What a day for a football game!  Tanner's soccer got canceled so I thought possibly Brenton's football game would as well.  Jim was certain it would go on....I guess you are supposed to be "tougher" in football, so you play in anything but lightening.  I am not sure how much I like all this football stuff, it is just a bit too intense for my liking.  Brenton seems to like it, so I keep a happy face, but I have my concerns about it.   His coaches seem to have a "win at all costs" mentality.  Now, I know everyone wants to win, but this is a lot of the kids first time ever playing football.  I feel all the kids should have equal playing time. PERIOD.  How else will the kids learn?  I know Brenton is not the best (quite frankly, he is probably the worst) but, he is having fun and dog-gone it, my kid should have just as much time out there as the kid making all the touchdowns!  The team Brenton is on has some kids with a lot of talent.  What frustrates me, is that the coaches seem to focus on them more than the others in practice.   My worry was that it would be the same in the games....they would play the whole time.  That is pretty much what happened.  In the first half of the game, Brenton only played in 4 plays of the 35 plays.  I was ready to explode, but I made myself a promise that I would wait to see how the first 3 games play out before I talk to the coach.  I also want to do in via email or a phone call, so I don't do it in front of others.  So....I was quietly fuming, when one of the mom's next to me said, "it seems like #4 and #25 aren't getting much play time".  Yeah, that's what I was thinking!!  Thankfully, after the half, Brenton was put in a lot more.  I was glad of that, but still annoyed that the coach had to wait until we had a 14 point lead until playing the others.  I still think at this age, you should give all the kids equal time and not have a first team or second team.  At this point, Brenton doesn't seem bothered by any of it, so maybe I should just get over it.  Anyhow, here are some pictures from our first game, in the pouring rain.  Oh, and we won 20-6. 




This was just after half time.  Who knows what was going on......




Brenton is in the back middle.




You can't see Brenton very well here, but he is behind the East guy #33.  They are just to the left of the #9 player.  You can see Brenton's black pants.  Brenton played defensive tackle the most.  He is not very fast,so he is playing in the line.  For those you who don't know a lot about football, I will explain it to you the way Jim did to me.  The faster, usually smaller guys play in the back so they can run and catch the guy with the ball, should he break out.  The bigger guys usually play in the line, where they block.  Brenton, typically would play in the back, but since he is slow, they put him in the line.  He is always going up against guys a lot bigger than him.  I gotta tell, I am shocked at how well he is able to block those big guys! 




Brenton is right in the middle here, you can only see his arm, helmet and shoulder and a bit of his red shoes.








I love this picture!  Brenton is #4 (purple jersey, white number), just to the left of the East guy with the ball. Brenton was able to break through the line and was going after the guy with ball.  Unfortunately, they were not able to catch him and this is the only time East scored.






My beautiful boy!



Dennis and Brenton.....the little ones!





Brinlee wasn't very happy!




After the game.









Post game talk



Tanner in a puddle!

We took our annual trip to the Ionia Free Fair yesterday.  This time it was extra special, not only did my parents and  my sister's family go, but Jim's sister's family as well.  This happened to be the week they came up from Cincinnati, for a reunion.  It worked out well, there was so many kids that every had someone to ride with.  Brent and Nathan went on all the big rides together.  The Zero Gravity ride was their favorite, it is the one that spins and you stand up.  They also really liked the hand glider ride.   Brinlee, Kaila and Kelton loved the mini roller coaster, going on it about 6 or 7 times.  Tanner's favorite are the games or the fun houses...go figure.  He loves anything that is physical or athletic.  Oh, and one of the highlights for me was winning a giant stuffed Elmo for Landon.  You had to bounce a whiffle ball off a background into a basket.  Everyone had tried, but couldn't do it.  Becky asked me if I would try and my third shot went in.  I am not sure it truly bounced off the background, but since Becky was screaming like a mad woman, I think he thought he better give it to us!  Here are some pictures...

Brenton spent the last week at Pine Ridge Bible Camp.  He was so excited to go, but it was a bit harder for me, since he was going for 5 nights, instead of 2, like he had last year.  Thankfully, his good friend, Dustin,  Sarah's son went as well, so that made it a bit easier.  Sarah and I got together this week to keep ourselves busy.  We both thought the week went fairly fast, but it seemed like much longer than only a week since we'd seen the boys.  The camp had website where they uploaded pictures of the kids throughout the week.  I am sure both Sarah and I put at least 100 hits on that site this week! 

I was so happy to see his face today when we went to pick him up!   He said he had a lot of fun and does want to go next year, but he did battle with some homesickness.  He is his mother's son, after all!  I was so homesick as a child, and still struggle with it as an adult...as silly as that is.  He said the nights were the most difficult for him.  It is a good thing I didn't know he was feeling that way...I'd have picked him up the first night!  They kept the campers really busy during the day doing all sorts of things.  Brenton's favorite was the water slide, but tubing was a close second.  They also did archery, BB guns, soccer, basketball, crafts, swimming and much, much more.  I am glad he is brave enough to go and push through his homesickness, but so glad to have him home.



On the way



Brenton and Dustin on the first day.





Tanner trying to give Brenton a hug good-bye.



Outside their cabin



Brenton taking a picture of his bunkmates.
 


Brenton and Dustin on their bunks.



Tanner, trying to get one more hug before we go.




And they're off....




The boys with their counselor, Matt.






Brenton with Dan, a jr.counselor, who coached him in soccer and basketball.