It's Friday night-and it happens to be the first football game at the local high school. As my dad would be quick to agree, I have absolutely no football genes in me. {Much to his dismay, as the youngest of two girls, I think he held out hope that I might be his last great chance to have a child who will watch sports with him...I failed him.} It's not that I detest sports...I'm really just indifferent to them. Which is why, for years, when my kids looked upon Friday night football season with anticipation I cringed. Ok, maybe it's not even about the game itself. Maybe it's more about the fact that once I hand over the two dollars entry fee they ditch me to find their friends...which, is as it SHOULD be...how weird would it be to have a middle schooler and high schooler actually WANT to sit with mom at a school function. Unthinkable. Anyway...so, to be fair, it's not really the game that I loathe...maybe it's more about being somewhere I care little about...alone. Not completely alone, because there are other fans there too...and I do have other couple friends who enjoy going...but for some reason that I can't quite conclude, the football games are one of those places that make me feel alone in a crowd. I don't know, it sounds weird even to me as I type it..but really, that's not even what this post is about, so I'll spare you the need to analyze my life.
In the past, Football Friday has gone something like this:
ME: "Hey, you guys need to be ready to leave for the game in 15 minutes
or we'll be standing on that long line."
KIDS: "Ok...let me finish checking facebook"
"Let me comb my hair"
"I'm in the bathroom!"
ME: "Ok, I want to stop for coffee first so you better hurry."
KIDS: "COMING!!! HOLD ON!"
But, in the past, I've not had an almost 14 year old daughter who has invited her friends to drive to the game with her. So tonight went something like this:
ME: "You guys better get ready to go, it's 6:30"
GIRLS: "OH MY GOSH, WE ONLY HAVE A HALF HOUR TO GET READY!!!!!!!!!!"
NICK: {no comment. rolls eyes.}
ME: "Actually, you should really leave at 6:45 so that you don't get stuck in that long line.
That's 15 minutes from now."
GIRLS: {very loud audible scream}
"Can I use your straightener?"
"Can I borrow your belt?"
"Can you do my makeup?"
"I'm so hot, I have pit stains!"
"Are you taking a sweatshirt?"
"Should I wear my hair up or down?"
ME: "You guys do realize that you're only going to see the same people that you've
been in school with all week, right?"
GIRLS: {eye rolls}
NICK: "See, this is what I hate about middle schoolers, they act like they have to impress everyone.
I'm going to the car."
ME: "Nick, you know how you've been trying to get me to let you do more things and have more responsibility? Well, guess what? I've decided not to go to the game because 5 hours alone in a silent house sounds like Paradise to me...so you're taking the girls."
NICK: "Just so you know, we're not listening to your Hip-Hop crap music"
GIRLS: {giggle}
ME: "Relax, it's only a mile...You can do anything for a mile.
Smile so I can take your picture..."
...{:}{:}{:}{:}{:}{:}{:}{:}{:}{:}{:}{:}{:}{:}{:}{:}...
This is what you find in the wake of four teenage girls when they're rushed out the door in a flurry:
...a heap of brushes and straighteners, makeup boxes {yes, BOXES}...not to mention the piles of rejected clothes around the corner in the bedroom....
{Wait...let's talk about what's in those makeup BOXES. Those girls have more makeup than I do- AND all of mine combined probably cost less than one of those little containers in there!}
If I listen really closely at Halftime I'll be able to hear the band playing...so, really, it's almost like I'm there. But not.
I'm sure this Friday night is a rarity...chances are it won't happen again. I like to put up a fuss, but when my friends entice me with a tailgate party or two I'm sure I'll break down and join the "FUN".
But i wonder, does it say too much about me if this...
{Better Homes & Gardens Mulled Cider candle from Walmart- smells edible}
burning around the corner from this...
while watching this...
and eating this...
actually EXCITES me on a Friday night?
Paradise, I tell you!
