Are You Ready for Some Football?

A few years ago, our town opened a second high school because our original high school was overflowing with students. It took a little time for the football team of the new school to get going but when it did, we decided to buy season passes to the football games (which are actually still played at the original high school's football field...they share). Our thought was that when our kids are in high school, we would have our seats established. Of course, at that time we were a family of five (or planning on it anyway), now we are a family of six. Thankfully this year we were able to get six tickets in our same place.

We missed the first "home" game because we were in Branson. Last week the town's two high schools played each other, so Mark took the older two to part of it, even though we were considered the "away" team this year so they didn't get to sit in "our" seats but on the other side in the bleachers. Either way, our team won. :)

This week was another home game. In fact, we played the rival of my high school (there were also two high schools where I lived during my teen years). So all afternoon I wrestled with whether we should all go or just some of us. In the end, everyone was in a fairly decent mood. Child 3 had had like a four hour nap.Child 4 was pretty happy. And the two big kids are always raring to go somewhere. So we all went.

As soon as we pulled into the parking lot, we heard cries for "snacks" from behind us. I have yet to figure out why but Child 4 is like Pavlov's dogs...he thinks if he gets unbluckled from the carseat, there must be food within just a few minutes. It doesn't matter if he just ate a really big meal. He. Must. Eat. (or so he thinks)

So we got settled in our seats, and Mark was off to hunt for some refreshments. We had two hot dogs, two orders of nachos, three bags of popcorn, and three drinks. Not too bad for our family. And best of all, the popcorn kept the youngest pretty busy for a while. We like busy. :) Well, entertained busy. There were several moments in the game that it was just "I am busy, I cannot be still" for the two younger ones. That is when you realize how very close together those bleachers are!

One thing I was not prepared for was our oldest son to want to hang out AWAY from us with his buddies. We have very mixed feelings about it and haven't really decided where we stand on that...don't know what age is "old enough". We let him hang out with his buddies (with an occasional "check in" by his dad) for about a quarter, then he was to report right back to our seats. And he did. I know he is a good kid, fairly responsible, but as I have told him, it is my job to worry as a mom. There are so many kids running around. I told him it wasn't HIM I worry about so much, but other people. I just don't know if I am ready for that. Thoughts? Advice?

The game was a good game. It was fairly cool, but not frigid. In fact, I am fairly cold natured, and other than feeling a bit cool, I was never shivering or miserable. I love being in the stands amidst the fans and friends, pulling for our team. (It does help when our team wins)

I did feel a bit old when I heard the names of some players and even a member of the homecoming court called. They were in my class in kindergarten! Now, several are seniors. Ugh. I ran into the mother of one of the players when I escorted Child 3 to the restroom. I had seen an article on her son that very day in the paper and commented about it. She and I both agreed it seems like just yesterday he was sitting at my feet for storytime; now he is a senior running all over the field making incredible plays. (Wish I could take credit for that, but I can't :) Seriously, where did the time go???

There were a few moments in the game we were ready to leave. Child 4 made a few people around us laugh when he yelled, "Go, go!" so of course, he hammed it up big time for them then which was hard on us because is it like wrestling a monkey. He also got restless a few times and decided to go back and forth between the two of us...over and over and over. It was pretty exhausting. Hopefully those in front of us didn't suffer too much from flailing limbs...

There were some sweet moments too. Like when Child 3 asked MANY questions about football, like what those posts were (those are goalposts...you kick the ball between them to get a point), who those people with the blue shirts were (that is the team we are cheering for, only some get to play at a time so the others have to wait for their turn), and why those girls had on the fancy dresses (it was homecoming...she quickly declared that the dresses kind of looked like what I wore when I got married :). And then Child 4 was saying, "Go, Razorbacks" for much of the time until I finally convinced him we were Wildcats tonight...then he would perk up every time the announcers made a remark about Wildcats. And the band mesmerized all of them.

We ended up staying until the fourth quarter and actually only left because it was so late. By that point, the youngest was fairly calm (and cold), snuggled up against me. It was the longest we had made it yet, so it gives us hope!

By the time we got home, our team was declared victorious over the radio. And we had one little boy sound asleep (and really unhappy to be moved from the car to his bed), with the others not far behind...even better, they all slept in today!

It was a fun night of football and family!