Things have been crazy around here the past few months. Ross left to go back home and the kids are sad but i'm sure we'll see him again soon. Sophie has been busy with homework and Owen has been just a little too obsessed with Xbox, of course.

They are both signed up for Basketball in the spring. Sophie had to go to the basketball evaluation the other night and it was quite the ordeal. She's never played basketball and at her age they evaluate them so they can make even teams. she was really nervous and but I make her go anyway and we show up to find 35+ girls, most of them 12 inches taller than Sophie, decked out in well worn basketball shoes and huddling into little groups of friends. Sophie has never looked so tiny in her blue New Balance. So they all wait in line on this huge bench where they go individually onto the court, dribble through 4 chairs and then shoot from 10-12 different places around the key. The space was enclose by the big, long players bench, bleachers for all the parents and on the other side, a panel 10 evaluators. There were probably 75 people standing around watching each girl go out on to the court.

Her face was killing me she was scared to death! So i pulled her out of line and she was begging to go home. Part of me just wanted to whisk her away from the uncomfortable situation and the other wants her to never be afraid of anything. so i said, "even if you don't play, just stay for the evaluation, it'll be just fine." Her eyes start to get teary and I say, "i've already paid the hundred dollars, why don't you just try." The tears well up even more so I finally break and tell her that it's ok, we can go home, i understand that it's scary. But she doesn't move when i start to walk away. So i say it again. " Don't feel bad, we can go, it's not a big deal."

"But you already paid the hundred dollars." Then she heads back to the gym and sits back down at the end of the line. I asked her if she wants to go back and sit where she was before and she says. "Nope, you can go now, I'm fine."

So, i take the boys (owen and his little friend) and go out to the playground and kill time until it's her turn.
When we come back in and sit down on the bleachers, i see her nervously chatting with some girls who looked a lot more her age. They talk and then smile and giggle a little.

Soon it was Sophie's turn and the coach passes her the ball. She dribbles through the chairs and then goes and shoots around the key. She makes some, misses some and then goes and sits on another bench while she waits for the last girl to go. Then they have them play 3 on 3. She was smiling and giving me thumbs up and i was so proud I was practically sobbing like an idiot. But i couldn't help it, she was just so brave.

AFter the little 3 on 3 they have them stand in front of the panel while they take notes and then say, "we'll call you in 2 weeks."

She bounds over to me and says "That was so awesome,I want to do it again." Then she turns and waves to her new friends. Apparently, she started to gather confidence as she realized there were 2 divisions being evaluated together. The girls she sat with the second time were Minors, too. They were all trying out for the first time and all very nervous.

So now she's a basketball girl and so excited to see if any of those girls are on her team. I would have DIED if I had been in the same situation and she did just great.

Doug just worked on some Comcast commercials, you can click Here to see the photos.

For me, it's all about April. Two big travel trips where i get to unshackle the apartments and pretend they don't exist. hallelujah! First it's up to Duval, Washington and then New York City. More details to come as they get closer.

Anyway, just wanted to get something up.