Inconceivable

"I do not think that word means what you think it means." ~ The Princess Bride

Yeah, I went there. I love that movie. But that particular scene reminds me of this past month. Just when I thought some event couldn't possibly happen, it did. Or when I thought things couldn't get any better, they did. It was a serious HIGH!

First, Cheese's soccer team won the State Cup. Now, I know it's a U9 soccer league, and his team was not in the highest bracket. But the fact remains that the team won FOUR games that weekend. They got a trophy. They got medals. And capped off a season that went from cold and miserable in Atlanta, to warm and ecstatic in Sumter. It was magical. Inconceivable.

Next, "my girls" beat a very tough BMS team to win the District Championship. Yes, it's middle school soccer. But we beat them 2-0, after going into OT the first time we played them. And we went UNDEFEATED on the season, 12-0.  My first season as a coach. It was completely unbelievable. Inconceivable.

And I got an email that would change the end of my school year. No, I didn't quit, or change jobs, or get fired. I won a contest.

To meet the author, Claire Cook.

In Austin, TX.

At Lake Austin SPA & Resort.

All. Expenses. Paid.

This kind of stuff doesn't happen to people like me. Sure, someone has to win those contests. You see pictures and posts of stuff like this all the time. But not to people I know. And NEVER to me. (Guess I can't say that now.) Inconceivable!

Like I said, it was a crazy month. There was a lot of winning involved. I hope I didn't use up all  of my good karma.

Maybe I should let more cars pull out in front of me when I'm driving. Or go volunteer at a soup kitchen. Something to balance the good with the bad - which is not totally my fault. I mean, I have three kids!

Anyway, go do something nice for somebody. Maybe you can have something good happen to you too!

Good Week

I discovered this week that I am incredibly competitive. And proud.

Okay, so that's a lie. I already knew both of those things. I've been competitive since I was a little girl. I would compete with my little sister over anything. Really. It was kind of sad. Even our Barbies would compete for the Ken doll. As I got older, I noticed it more. My parents didn't exactly discourage this trait. If anything, they pushed more. Always get A's. Be the best. Why isn't that a 100%?

I will say, though, that at some point I took over the little voices in my head that were telling me to work harder. My best friend, Michelle, said that I was the one always pushing myself. I guess it was so ingrained by the time I hit high school, that I didn't know any other way to be.

But back to modern times, not 20 years ago (OMG! Almost 20 years!!), I am now coaching the girls soccer team at the school where I teach. And I have found that my competitive nature is alive and well. I don't want to just win the game. I want to crush the other team. When we played a tough team on Monday, my stomach was in knots the whole day. What if we lost?

Of course, I know it's just middle school soccer. In the grand scheme of things, it's okay to lose a game. And it's my first year as coach, so no one is expecting perfection. Except me. I'm expecting perfection.

So now I have a dilemma. How do I convey this this desire to win to my girls? But without putting too much pressure on them?

I seem to be doing okay so far. They are playing hard and well. They are working together, and I haven't heard any bad comments from parents. So I guess that's good.

But oh, the pride! We are currently ranked in 1st place. I want to tell everyone. I want the principal to get on the announcements and tell the school. I want to write it on the windows of my van! But I need to tone it down. I know that pride is bad, that it will inevitably lead to a loss. But I can't help it! I want them to continue to win. I want to continue to be #1 because it feels SO GOOD!