  After commenting on how dirty he was and asking what he did at camp he caved and with his head tilted and that look on his face he said"....well, aren't you going to ask me something?  Something about a kid...at camp?"

"Oh, right...who is it?  John, Joe, no Jack.  That's it. Jack."  Because I could tell whatever the 
 turnout was, it was positive, I indulged my self a bit.  "So how did it go today, Jay?"  And through his crazy cute grin he told me how he walked right up it Jack and he said, "Look, can we be friends?  And BAM that was it!".

And BAM that is it!  That was our first lesson in this new phase of parenting.  The best part of this is that Jay realized that he has choices.  What I find most remarkable is that he didn't rely on advice he wasn't comfortable with, instead, he kept thinking until he came up with a solution that he was happy with.
I really hope all of our lessons in parenting aren't this hard.  But if they are, I'm just glad that we have three great kids and tons of great friends to figure it out together. 

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Making IT Happen!

Throughout my journey, I have asked myself tons of questions...who am I?  What do I want?  Why do I want X, Y, or Z?  How do I get there?  When is the right time for me?  I think all of us have similar questions and prayers that frequent us in the quiet of the early morning, or on the drive to work, or in the carpool line.  I have found there is no telling when that gift of clarity will break through the noise and the distractions of our day and get past the packed schedules that we have in our lives.  But, what I have also found is that they WILL break through!  We can quiet those questions for a month, or a week, or days at a time...but at some point, they find that little opening and surprise us when we least expect it!

Recently, I have grown very fond of those moments so much so that sometimes I try too hard to reproduce it at times when I am searching for answers.  I like to think of those as bursts of Divine intervention and while I am not much of a morning person, I find they often come to me when I am trying to get my family and self ready for the day.  I've lost some of those opportunities because I did not stop for a few minutes to explore the burst of clarity!  Well, this morning, I stopped and may have come up with what I have been searching for...not the answer, but the REAL question!!

What is IT that I want?  It is funny that I have just now seen this because I have danced around this in my journals, coaching sessions, blog posts, and Girls Night...with Purpose.  I have a tendency to do this in all parts of my life, and this time, I didn't see IT until I was ready to understand.

So here it is...all of the questions I have been asking are great questions and I will continue to ask them to myself and my coaching clients, but I now know that we will not get the real answer until we know what IT is that we desire.  If we do not know what IT is, we will continue to live as we do now, but we will continue to do things that may not have real value or meaning for us.  

Would IT be going to college or getting a job after high school?  Would IT be going to medical school or law school because of expectations?  Would IT be choosing a career over family?  

So what does all this matter anyway?  Well, we are going to be doing things in life whether we choose or not, so why not make IT what you want IT to be?  

MOMENTS OF REDEMPTION


This is one of my new favorite pictures of me and the kiddos in quite some time, so naturally, I made it my Facebook profile picture and WOW have my FB friends loved it!!! Lots and lots of likes!  The funny thing is, this was this morning on our way to church, I intended to take some pictures at Saint Francis Xavier because there are some beautiful places to take pictures...and, well, I got all of the kids ready for mass an hour early by accident because the kitchen clock is WAY off, so I figured what a great opportunity!  Well, my car wouldn't start and kids were getting restless so we improvised.  We called Mimi to pick us up for church and plopped down on our front steps as we waited for our ride and 30 minutes later we had a photo...and we got to church on time (thanks Mimi)!!

The thing about this picture and all the ones we "like" and envy on FB and Instagram is that it is ONE moment in time!  We judge ourselves against others based on these photos and the fact is, our lives are made up of the post worthy photos, but way more often the ones we are thankful others will never see.

Today, I had some very "un-post worthy" moments.  

I was moving some furniture around and of course the kiddos get super excited about all the changes!  Anyone who knows me well would be surprised that I don't do this all the time anymore, but it gets exponentially harder the more children that are involved!  So after this beautiful picture was taken and my children behaved amazingly well at mass, my collaborative spirit (with 5 & 7 year olds) and my patience with them -and my husband who would not take them away- was wearing very, very 

thin!!

Needless to say, the snapshot you see above is not indicative of my mood or demeanor overall today...makes me feel pretty sad when I have these AMAZING little people to love, and teach, all the while be continually amazed by.  But here's the thing that makes that picture the true story of our day...in between my frustration and cross words were kind words.  In between their tears and tantrums were hugs and kisses.  And then, at the end of the day, when I felt like a fraud for posting that picture, my three AMAZING kids kissed me and squeezed me as they said good night!  They love me anyway!  They LOVE ME anyway!!

