Memories of the Past

As I sit in my office on this gorgeous Saturday morning I am reminded of soccer and basketball games when I was younger. Every weekend I was either playing in a soccer game, basketball game or both. Afterward I would go home and either have to clean my always messy room (which now that I think about it, I must have ADD or something because I couldn't and still cannot keep things neat and orderly), get ready to go to the mall with my dad and my friends, or get ready to chill with Erin and Adrienne. I look back and long for those days again. You know, the days of little responsibility, no bills, cleaning the house was your only job, and hanging out with your friends was your top priority. Now, my weekends are filled with Saturday Detention, trying to keep an orderly apartment, worrying about if I am going to have a teacher call in sick on Monday morning and only having a few hours on Sunday to relax. Oh, crud! I just remembered I have to prepare a lesson for Young Women tomorrow. I guess I better stop goofing around and get back to work. But I am thinking not right now.

Last weekend I was able to have a little bit of the old days again. My dad's team that he coaches was in Corpus Christi for the weekend participating in a tournament. Since Leland has left for San Francisco earlier that morning and I didn't want to be at home by myself all weekend, I decided I would drive out to Corpus and watch the last game of the tournament which just so happened to be the finals. I was able to talk to some great friends that came for the weekend from EP and sit with someone who sees the game like I do, from a coach's perspective. I actually had someone I could talk to about the game and who would understand what I was saying. I sure hope she finishes with college before Dad has to leave coaching so she can take over the program. I was suppose to take over the program, but the Lord had other plans for me that I think have turned out to be pretty swell. If this girl has the opportunity to take over the program she would rock it! She would do wonderful things for it and carry on the traditions that my dad has been establishing in his ten year reign at that school. I digress. Dad's team won the tournament, but played horribly. Afterwards I went back to the team's hotel, talked with Dad and his assistant coach, Rick about the game I saw and the things that needed to be done to improve and then went to dinner. Every year the team goes to Joe's Crab Shack the last night in town. I was really looking forward to it because I was going to be able to eat shrimp and crab. I have not had that kind of food since Leland and I started dating and I found out he was allergic to shellfish. It was delish! Crab nachos and surf and turf burger, mmmmmm! Dad and i shared our meal and it was perfect. I am now satisfied until the next time Leland goes out of town and I can eat seafood. After dinner I was planning on driving back home, but since dinner didn't end until 10pm I decided I would stay with Dad. When we got back to the hotel Dad and I went for a walk on the beach right outside his hotel. It was chilly and windy, but I didn't care. We walked down to the USS Lexington and the Texas State Aquarium. We talked about soccer some more, then talked about how things were at home, then just had fun walking around the beach and checking out the outer decor of some of the other hotels in the area. It was a pleasant walk. It was really nice being able to see Dad again since I didn't go home for Christmas. It will be another long while until I am able to see my dad. Until then, phone calls will have to suffice. Well, I guess it really is time to stop messing around and get back to work. In the famous words of Billy Madison, "Peace! I'm outta here!"