chad out of town...part II

chad's been out of town again. this time...atlanta. some church conference. i got a text from him last night saying that they were getting ready to go to a concert (rumored rascal flatts...but it wasn't) and then to hear jeff foxworthy. i got the text as i was getting the kids dinner made and getting ready to start the bedtime routine. needless to say...i was none-too-thrilled. i guess he didn't learn last time to not tell me about all of these fun things he gets to do while i am taking care of the house, the kids, the trash, the practices, the taking and dropping off, the shopping, etc etc etc, with no one coming home to me at night. anyway...all that's really beside any real point.

i had to coach chase's soccer practice again tonight. this time he didn't seem to mind. i think he has a little more respect for me after the other week. colton had a friend come home from school with him today to play and she was not going to be picked up until 5:30. practice started at 5. i didn't really think through this entirely, but it worked out for anna marie to get picked up at the field. chad told me not to forget the stupid goal that has to be tied up on top of the truck. i didn't forget about it. i just decided that it wasn't happening. the wind was so strong and by the time i got the 4 kids dressed and in the car, i didn't care if they had to outline a goal with their water bottles...i wasn't having to stop in the middle of the road to pick up a soccer goal that blew off with 4 kids peering out the windows. on the way, chase wanted to hear his favorite song of the week and asked me, true to form, if i had my "i pot" (i pod). that made me laugh. then with all the wind, dirt and dust was blowing all around the truck. chase said, "oooohhh look mommy...it's hoggy (foggy)out dare."

practice was going fairly smoothly...until aiden fell on the jungle gym and started screaming and made me hold her on my hip throughout the next bit of practice. about that time, my friend showed up to get anna marie. she needed her backpack out of the car, so i left practice in the hands of 2 other fathers while i went to get it and say goodbye to them. then, when i got back and started the scrimmage, chase was too tired and would only play if i gave him a piggy-back ride. so...there i am, coaching a 4 and 5 year old soccer scrimmage with chase on my back. literally. he did think it was funny when i ran and kicked the ball back into the huddle. i dare say it's the most "into" a game he's ever been.

after practice i was getting the kids in the car and that was when aiden started screaming, "we lost anna marie! we lost anna marie!"

at dinner, chase wanted me to tell stories about when i used to play soccer and colton, not to be outdone, started up with this story about how when he played soccer (he was 3 and hated it) that he was so good that he made 5 goals (he never kicked the ball in a game that i recall) and that after he made a goal, someone kicked him in the shin and he fell down and had to drag himself off the field. i said, "i'm not really remembering that." he said, "that's because it was in 2004 (it was). it was almost 398 days ago. that's why you don't remember." i just laughed and said, "possibly."

at that point, chase said he was still hungry. so, i asked him if he wanted a peanut butter fold over. he said, "what???? a peanut butter forward roll????"

i may or may not go to bed tired and confused tonight. at least i'll have a smile on my face. they are seriously so funny. i think we could be our own reality tv show.