Second Place

Flag football season came to a halt for us this past Saturday. And not a moment too soon.

We're exhausted from running to practices and games! But we have loved it. Each person in our family enjoyed this sport.

And this is probably the only time that all three of our kids will be on the same team... the Raiders. The boys played football, and Allison was on the cheering squad for their team.

On the way to the championship game, our boys were talkin' some trash.

"We're gonna beat them good."

"Yeah, the score is going to be 99 to zero!"

"Really? Ninety-nine to zero?" I asked.

"Well," Clay replied, "maybe 99 to six."

Way to be generous in your bragging there son.

I felt it necessary to remind them that the team they were playing against included one of their best buddies, Tyler. So if they won, they probably wouldn't want to be poor sportsmen and rub anyone's face in it.

Funny how the Lord teaches lessons. The mighty do fall.

I think the final score was 22-6. And the winning team was the Steelers, not the Raiders.

I'm not sure they grasped the enormity of the lesson though. Because on the way home, I heard Spencer say, "Well, at least we weren't in last place."

Again, I felt it necessary to remind him that in last place was a team that included Spencer's buddy, Cade. So, he probably ought not say anything that would hurt his friend's feelings.

Moreover, their friend Gracie cheered for that team as well.

I think they all got it after that.

I loved this whole experience, our family's first with this sport. The locations of practices and games were great, because they were so close to our home. The football coaches were unnaturally patient and gave out love to our boys while teaching them the sport. (It's completely safe to say our sons understand football much better than their mom.) Allison's cheering coaches included her kindergarten teacher and two previous Sunday school teachers, two sisters who both used to attend our church. The league was organized so that all three of our kids had to be at the field at the same time on game day because Allison cheered for her brothers.

And I love that our kids played and cheered with so many of their friends from school and church. Even if they were on opposing teams or squads. (And maybe because they were, which made good sportsmanship easier to explain.)

At the last game, the emcee in charge of announcing the players' names as they were given their trophies... he prayed. And not some insipid, watered-down junk either. He thanked our risen Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

In this day, that speaks volumes to me.

Here's a few pictures.



The one day I don't put her hair up in the team-colored ribbon!



Allison is not idol worshipping. She's holding her trophy up next to a friend's trophy, and they were giggling like little girls do.



Spencer, aka Zippy, number 10. That kid is fast!



Spencer has his eyes shut, bracing for the impact of his block.



Just a little pat on the head between teammates.



Trophy, in one hand, liquid refreshment in the other.



Our big boy, number 13.



And Clay also shuts his eyes before impact.



Clay goes down as he blocks for his buddy, Christopher, number 14. They were good friends in first grade, and they're in class again together this year.



Clay with his trophy.



All three little winners.

Right now, I'm filling out the applications for Upward basketball. It'll be Clay's third year, but Spencer and Allison's first. Allison is wavering between playing basketball and cheering. I'm hoping she'll play ball.

For now, we have a lull between sports for the next seven weeks.

And that's something to cheer about!

One last picture. Bruce shot this from across the field, after a cell phone call telling me to pay attention to the game instead of gabbing.



That's me and my friend Carolyn waving to Bruce. (She's in red) And our other friend Kim, one of the blue team cheeering coaches, won't even face the cameraman. (Kim is too cool to wave.)