I Never Thought I'd Be 6/12/22

I never thought I'd be:

 

A swim mom;

 

Or a choir mom;

 

A band mom;

 

A basketball mom;

 

A tumbling mom;

 

A soccer mom;

 

Or a minivan mom.

 

Nope, never thought I'd be any of them. But I've been them all and then some.

 

I've been them all and found that I love every exhausting second of them. Win or lose. Burning heat or freezing cold. I love it all.

 

Why do I love it all? Not necessarily because I love the activity or because I know so much about it (I mean I am year nine into soccer and I'm still Googling rules). No, it's because I love the kid on the field, on the mat, in the chair, and in the seats behind and beside me.

 

I love watching them learn and discover what they like and what they excel at. I find myself wrapped up in their ambition. I cheer louder than I knew I could (and I used to be a cheerleader) because my heart beats for them.

 

Do I care if they get first place? Nope, not at all. Is it sweet when they do? Yep, it is. But it's the in between, the pushing through, the fight to stick a landing, to hit a note, to shave a few seconds off a stroke, the grinding all day because sunrise comes early for practice that I love. It's watching them watch themselves get better and grow.

 

Are there days when it would be easier to not fight about practicing their instruments or having to attend an outdoor practice because the weather stinks? Yep. But somethings are worth fighting about. And if I don't teach them to fight for themselves, who will?

 

So for all the things I never thoughts I'd be, and so much more, I'm extremely thankful. Thankful that I get to walk alongside of these beautiful souls and watch them grow. I get to be there for the hard falls and the high highs. And that too is more than I ever thought I'd be.