Whack

Volleyball has started again -- high school volleyball, anyway. Once this is over, in October, we'll have about a two week rest before club volleyball starts. Either way, we spend a lot of time sitting on bleachers -- although we have a pair of fold-up rocking chairs that people stare at with lust.

I want to really try to enjoy this year -- as I watch my last child play for the last time. Carrie is a senior and, unless she chooses to pursue volleyball in college (I don't think she will but you never know), this will be it. Shannon played volleyball (got a full scholarship to a small college in SC but didn't want to go there) and basketball, Wesley played soccer mostly -- did a couple of turns with baseball and basketball. Carrie played a little basketball in middle school but, afterward, it was volleyball all the way. I know the game pretty well now, though I never played sports myself -- and I'm totally uninterested unless a child of mine is playing -- but I never paid much attention to details or rules, so don't ask me. I understand the ref's calls -- I just never see them when they happen.

Carrie goes to a Catholic high school -- they are the Fightin' Irish -- Carrie's position is setter -- so we refer to her as the"Irish Setter". Cute, huh? We probably didn't make that up but we like to think we did.

So, this year is going to be a year of "lasts". Some, we will be grateful to never have to do again; others we will miss. I won't miss the early mornings or long days of volleyball but I will miss watching my kids play.

But there are always grandchildren...