**Disclaimer - before you start reading - this is a mega-post, and all over the map. But it's good stuff!**
Mike worked hard this past Election Day as a poll manager. Ahead of the election he had several training sessions, spent hours prepping the voting roles, and set-up the night before. On election day he was at the poling place from 6 AM until 9 PM. Everyone should have the experience of working an election. It is such a fundamental and important way of serving in a free society where we all have a moral duty to help carry the load of governance, helping people to exercise their agency. We take so much for granted.
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| The night before Election Day. More prep work. |
Speaking of Election Day...I know I am not the only one who found it hard to sleep Tuesday night. The presidential election was a big disappointment for approximately half of the country (at least among those who bothered to vote), myself included. Not the kind of disappointment that goes away the next day. The kind that fills you with foreboding. Life goes on...but down a path I hoped it wouldn't go. Still, I am an optimist. I believe all things work together for the (eventual) best. So, onward (not so much "Forward") - remembering to pray for our leaders.
Bringing us to Thursday...when the weather looked like this...
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| 70-ish degrees. One last mowing. |
Only to wake up Friday to this...
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| 30-ish degrees. The first snowmen of the season. |
And then on to Saturday, which looked like this...
Holy smokes, what a day! Noble's team played their championship game in whiteout conditions with over a foot of fresh snow on the ground.
I am telling you, this was the best day of football ever!
Sidelines lined with huddled die-hard fans trying to stay warm, dads working to shovel the yard lines before the game just so the players and refs would know where they were (Mike was soaked with sweat after that), hot chocolate, players slogging through deep snow every play (sometimes the snow did the tackling), fumbles, face-masks packed with snow after a tackle, warming the game ball over propane heaters to try to keep it flexible, cold feet, and a championship shut-out to show for it at the end of the 4th.
Bingham - 19. Bountiful -0.
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| Chillin' on the sidelines. (Beth was awesome! 8 months pregnant - in a snow storm...to watch a football game. Love her.) |
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| Noble on a tackle. |
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| White-washing. |
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| Noble - gunner on kick-off team. |
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| Super fans - Cousin Hal and Grandma Sullivan. Casey and Helen and their posse were troopers! |
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| Celebrating another touchdown. |
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| Noble in pursuit. |
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| Post game with Coach. |
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| More dedicated fans - some from out of town. Thanks to everybody who came! We had a blast! |
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| CHAMPIONS |
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| Brothers |
Time to bring it down...
***Now, I know
when we started down this road I was hesitant about football. I worried, and wondered about the wisdom of Noble's choice. In retrospect, would we do this football thing again? Was it worth it to let Noble fulfill this dream?
Absolutely. Everything about this season and this experience was meant to be. Amazing things happen when you let kids choose and
grow. I am just glad I was along for the ride. (It has been So much FUN!)
Thank you, Noble. You are a champion.
2 comments:
First things first...thanks to Mike for providing that service for us. Secondly, what a way to end a football season. Like Helen said, it will be frozen in our memories. Makes me proud of my not so little nephew!
Yes, thank you Mike. Pretty exciting stuff for Noble. I can only say that we resolved to try to keep our Saturdays as free as possible, so we stayed home. I wish my boys had wanted to play football. This was what I imagined doing with my boys. Kind of bitter sweet for me I guess. Still, we are so proud of Noble and his team for their great accomplishments. Awesome pictures of the last game!
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