These are the moments of redemption!  They know I love them despite my flaws and faults...and they squeeze my neck and tell me they love me anyway!!  

5 Things I won't leave home without

Tuesday started out pretty normal, that is normal for our house.  My mom and I had planned a day trip to Atlanta to do some buying for our shop and then I was going to take her to the airport so she could fly to see my sister in Jacksonville, Florida.  The plan was drop her off after our appointment and then head back to Birmingham in time for school pick-up.  I was out of town last weekend, so Michael suggested that I take Parker with me so we could have some Mommy/daughter time and since she is only in 4K it wasn't a huge deal for her to miss school.  I thought it was a great idea because I could tell she was missing me and I wouldn't have this opportunity when she started "real school".  

I went into her room and sat on the edge of her bed as she slept and whispered in her ear, "do you want to come to work with me?"  She rolled over and opened her eyes.  As the idea sunk in she smiled and hopped out of bed and started getting ready "for work".  In a matter of minutes she was ready and we hopped in Mimi's car and headed to Atlanta.  We each had our purse/backpack and the clothes on our back.  Little did we know we were heading off on a four day adventure that would test our faith, courage, sense of humor and patience.

We hadn't been in our appointment longer that ten or fifteen minutes when we heard that the snow storm watch had turned into a warning and there was a real possibility for bad weather.  As I was trying to decide if I needed to leave right away, I got the phone calls from school...schools are closing in 45 minutes.  I knew that there was no way for me to get there in time to pick up Jay and Wills, but surely I would make it home.  

My mom told me she would take a cab to the airport and Parker and I made our way to the car and got on the road.  As we stepped outside, the first flurries fell to the ground.  The flakes were gently floating from the clouds.  They were small and dainty and I thought to myself, this isn't so bad.  Parker and I got settled in the car and were on our way.  My thoughts bounced back and forth from disbelief...the flakes are so tiny this won't amount to anything, to panic...what if we don't get home!

Things were smooth sailing for about 50 miles and then it happened!  Those flakes...those tiny flakes...the ones that calmed me because of their size and gentle presence...they had fooled me.  They fooled me and thousands of drivers into thinking we could make it home.  In the blink of an eye everything changed.  The cars in front of me slammed on brakes.  It was slow motion as I pumped my brakes to slow down.  I held my breath with my hands clenched trying desperately to maintain some control over our vehicle.  The next thing I remember is my heart pounding and we were stopped.  Each heartbeat was reminding me to breathe, breathe, breathe.  I looked down and saw my white knuckles and loosened my grip on the steering wheel so that I could turn around to see Parker.  And there she sat, watching a movie, so calm and peaceful.  Thank you, God!

When I started to look around, I noticed the lady in the car beside me was facing the wrong direction on I-20.  Cars in front and behind me had screeched and skidded to a halt.  Some with less than an inch to spare; others weren't so lucky.  From there we inched for a short period of time and then we stopped.  It really wasn't until then that my mind slowed enough to think about what was going to happen next. We were over 100 miles from home with 1/4 of a tank of gas, no food, no luggage, and no plan!  My phone was slowly losing its charge so I had to use it wisely.  On my phone, I found a hotel at the next exit and called for a reservation; it was about 2.5 miles away.  They assured me they had plenty of rooms and guessed it would take me about 2 hours to get there.  Something made me give her my credit card number before I hung up....

Over the next few hours Parker noticed that we were stopped and started asking questions.  My plan was to be strong and keep Parker calm.  "Have patience, Parker".  I said it as much for her as I did for me.  As we waited, I mustered up every ounce of courage I could.  I was texting Michael and my mom sparingly trying to remain calm but growing anxious by the minute all the while trying to explain to Parker that we were going to be ok.  And then as suddenly as traffic stopped, it started again.  Over the next mile or so, I weaved through jack-knifed tractor trailers and abandoned cars while sliding on a sheet of ice praying that we would make it to the hotel.

And at long last, we pulled in to what would be our home over the next four days.  Hallelujah!  Thank you God!  Over texts my mom kept reminding me that God would take care of us.  "Have Faith, Sarah!"  And he did!  (I remember thinking, "I just wish He would have told me to pack a bag for us, too!".  Sometimes it feels good to just laugh!)  

