Day 12 of Thankfulness: Sports

I am thankful for sports.

I grew up in a “sports loving” family. With five brothers, it was inevitable I guess. I have probably watched more ESPN than any other channel on TV. I also grew up going to numerous sporting events. Baseball games, swim meets, and football games. Recently we have added softball to the mix since Kiah decided to play.

Sports have always been a part of my life. Since my Dad is a swim coach, I grew up going to swim meets since a very young age (I believe I was only a few weeks old at my first swim meet). I have probably been to more baseball games that I could even try to keep track of. I always thought it would be fun to keep track of them since sometimes we would have 2 or 3 games in a night, but we didn't.

Maybe when I was younger, I would complain about going, but now, I miss it. I miss going to baseball games and swim meets. Sitting out at a football game, bundled up, on a fall evening. It’s a huge part of my life. This past spring when I was home, I was able to watch Asa and Thad play college baseball, Tage play high school baseball, and Kiah play softball. When I am home this next month, I’ll be able to watch Tage swim. I can’t wait!

No, sports are not everything, but they can teach you so much. I swam competitively for 15 years, including in college. Swimming was such a huge part of my life. It taught me to set goals and reach for them. It taught me time management, determination, how to really work hard, and how incredible it feels when you reach those goals. Swimming taught me about a job well done. Swimming also helped me to pay for college, which was a huge blessing. Without my scholarship, I probably would not be able to be in China today.

Swimming was hard, no doubt about that. There were days that I wanted to give up and quite, but I kept at it and the Lord taught me so much. He has taught me so much through sports, for which I am truly thankful. 

Yes, I am thankful for sports and the huge part they have played in my life. 

The Final Season

As I have mentioned before, one of the hardest things about living overseas is missing out. Missing out on holidays, parties, and especially in my family, sporting events. I am the 2nd oldest of 7 children, 5 of which are boys. I grew up in a sport loving family! We all were swimmers, and my brothers have all played baseball and most of them have also played football. Me? I was not gifted in the "hand eye coordination" area. Even Kiah is an excellent swimmer and started playing softball this year.

Due to technology, I have been able to keep up with how my siblings are doing. I remember last June when our high school baseball team made it to the state tournament (this would involve Thad and Tage), I woke up at 5 a.m. in order to "listen online" to the game. It was wonderful actually. I remember drinking coffee, eating pancakes, and watching the sun rise as I enjoyed listening to a ball game. Doesn't get much better than that! Swimming is easy to keep up with. Times are times and I know swimming. Baseball? Yeah, I know the game but the stats are hard for me to "visualize it." I am able to look up the games online to see who won and lost but other than that, not much of it makes sense. I miss going to games. I had my fair share of games when I was home this spring though. I LOVED it!

I just realized the other day what I'll be missing this fall. Football. Now, I am not a huge fan of football (shhh, don't tell my brothers that!). Honestly, the game bores me. But I DO love going to a game on a Friday night, sitting under the lights with a cup of coffee or hot chocolate, staying warm underneath a blanket, sitting with my Mom and sister, just enjoying being together. I realized that I won't JUST be missing a season, I'll be missing the LAST SEASON of football in our family. Tage is the youngest boy and he will be a senior (!) this fall. And I will miss it.

*Sigh* Just missing home today.