A big thought and a small thought.  

First, we are coming to the close of a long, season of daily and intense practices for multiple boys.  This has been our life for so many years it is hard to remember summer/autumn any other way. Much as I balk at the driving and fatigue and schedule rearrangements, there is nothing quite like the old-school style passion and pride on the sidelines.  

Living here is a throw back to my own high school years. At least until the halftime performances which have required some interpretation for us having been out of country nearly half a dozen years. 

Now watch me whip….now watch me nae nae…

The big idea? 

There was a difficult season many, many years ago when our first set of kids were young.  And a handful. Several handfuls.  (Hands full?) Basically our hands WERE full to the point things were dropping, spilling out and over and down. 

A dear neighbor who was well-versed in large family matters shared a buzz word with me, a catch phrase really that I have kept in my heart and shared over and over: 

SAME TEAM

We are all on the same team.  We have the same goal in mind.  Our battles are not with each other but with all those outside forces which stand in the way of our ultimate victory. Our human nature tempts us to challenge the coach and blame the other players which is lose-lose all around.  When that happens now, we try to cut it off with that reminder…same team.  

The kids have it drilled into their heads that before they can be an effective player on any other team they have to be putting forth their best effort on this team. We remind each other there are bad games, even bad seasons, but that doesn't mean you pull out of the league. We regroup, train smarter, pull together.  

No matter what, you always support your home team.