As I checked in, the employee we now know as our friend Jennifer told me how smart I was to leave my card number...she sold out of all of her rooms within 20 minutes of my call.  The next few hours proved to be an emotional roller coaster as I tried to find out where the rest of my family was and be sure everyone was safe.  In between phone calls, I took inventories...how much cash do I have, how long will my phone battery last, what do I have in my purse that will help/entertain in this situation.  And I came up short.  Category after category, I did not have the bare minimum to make it through even a night.  But it was only supposed to be a DAY TRIP!

Over the course of the next three days, I was able to get change for the vending machine, found a phone charger in the lost and found (after a sweet "neighbor" lent me his for an hour or so), we walked to a Cracker Barrel and ate and bought some activities to pass the time and souvenirs for the boys, and I even got to a gas station/grocery store to get other essentials for me and the girls at the front desk (our list included diet coke and wine among other necessities).  As we settled into our routine, bonded with our neighbors, and realized from news reports just how close we were from a very different outcome, I learned a few things.

First, I learned to practice what I preach.  After I knew I would have a phone charger for the long haul, I started making and receiving calls.  I recalled the situation to family and friends in great detail still in disbelief.  At some point Parker must have grown tired of me rehashing our journey, or maybe she just wanted me to get off the phone and play with her, and she looked at me and said, "Mom, it just is what it is!"  And she was right!  I had a choice as to how we would spend our time because our situation was what it was.  And it was then that our winter adventure began!  

Second, I relearned that God gives you what you need and how important it is to have faith!  We needed a warm bed and the kindness of strangers, and that we got!  I also saw God working through the kindness of strangers.  I love all of the great stories of people helping people!

Third, I learned 5 things that I will not leave home without.  Most obvious, my phone charger.  As ugly as that truth is, we rely on our phones for phone numbers, I was able to book our hotel room, and get information and directions.  Another thing I will not leave home without is cash!  As much as we are a swipe it society, in this time of need, I could not get food or drinks from the hotel vending machine without cash.  The third thing I will never leave without is the daily medication I take for depression.  This is the first time I've not had it and I can say with certainty it will be the last.  Forth, I can promise you if you ever see me anywhere, I will have an extra pair of underwear!!!  If you doubt it, ask me and I'll show it to you!  And finally, if you remember any of this, remember this:  Never leave home without letting everyone you love know that you love them!  Wills was asleep so I did not wake him to say goodbye!  Don't let any opportunity pass you by to show people how much you care!  Make the most of your life because now is all we ever have!  And remember, it is what it is!

Calling all Supermoms (and Superwomen)!

 



After spending an ENTIRE week of my stay-cation enjoying my family, organizing, doing coaching work and trying to find peace and order in my life, I have decided it was time again to write a post on my blog.  It has been since May, I think, since I last wrote. There have been many blog worthy experiences, but not many blog writing hours available.  So here I sit, at 4:30 on Friday afternoon.  The final hour of my week off stares me in the face and asks, "What will you do with me?"  So I open my laptop, try 3 times to remember my blog password, remember it, and begin typing.

 

Friday is trash day at our house, and Wills LOVES the trash men!  When I say LOVES them, I mean LOVES THEM!  He will wake from a dead sleep to the sound of the squeaking breaks of the "trashmina"  as he calls them and I have to grab him and rush to get on the front porch/front yard so he can wave at them and squeal with delight.  I like to think his enthusiasm for them and their truck wins them over for I know the six years of dirty diapers (and still counting) can't have made us a route favorite otherwise!

 

So we had our regular Friday morning fun and in we went to change him out of his pjs and into his clothes for the day.  For some reason, I noticed he was wearing a pair of Superman pajama pants...ones that Jay had worn many times before him.  But all day today, I have been thinking about those stinkin' pants.  I'm not much of a comic book fan and my knowledge of Super Heroes is from what I learned watching Super Friends over 20 years ago so forgive me if I an off on some of these facts, but I have to say...I think us Super Moms and Super Women are doing it ALL WRONG. 

