I'm back! Wait... did anyone even realize I was gone? :)
I don't think I've ever skipped 2 weeks of POTW emails in a row before. It's like one of those habits that if I let myself skip any more, it would be so hard to get back into the swing of things. So here we go!
The first week I missed, I just FLAT FORGOT. I spent the better part of that Thursday watching wrestling on my computer (where I write these things) and I had plenty of things to talk about. I mean it was essentially the super bowl of our wrestling season! And I did think about the POTW at some point, but then it flitted right back out of my head and I never thought of it again. For reference, Spencer lost his first match on Thursday and then won the late one at like 10:30 at night or some crazy hour.
Then on Friday that week, I did think about sending the email, but Spencer was in the middle of a massive battle to get back through the consolation brackets and into a placement round. It was pretty tense. It's not very common for someone to battle back from a first round loss. I actually did a bit of research and out of all of the kids wrestling in the 7A brackets (14 weight classes and 16 wrestlers in each) there were only 5 total kids who lost a first round match and ended up in a placement round. It's impressive company. And I felt like I couldn't really send a POTW halfway through the event without knowing how it was going to end. On Friday Spencer won 2 more matches in a row to get himself into a placement position. He lost his last match on Friday and then wrestled in the 5th place match on Saturday, where he lost to the same kid who beat him in round 1 to earn a 6th place state finish.
Placing at state is no small feat. It was his goal this season. When he looks back at this season it will be with pride, but also with a bit of unfinished business. I think he'd like a chance to beat the guys who stood on the podium ahead of him. I think he's motivated to do just that next season. Either way, I'm so proud of what he did - and how he did it. The wrestling season is over now... and yet all 4 of our boys are still training. They are still prepping and preparing and getting better. They are getting ready, already, for next winter. And I love it!
And then last Thursday I was on a boat with the Buckeye Cruise for Cancer. I had plenty of downtime to write and email, but the whole point of downtime is doing nothing. Right? So I didn't even think about the POTW until Friday. And on Friday we were off the boat and touring Miami before heading back home. I am unashamed that I prioritized hanging out with Bob and enjoying our trip over sitting down to write an email. I love you all, but you can wait sometimes!
And here we are, a whole week later and getting back in the groove. We are smack into our spring schedule - which has a lot of trips to the wrestling studio and a few Zane lacrosse practices sprinkled in for good measure. Bob and I are kind of both busy working and catching up and getting ready for new projects and more stuff. It's all good stuff - just not very exciting stuff!
This weekend, we have nothing. WHAT???? That hardly ever happens. We were supposed to be down in Perry, GA at Little Kid State wrestling tournament, but we missed the registration deadline. (Even organized parents screw stuff up sometimes...) But it's OK, Zane wasn't upset and he has 4 more years to go to Little Kid State and get himself on the podium down there. After seeing Spencer's name on a plaque in our High School gym (forever) he's pretty motivated to get up there himself...
I hope you have all had a really great few weeks. Sorry if you were wondering where your Thursday evening light reading (boring reading?) was! I'm back in the saddle!
Here are a few pictures from the last couple of weeks. Enjoy!
Spencer with his state medal
Spencer, Quinn and Jay just after he wont the "blood round" match to put him into the placement matches. Those guys RAN down to congratulate him!
Beckett with a beautiful sunset after a REALLY rainy few weeks
Zane after lacrosse practice - boy has he grown up recently - no more little boy there... he's changing SO fast right now! Growing up before our eyes...
