I wanted to share a little story with you that I'm sure you'll get a kick outta, but I'm hoping you'll also take with you a lesson learned about the importance of spending time together as a family.
In my many things I do on a day to day basis being a stay at home mom to 3 kids (ages 10, 7 and 2)...I also volunteer my time for our local Little League and have done so for years. This year I've taken on the task of being in charge of Concessions as well as being Treasurer. Unbeknownst to me, neither of my boys wanted to play baseball this year...but I'd already signed on for another year 4 months prior to registration. I'd taken on a pretty big job and was not willing to back out and leave the league hanging just because my boys decided not to play. So, as you can imagine...balancing my obligations to my family as well as the league has been quite a daunting task, but one I signed up for voluntarily and truth be told...I truly ENJOY being a part of BOTH!
Running Concessions is nearly an every day event, whether it be shopping for food/supplies or actually physically being in there working a shift, or two or more...of this, trust me I was forewarned that it'd be this way...but still I wanted to face the challenge and see how good a job I could do and try to make it as big of a success for the league as could.
Our family is used to eating dinner together nearly every night and is something that I didn't realize we ALL look forward to each night until we suddenly no longer had that luxury with me being gone nearly every night down at the fields for one reason or another. I used to take pride in the meals I'd make, many of which took quite a bit of time and effort to prepare...now to be substituted with quick and easy meals that either my husband can prepare for the kids or something I could just slap together for them before I left the house. Quickly I've come to realize that I took for granted the simple joy of sitting around the dinner table and listening to the stories of everyone's day and the sibling bickering that also always seem to happen in between bites.
Early this week I'd promised our middle child, Tommy, that I'd keep Concessions closed for the night so we could all eat dinner together and have family time afterwards...he wanted us to play a game of H-O-R-S-E. However, the next day I realized that I'd have to break my promise because I'd forgotten I had a volunteer coming for a shift and I'd have to be there to open Concessions and train him because he was a newbie...I had to think of a plan to blend both worlds and not let Tommy down. So, I explained that I'd made a mistake and asked what he thought about having a picnic at the fields instead...to this he replied, "Sure, that'd be ok." I asked what we should have..."ham and cheese sandwiches and water" he replied. I thought that was a bit odd, but agreed. Of course, the weather did not cooperate that day and began to rain...so not wanting to cancel our plans yet again, I decided we could just bring a couple blankets to sit on and eat inside Concessions...just the 5 of us. My husband joined us at the fields when he got off work and I locked us inside so no one would disturb our family dinner. Ham & cheese sandwhiches, trail mix, carrot sticks, bottled water and little chocolate chip cookies for dessert.....we laughed, we talked, we engaged in m&m catching contests.....and then it was time for my family to go home and my newbie volunteer arrived for his shift.
My family got their smiles back, Tommy was satisfied with the change in plans and we got to spend some much needed family time together.
SO...I leave you with this...never take for granted the little things, the simple joys in life AND remember that if you want something bad enough, you CAN find ways to make it all work...even if it is found by sitting on a concrete floor eating ham sandwiches, IT WORKS.