 

If I recall correctly, 90% of the time, Superman is a regular guy named Clark Kent, and Spiderman is kind of a nerdy guy but I can't remember his name or what he does for a living.  But from what I remember, neither of them do much unless they transformed into Superman or Spidey.  So all day I have been thinking about this...and suddenly I realized the real reason that they can do such extraordinary things, feel great, and then go back to their same old same old and never miss a beat.  It's because Superman can take off his cape.  And Spidey takes off his leotard or whatever it is he wears and they go back to being AVERAGE!  We would think the story line was crazy if they were to sustain that level of action and energy the whole time.  So why is it that we expect to be SUPER all of the time?

 

No really, I am seriously asking this question because I want to know what makes us believe that we have to operate at such unsustainable levels when even the guys in the movies who really do have "super powers" cannot do it.  So I ask again why do we expect to be super all of the time?  And why do we put more pressure on ourselves than others?

 

As I thought about this idea throughout the day, I  realized that I am as guilty as the next.  I have spent a large part of this year working toward my certification in professional and personal coaching and I talk with other coaches and clients about living a balanced life, yet I do not walk the talk.  I spend my mornings getting everyone off to school, my days working in our family business, my evenings with my family, and my nights coaching.  When I wake up, I put on my cape hoping that it is at least right side out (unless there is still a stain on it from the last time I could take it off long enough to wash and dry it...and if that is the case, well then it's probably better inside out) and then I'm off.  I can almost hear the song, "Here I come to save the day!"  After a full day of work, wiping booties and boogies, coaching soccer, and planning the next birthday party, I untie my cape and crumple it up in a little ball on the side of the bed because I know I will need it again tomorrow.

 

So what is the alternative, you ask?  Well as a coach, I will ask you that same question because my answers are not your answers; what works for me may not be right for you.  And then I will ask you a bunch more questions until we have a great plan.  After asking myself those same questions, I have come up with this...more doesn't mean better and neither does bigger.  I will also try hard to remember that it is ok to say "no" once in a while.  It doesn't mean that you are weak or not willing to help; it means that you are human and know it.  I am going to make conscious choices about what things I want to be SUPER at and those that I don't.  I am going to choose to be there for the things that my kids love, dance with my husband, and grab Wills every Tuesday and Friday to be sure he can wave at the trashmina.  And oh yeah, I'm for sure gonna ditch that stupid cape!  I am sure that those villains can find a new Super Person to bother...someone who doesn't yet know how to say NO!

My Jerry Maguire Moment....

 

 

Whether you love or hate Tom, who doesn't love Jerry Maguire?  Everyone I know saw it...People still quote it..."Show me the money", "you complete me" and "the human head weighs 8 pounds".  Well as silly as it is to say I had a Jerry Maguire moment when Jerry Maguire is a figment of someone's imagination, I did...Spoiler Alert:  In this post, I do not "complete" anyone.  I have not been "completed" by anyone.  Nor do I seek completion or to complete anyone.  I did however have a Jerry Maguire style Epiphany.

 

My life these days consists of working full time, parenting full time, and being a wife full time all the while reading, watching, seeking, and imagining what is the secret to the fulfilled life.  Don't get me wrong, my blessings are abundant.  I have NO complaints!  But I still want to discover that mysterious thing that you see in people every once in a while... what is it that makes you think, "I want THAT"?

 

Well, it was just my luck that I had lunch with one of my best friends not long ago.  We have lunch on a regular basis and it always proves to be good for the soul for both of us.  But this past time, our standing lunch date revealed to me an exciting opportunity to grow while at the same time help others!  But in a very indirect manner.

 

The long story short, my friend has a friend that is a life coach and at some point during our lunch, guards down, friend to friend, she said..."You should do that!"  So I got a meeting with her friend and we talked... we talked about perspective, priorities, energy, and on and on..and here is my Epiphany:

 

All around us, people talk about problems, challenges, frustrations.  Everyone has "issues", excuses or special circumstances.  These labels are barriers.  They are road blocks.  They equate to saying, "I quit" or "this problem is bigger than me".  My friend's friend, the "life coach" talked about seeing situations as opportunities.  I thought about that and I liked it...and as my thoughts flooded into my mind, the notion of choice and chance kept popping up.  Perception is reality.  Self fulfilling prophecy.  Life is what you make it.  The cliches are endless.  But the bottom line is this:  do you see things as a challenge or as a chance?  A challenge implies a problem, and it requires a winner and a loser.  A chance is an opportunity for all to win!  And it is OUR choice. 

