Keeping myself busy….and out of trouble

As you well know; I have been a busy little beaver lately.
Last weekend was the opening day of the Youth Football League. I spent  all day there taking pictures, then came home and had to sort, edit, delete and post them to my various friends and websites.  I took pictures of all 8 teams that played, and special pictures for a few of the parents and grandparents….so I came home with 4 new e-mail addresses to send copies to.
I have still been going to the 4 weekly practices of my favorite team; The Miller Park Vikings, that my grandsons  played for for the past 4 years.  Even though they have moved away and are “too” busy with their lives to contact me; I still feel close to them by sticking with the team.  The coaches make me feel like family.  Sometimes they really depend on me to do things for them; like the spirit wear, and they have asked me to help with other things as well. And only occasionally do I have to hide away tears when someone mentions their names.
I also have been going to 1 of the junior highs 7th grade games on Wednesday when they are here in town, and to the other junior high’s 8th grade games on Thursday when they are in town….Both teams have former Viking players that want me to take photos of them still. Kiera  (George, our girl player) plays for the General Sherman Junior High 7th grade team.

And several former players play for Thomas Ewing Junior High….

My middle grandson would have played on this team if they were still living here….And you would be amazed at the number of older students who know me through my grandchildren.  It amazes me every time.
Then on Sunday, we had our annual family reunion.
(This is my brother-in-law’s family)
OOOOP! wrong way!
That’s better!
We went to “Old Man’s Cave” in the Hocking Hills of Ohio. ….about 30 miles from where I live give or take a few twist, turns and hills…..The first time I ever went to a reunion here, my children were young…in fact, I think I only had my older 2 at the time.  All of my husband’s brother’s, his sister, all the spouses and the children they had at the time went down into the “caves”  and were “hopelessly lost for hours.  Back then, the signs directing you to the different parts of the caves were on single posts…..and someone kept turning them around….By the time we finally found our way out, most of the relatives had already left, over half the food was gone and they were getting ready to send the rangers after us!  Now the signs have 2 posts each and are cemented into the ground…Try as we might, we could not lose anyone….
watch that next step It’s a doozy!!!

Although all the children are now older, 2 of the “children” died in car accidents years ago and most of my husbands aunts and Uncles have passed away as well….we still get a pretty good crowd together. In my brother-in-law’s photo alone, 2 of his girls did not go down with us as they were babysitting 1 year old Skyler at the picnic area:
Malia and Kendra with their brother’s and Dad “on their backs”
and a son was unable to attend. 
Only 1 of my sister-in-law’s 3 children was able to attend with his wife….leaving their teenage children at home…
Glenna’s husband Terry with daughter-in-law Misty and Terry Lee
Only 1 of my children went;
my middle son, Jeremiah
and none of my other brother-in-law’s family came including him!!
But all of my husband’s remaining Aunt’s family showed with the exception of Dawn, who had to work….but her daughter Emily came. 

I take pictures of Emily all the time, and was told that Dawn wanted more photos made soon
….She wanted me to take pictures in a park somewhere, and later she will need new Christmas photos too.
I received a text later when I got home from Dawn and we arranged to go to a park near me on Tuesday….Where for 90 minutes give or take, we followed along behind Emily trying to get 100+ pictures of her NOT frowning!
  Dawn, Emily and Dawn’s fiancé
Afterwards we went to Wal-mart and made copies of some of the photos for her and her CD’s so she could take them right home and pass them out…
Since then; there have been 4 practices, 2 more Junior High games and today 3 more Youth football games….This time I remembered the sunscreen. It’s a good thing too because today it got over 100 degrees (38c)…During the third game, they announced that it had “cooled down”…..it was only 95 degrees (35c) at 3 p.m.
During this past week, after making money taking Emily’s pictures, I bought 3 birthday cards and sent them off.  One went to my sister in Florida, another to my son in New Mexico….Their birthdays are the 6th and 7th.  I waited until Thursday (my husband’s retirement check day) to send the 3rd card to my youngest Grandson Tyree, in Florida. His birthday is the 4th, and I wanted to include a little money….I was worried it would not get there in time, so I wrote a note on the inside of the card.  I wanted to let him know if it was late, that I still remember what day it is, that I miss him and that his football team misses him.  I also included 3 sheets of notebook paper and a self addressed stamped envelope….in case he wanted to write to me…….Keep your fingers crossed for me.
I took his card to the post office to mail it hoping it would get sent quicker….Then I texted both his brother and sister and told them both to tell him that he had a card coming that may get there late…..It didn’t, it got there today, a day before his birthday and he liked it.
So I am still around….just trying to stay as busy as I can for now so I don’t have time to miss the grandchildren…..I dream of them often and that’s painful enough…..to wake up with a pillow wet from crying…and not from the sweat of the summer heat…..
Hugs and Love to all!
Last one out, turn off the light and turn on the Snow machine! (I’m ready for winter!)