*bzzzz* *bzzzz*....grr...no way, not already, it can't be...argh....*bzzzzzzz* it sure enough is...okok...*click* ah, yes snooze...love that button....aw heck, i can't snooze-it's race day....okok i am up...another day has begun.....
I sleepily shuffle out to the coffee maker...first things first ....gotta get the caffeine pumping ...bathroom pit stop...now, the man-child.... *knock knock* gosh darn it...answer the door... he's up- i can hear that music of his! how can anyone in their right mind listen to that noise this early in the morning?!... oh no...i'm sounding like my parents again...the music stops..."who is it?" his deep male voice questions..."it's mom, can i come in?" ..."oh, yeah mom."
In i walk to the teen world of hip hop, play station games, and track heroes....and even though i am fully aware that he knows the drill,i begin my morning ritual, " did you eat breakfast? take your pills? take the dog out?" the barrage of questions continue...faced with the rolling of the eyes and the "yes mom...yes mom...YESSSSSS MOM!" "ok i was just checking..." and i make my way back to the coffee...i fix my cup quickly and off to the couch and the morning news as my mind is buzzing..."kidssss....grrr...the one time i don't ask-he forgets and then it's 'why didn't you remind me?!' ...can't win...."
now where's the dang clicker? ....ok, i should've known the dog was sleeping on it...makes sense to me....i start checking out the channels....
iraq...pows....mias....casualties...same news as the past couple weeks...sad that freedom isn't free...sad that families are sacrificing their loved ones once again in our history...gosh, it's on at least nine channels....i hope it's over soon....God speed guys n gals...but there just has to be something else on...getting bummed out here....
hey, here's that movie i didn't get to see the end of...too cool....adam sandler...too funny....ok i am now gonna make this day a good one...mind set to positive mode....i open the curtain to see what the weather is like...snow, sleet, hail, rain, ickkkkk.....ah noooooo....i have exactly 73 minutes to get my act together and get out to the registration desk at the college for my son's road race....they said rain or shine...i love watching him race, but gosh...this is another "going to any lengths"situation...heck, i haven't left yet and i am already feeling the chill through my skin....
the next hour is a tornado of finding the right warm clothes...looking presentable and staying warm is not always the easiest combo to make....i change three times...only to hear "aren't you ready yet?!" each time i come through the bathroom door...grrr....
time for the check list again...dogs are all set, doors are locked, have the camera, have gum, have gatorade (double check- it's one he likes...ok), keys, cell phone,money - and i just know i am forgetting something...oh well...we are off to the college....
the ground is slick and slush...we arrive and i am frozen through to the core of my soul...gosh, i wish this race had been cancelled....grrrr...my feet are so numb i can barely walk...hades is sounding like a tourist attraction at the moment...."mom, hold this" "mom, hold that." ...soon i have his outer work-out pants, his jacket, his shirt, his gloves, my gloves, two drinks, etc and i am quickly running out of arms to "hold this".....do i look like a locker?! grrrr....and to boot, there's nowhere -and i do mean: nowhere- to set this stuff down.... finally...over the scraping of the snow plow, i hear the horn sound and they are off...
i sigh with relief- and frustration... somewhere between 15 and 18 minutes he will be back...of course too cold to carry this stuff...and griping about some little twinge in his leg...or foot...or arm...or whatever...course i know that's the "look at me, i am a man enduring pain..." complaint department speaking with me....usually i just let it go but i sure hope today he doesn't even go there....i am just too dang cold! ...and i was up all night with a sore back and a dog who didn't want to share the bed...yes, my son, please don't go there today!
the snow covered time clock is ticking off the times...16:59, 17:00, 17:01...ok where is he? ...aw, gosh, i sure hope he's ok...he can get careless sometimes....17:14, 17:15, oh, wait, there he is...he's rounding the corner at the top of the hill...i feel the adrenline, " Run buddy! "....17:21 *snap...got the finish line picture..."way to go!" "thanks mom...i am freezing!" "well, here, take your clothes." "no, i have to go do a cool down...i'll be back."
grrr...dang kid....here i stand again with everything and nowhere to place it....he runs past a couple of times with his buddies..."hey mom, just meet me at the activities center." ....grrrrr...ok, no problem kid...i will trot right over there with all this stuff...anyone got a sled?!... yeah-right-sure....
after a half mile walk across campus, i walk into the activities center and i swear to myself i will never ever do this again....not in the snow...no way -no how- i don't care...and of course i know i am only lying to myself as i take pictures of him receiving his first city 5k gold medal....gosh, i am so proud of the little brat...
after the awards ceremony, i decide to take him out for lunch to celebrate, on the way there...i am telling him how proud i am and what a great job he did...he's sitting back and giving me a strange look.... so, of course, the mom in me asks: " what's wrong hon?"
"nothing." and he reaches for his gold medal, takes it off his neck, places it around mine and says: "this is yours too mom- i couldn't have done it without you..." time seems to stand still ...and for a moment i see a glimpse of the man he is becoming...
will i stand out in a blizzard- or in the midst of intense humidity- or a thunderstorm-just to watch him race again?... yeah-you betcha.
for it's in these moments that i continue to bond with my son- and somewhat selfishly- store away memories that will last a lifetime.... now it's onto tomorrow's race.....