 

Being the person that I am, I had to plug this into a real life scenario to see if my BIG IDEA can hold water... so I envision a scenario where my store has employee trouble.  If I were in a situation where I had an employee problem, looking at it as a challenge makes me feel like I am against that person.  I feel like I have to win or change them in order for the situation to be resolved.  Now, think of an employee "problem" as a CHANCE.  I have a chance to tell the employee what I expect of them.  I have a chance to find out if my employee is going through a tough time.  I may have a chance to develop new skills in another person.  I certainly have a chance to grow as a manager/boss/owner.  I have a chance to make our organization better!  The thought of challenge brings feelings of dread or stress, while the thought of chance is a breath of fresh air and allows for possibility and opportunity.

 

 I am not going to lie to you...it is not always easy to be positive in a culture that paints a Goya-esque picture of our future that looks dreadful at best.  But I will continue to try because I have three kids that will develop their attitudes and outlooks on life in my home, following my example.  By seeing situations that may not be the greatest as a CHANCE to grow, or learn, or teach, can make all the difference.  And I get that chance!

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 



Oh when the Saints come marchin' in

 

Oh when the Saints come marchin' in...

 

You might think that coaching an Under 6 Soccer team, the Saint Francis Saints (at a Catholic School no less), would be a wholesome, let's all learn the game, everyone gets to play, feel-good experience... I did; and that is how I coach my team.  Aparently, that isn't always the case.  Now, don't get me wrong, I played competetive soccer for years, and I cannot honestly say that I can set aside my drive and desire to win just because the players are 5 years old.  But I can say that I know I am a coach now, not a player.  And now, I am participating in a different capacity.  My job is to teach 10 five year olds the game of soccer, skills and sportsmanship alike.  Some may say that it is just teaching kids to kick a ball, but I say it's WAY more than that! 

 

Coaching soccer, or any sport for that matter, is way more than teaching a child a physical skill or a bunch of rules.  It is more like a lesson in life.  In fact, one might say it is a microcosm of "real life".  Life has rules...Soccer has rules.  Some players want nothing more than to be in the game...some are just as happy watching on the sidelines.  Sometimes you get a fair call, but others times you don't.  Sometimes if you just show up you win, and others you give your absolute, very best and it just isn't good enough.  There are gracious winners and sore losers. You win some; you lose some.  And such is life. 

 

I'd like to think that all coaches are in it for the good of the kids, but in just two seasons as a U6 soccer coach I'm pretty sure that is not always the case. My Saints played a heck of a game on Saturday!  They dribbled, they passed, they defended, they scored.  They played as a team on the field and on the sidelines.  I can't tell you how awesome it is to see your players on the sidelines cheering for their teammates instead of kicking dirt while poking their friends!  They are excited on and off the field, and with ten players on the team that plays 5 v 5, we sub a lot.  To see all of them cheer as their friends score goals...AWESOME!  Today, our team won after lots of teamwork and great plays.  I could not be more proud of our players! 

 

Unfortunately, my Saints saw the ugly side of competition today...whether they realized it or not.  The team we played were less experienced than our players, but hustled none the less.  They gave their ALL for 40 minutes and that is what most coaches dreams of at any age...Well most is not all...At some point in the first half I was told by the Assistant Coach of the opposing team to stay on my own side of the field as I coached my players into position...ummm, ok.  Sorry?  Was she really telling me to get off her "side"?  Well, yes.  Yes she was.  She told me each time I neared the center line.  She also told the parents of her players not to talk to their own kids during the game...WHAT? 

 

Well, the worst of the worst came after the game was over and we all lined up to shake hands and say "good game".  Not only did she refuse to shake our hands, she requested an age verification on one of our players...she accused us of cheating.  My team of 5 and 6 year olds played their hearts out today and a Coach refused to shake their hands and called us cheaters!  I am pretty sure my Saints did not notice her abscence and I did not make a big tadoo about it or the "age verification", but what does her team hear?  What does her team learn from her actions?  If we are teaching our players about life, what did they just learn on Saturday morning? 

 

And so my Saints marched out with a big win and I am so proud of them.  And in this little simulacrum of reality, I see that we are all at different stages of our journey.  Some may have not even begun.  If you ask me and my Saint "Are we there yet?", I can say that we are well on our way.  At least for this season! 

GO SAINTS!