Crazy Good Weekend

This past weekend was a weekend so good, I needed a few days to recover.

Truth.....while it was an absolutely crazy good weekend, I've been suffering a touch of writers' block.  If you write, you'll know what I'm talking about.  Typically words just come to me, and flow onto the page as if a stream snaking down a mountain from it's snowcaps.  Smooth and easy.  When I sat down to write Sunday evening...nothing.  Monday...block.  Tuesday....wall.  Today is Wednesday and I'm at it again.  So far so good.  There are words on the page!    Oh, wait...correction.   I just looked at the clock and it's midnight.  Thursday.

It's frustrating to have so much to say and face the wall.  The dreaded blank page.  It just stares back at me with it's ominous emptiness.  Ugh.

When you're a writer, the sudden, innate inability to put a sentence down on paper sometimes happens.   It is similar to having stage fright for me.   This week has been one of "those weeks".

Today I'm determined to knock down the wall and just write.  I hope it's readable.

Back to the weekend.  It wasn't just any weekend, but it was The weekend for football.  At least for my family.  My son Nick is twelve, and has been playing on his travel football team, the Carmel Pups, since August.  The boys have worked hard all season.  They practiced every evening after school from 5:30-7:30.  They attended the Carmel High School games every Friday evening.  They played a game on Labor Day weekend.  They practiced and played a game while the rest of their peers enjoyed Fall Break weekend.  They were undefeated all season, including the playoff games and the sectional game.  Last week they practiced on Halloween.   And it all came down to the state championship game this past Saturday.

The tailgate party,  the sea of Carmel blue and gold, the crisp fall air, the roar of the crowd.....all proved it's time for football!

The pressure was on.  Carmel had not won the coveted Championship Trophy since 1975.  The boys stood poised on the cusp of the biggest game of their young lives.  It was a very cold evening.  It had rained earlier in the afternoon, but the rain had cleared as we took our seats in the stands.  I was suddenly nervous, as the importance of the game set in.  We were on the opposing team's turf, which added to the stress.

My sixteen year old daughter sat next to me and my dad, and we enjoyed an evening together, filled with laughter.  We stood and cheered, we joined the cheerleaders during the Carmel fight song.  The teenager in her was nowhere in sight, and we just relaxed and had a great time.  She was there because she wanted to be, on a Saturday night, without her boyfriend.   It was awesome.  My husband didn't sit with us, as he had to pace next to the field with some of the other nervous dads.

The opposing team dominated the first half of the game.  It was tough to watch.  However, as I looked around, it was evident that so many people had come to support the boys, the entire visitor side was completely filled with Carmelites dressed is blue and gold.  We were cheering and stomping loudly.  Our excitement would not be quelled!

Our enthusiasm seemed to carry onto the field to the boys at the beginning of the second half.  It was like a classic Rocky movie.  The boys emerged from the locker room and we all jumped to our feet and roared!  In my mind I could hear Survivor singing "Eye of the Tiger".  The boys pumped their helmets up into the air with fierce determination.  The game was back on!

The second half of the game belonged to Carmel.   The defense defended, the offense could not be stopped, and Carmel took control.  The final score 34-18 Carmel!!!    I don't think I've ever been so excited.  It's quite possible I made a complete ass of myself as I jumped for joy, screaming with my hands extended up toward the sky.  I think I chest butted the guy next to me.  Awkward.  (You'd think....but really it wasn't).  Everybody was hugging and cheering, and it was amazing.

What an accomplishment for this amazing group of boys!  The coaches, these big, tough men were crying as they all came together.  Nick was moved by their unabashed show of emotion.  It was such a great night!

The remainder of the weekend was relaxing.  The game stayed on our minds throughout.  It was truly the highlight of the weekend, and one we will always remember.   So proud of my son!

I hope you had a great weekend also!   I know it was awhile ago...

See you soon,
Peace,
Michelle