I had a very busy but fun weekend filled with a softball tournament, a going-away party and Cheer tumbling technique camp.
He said
When we looked at Emelia’s schedule for this past week, both Danielle and I got whiplash and instantly felt tired: Monday she had a softball game. Tuesday, she had her first Cheer practice of Season 11. Wednesday was a rare day off. Thursday she had softball practice. And, Friday was the start of her weekend softball tournament. Saturday night there was a going-away party for an exchange student from Spain that the girls had made friends with. And, then finally on Sunday (this morning) Emelia had her Tumbling Technique Clinic for Cheer. When you add in that she had high school in all of that, my head is spinning just thinking about it all!
For me, I was off to support our Conestoga store on Waterloo on Wednesday which it’s always nice to get out to our other stores to see our teams and to be able to see out teams through the lens of other stores. Otherwise with all the dry weather we have been having, it has been all ride, ride, ride! Last weekend, of course I did the Forest City Cycling Challenge, which after the Paris To Ancaster Race, really kicked my event riding calendar off. But as the summer schedules have started to open up I realize I am now able to do the MS Bike Ride again riding from Grand Bend to London on day one, and then from London back to Grand Bend on day two. But, I am also able to do a couple of new-to-me races that have been on my radar: Reggie Ramble in July and the, BIG Granfondo in August.
Unfortunately with my schedule this weekend, I worked during all of Emelia’s softball games in the tournament this weekend so I had to rely on updates from Danielle. In the end they played three games up to Saturday afternoon before being eliminated. Within in minutes of Emelia getting home she was in transition mode to go off to her party for the night. Danielle and I spent an evening hanging out after I got home from work relaxing and watching some boob tube. With Emelia being off to her tumbling technique camp this morning it left me a window of time to get in a club ride with the London Cycling Club I am part of. This week’s ride was a 59 km ride out to Ilderton and back starting at 8:30 this morning. By the time you add in my ride to & from the meeting point, it ended up being a 75 km ride for me. I had a blast and definitely closed my rings today!
She said
I know there will be a day when our days, evenings and weekends do not look like the do now and I know I will miss it. It sounds exhausting and it is but we wouldn’t honestly have it any other way. Emelia is a kid who is always on the move. A few years ago we really worried about her mental health because she was withdrawing more and more and spending hours and hours isolating herself away in her room. Fast forward to now and this child is barely home. She has really come into her own. She spent years listening and believing any negative thing that was said to or about her. She is now more sure of herself—she has surrounded herself with people who only build her up and refuses to engage with those who don’t see her value. She is wise beyond her years, I envy this about her. She has come from extreme darkness into a light that is strong and only willing to accept the best out of her life.
Emelia’s priorities right now (like most teenagers) is: friends and sports. She has surrounded herself with an incredible group of friends both in sports and school. Through it all Anna and Grace are still her best friends, the girls bicker like sisters but there is pure love there. She has added a large supportive group this year through school. Add in the deep connections she has made through sports and we know our girl is in a good place. This week was a constant go-go-go. She had 4 softball games this week and 2 practices, school work, return to cheer training and a 4 hour cheer technique clinic. Add in there was a big going away party for her friend Maria. I know somewhere in there she had a shift for work, she had one last Sunday but know there was one she squeezed in during the week.
The entire weekend was go.. go.. go. Friday night and Saturday all afternoon Emelia and I were at the Byron diamond for her softball mid-season softball tournament. The girls she has on this team this year are the most supportive and positive group of women I have seen in sport, they cheer loud for each other and no matter the results leave the game with a smile on their faces. The girls ended up with a 1-2 record for the weekend. Emelia wasnt crushed the lost the second game yesterday since she was off to a big party for her friend. She got home in the wee hours of the morning and then off to bed right away.
Today all three of us were up super early, John for his long ride and Emelia and I to get her to her tumbling technique clinic. This year her cheer gym added these specialized clinics to make sure the kids are heading into the season with the most solid of foundations. Emelia had a great time, although next weekend for the stunting clinic she is more excited. Next week is going to be another busy one, not quite as bad as this week but busy none the less. But we will talk all about that next Sunday.