Love And Basketball
January 14, 2008 | Filed under: Stuff
Here is a picture of my two favorite basketball players of all time:
It’s Middle and Oldest, a freshman and senior respectively, playing together on their high school VARSITY basketball team. It doesn’t get much prouder than this . . .
The entire time they’re on the court together, I hold my breath. I don’t know why, they’re both wonderful players, like poetry in motion really. But I can’t take my eyes off them, because apparently I can’t watch them play and breathe at the same time. It’s the oddest thing, the sheer joy that flows through me, and also a matching terror. Because let me tell you what, this is an incredibly physical game and unlike football, there is no grass, no padding, no protective helmet.
Once last season someone knocked oldest to the ground and I stood straight up and would have leapt off the the stands and onto the court if my husband hadn’t snagged me by the back of the shirt and held me in place. It’s a momma bear instinct. The other night someone knocked Middle down hard, and the the first thing she did after getting up was look at me in the stands and point her finger, like DON’T COME DOWN HERE, PLEASE DON’T COME DOWN HERE, I’M FINE.
But I REALLY wanted to go down there . . .
They’re so tough. Unless we’re at home, of course. And then it’s SHE’S LOOKING AT ME, or my personal favorite SHE’S BREATHING NEAR ME.
Momhood. It ain’t all it’s cracked up to be, and yet it’s so, SO much more.
Posted by Jill @ 1:00 am | Make a Comment
Judy F says:
Ah that is an awesome picture. I bet you and hubby are so proud. I know what you mean about holding your breath while they played. I don’t have kids but that happened a lot watching my sisters girls play sports. Its scary.
Posted on January 14th, 2008 at 3:43 amPat L. says:
I would be proud too. My kids played baseball/softball and I was always nervous they would get hurt; the both pitched so I was always afraid a ball would come back at them.
And of course I felt the pride too. Wonderful time of their and you and hubby’s lives. Enjoy.
Posted on January 14th, 2008 at 5:25 amElizabeth K says:
I’m with you on the whole joy & terror thing. Son plays football; I try to be Cool Mom on the sidelines but it’s tough!
Posted on January 14th, 2008 at 5:31 amPatty L. says:
My son plays football and I made a promise to myself not to be that mom who runs out on the field everytime he gets tackled or is tackling someone else. I have watched him come off the field in tears and I have watched him send other boys off in tears. I think that no matter who the child is, your mamma bear instincts take over and you want to protect the cubs.
Posted on January 14th, 2008 at 7:06 amStacy ~ says:
I don’t have kids, but I get overly protective if I am watching someone else’s kids. I cannot imagine how much worse I’d be if they were my own.
Love the picture, and what a proud parent moment to have them sitting side by side. Love that.
Posted on January 14th, 2008 at 7:39 amJill says:
Oh and I should have said, Youngest is the FIRST FRESHMAN to ever play on Varsity here. Gee, I’m not overflowing with pride or anything.
Posted on January 14th, 2008 at 7:42 amNancy says:
I love the pic!
Posted on January 14th, 2008 at 9:47 amCourtney says:
LOL
You should be very proud of both of them for playing. My mom assures me that Momma Bear instincts never go away. Even when the kids reach their 30s.
Posted on January 14th, 2008 at 10:25 amAllie says:
I don’t have kids, but I have a mom and my mom actually could not be present to watch my ride my horse when I did western games. I was the only kid out there with a mom shouting “Slow down!! SLOW DOWN!!” The other moms were appalled and so she stayed home for those events after that.
Posted on January 14th, 2008 at 10:48 amGwen says:
Your posts always make me laugh, and yet move me at the same time.
Posted on January 14th, 2008 at 10:51 amBailey Stewart says:
I can tell how proud you are of them. You’re a good momma bear.
Posted on January 14th, 2008 at 11:26 amVickie C. says:
I don’t say it very often(I’m more of a lurker than a commenter), but I love being able to check in on your blog everyday. Thanks for taking the time to share. You’re a great writer AND a great blogger. Oh…and a great Mama Bear. I’ve got two grown cubs…but I do remember.
Posted on January 14th, 2008 at 11:41 amDonna M says:
Super picture & I understand that you never loose the Mama Bear instinct. My “girls” are adults with their own families & I’m still Mama Bear. There have been a couple of times I have had to hold my tongue when son-in-law said something that I didn’t care for! My younger daughter lives nearby and is perfectly capable of taking care of herself & her son but she has been sick & I want to take care of her! She has a highly contagious flu bug so I did not rush to her side but I wanted to take her ginger ale & chicken soup! She is very healthy & rarely gets sick so I was concerned for her. Neither of my daughters played sports but I still understand that instinct you have! :yes: You have every reason to be proud of all three of your girls.
Posted on January 14th, 2008 at 12:36 pmDonna M says:
P.S. Forgot to mention I picked up Strong & Sexy over the weekend. Border’s had two copies of it, I bought one, two copies of The Trouble With Paradise, already have that & two copies of Get A Clue. Hopefully there were only a few because the others had sold!
I can’t wait to read this.
Posted on January 14th, 2008 at 12:40 pmAngie-la says:
LOL at the “DON’T COME DOWN HERE, PLEASE DON’T COME DOWN HERE, I’M FINE.”
I am familiar with that look…I used to get it on the soccer field from Spawn 1 and Spawn 2.
Now that Spawn 2 is playing HS football, I just close my eyes a lot!
That is so cool about Youngest and varsity. Not too many freshmen make any varsity teams. Go Youngest!! :bananadance:
Posted on January 14th, 2008 at 2:09 pmCryna says:
What a great picture and a really, good reason to be a proud Momma bear. I used to hate watching my son play football especially if he was at the bottom of the pile. So cool that your youngest was playing and what a great moment for you. :bananadance:
Posted on January 14th, 2008 at 3:14 pmJudy F says:
I wondered about Middle making the varsity that is awesome. I remember when my sisters girls were playing sports I asked the youngest if she could hear her mom yelling. She said nope that she could tune her out.
LOL
*****don’t forget to watch Medium tonight*****
Posted on January 14th, 2008 at 4:10 pmLis says:
Congrats to youngest for being the first freshman to make the team! :bananadance: :bananadance: :bananadance:
How awesome for the 2 of them to be on the same team :thumbsup:
Posted on January 14th, 2008 at 4:36 pmDru says:
I love the photo and you must be a proud mama.
Posted on January 14th, 2008 at 4:47 pmBrandy says:
Fantastic Photo! Ah, a proud and protective Mama. I know that feeling well.
Posted on January 14th, 2008 at 7:31 pmAsthmagirl says:
Congratulations on both of them being varsity! I love that they go through the same things as my daughters. “She’s touching me” or “Tell her to get away from me; she’s too close”!
Posted on January 14th, 2008 at 8:09 pmMarty says:
Are these two of the three I’d inherit? Sold
I was #21. Your basketball posts always make me wistful for my younger days!
Posted on January 14th, 2008 at 9:03 pmSarah says:
Congrats on your girls!!
*sigh* — the “stop touching me” doesn’t end for HOW many more years????
Posted on January 16th, 2008 at 11:44 amSarah says:
Actually, your girls should get along great in about a year.
My sister is 2 years older, and we picked on each other like crazy — until she graduated and went away to college. We’ve been really great friends ever since. (Ever since we didn’t have to share a bathroom everyday!)
Posted on January 16th, 2008 at 11:46 am