Visit weekly for updates on Elyse and Alexs' sporting quest, their school experiences, Kirstin's post-college life and travels, our trips around the US, and information about where ever the road leads us.
I am sure that if there is a namebrand of bleachers that is engraved on it, it has to be permanently stamped in my butt after I have spent so much time watching so much basketball. Elyse's freshman team has been busy playing lots, and she also travels with the JV so that leads to many, many nights on the road. Thank goodness we love basketball or it would be a long month. Considering the freshman play at 4:45, followed by the JV, and then the Varsity, 3 games every night is a lot of basketball.
Elyse's freshman team had their first conference lost 2 weeks ago. And wouldn't you know it, it was against "enemy's" team. If you have read any of my previous post, you will know who Elyse's enemy is from Oelwein. The team came out slow to get going and were down by 10 going into the 4th quarter. As we pulled closer, the team pulled it within 2 with 1 minute left. Elyse shot with 15 seconds left and it went in!!!!! That tied it up and put us into overtime! We hung with them and then Elyse fouled out.....she was pretty crushed as she played incredible defense against "Enemy". We ended up losing. Oh well, that is their only conference lost so they are still leading the conference. Two freshman games left.......cross your fingers we win them both.
Elyse scoring against enemy
She has gotten in on some JV games...even scored last week....but usually she enjoys the bench with her cousin, Miranda, when the JV is playing. They bothplay almost all of every freshman game, so moving up and dressing JV and getting in at least a little each game is something they are proud of.......we are proud of them too! They have had a super season! I will be sad when the season is over....but my butt will be thankful.
(She is number 32 in white and 33 in blue. She is the one shooting in most of these shots except the one where she is boxing out)
Alex's AAU 6th grade basketball team finally had a tournament this past weekend. It seems like they are not having as many this year. Sadly, it showed in the first game, that we have not played anywhere except in practice. They boys did a great job, just came out a little weak the first game. Alex's team ended up losing the first one and winning the next two so that was not so bad. Alex did well and played hard although he has been spending a lot of time since the weekend practicing his free throws as he missed quite a few. This of course then became a mental game for him. Things got better the next games and he turned it around.
He has a few more tournaments in February that will work out perfectly as Elyse is wrapping up her freshman and JV season within the next two weeks. Perfect time....
Alex is number 34. Top picture he is in blue and the bottom 2 pictures he is in white.
Today was a pretty emotional day as Wayne and I lost a friend to cancer. While we mourned his lost today, we also celebrated his life in a similiar fashion to my brother's funeral. His closest friends gathered after the funeral, had some drinks, shared stories, and shed some tears. His name was Bill Gosch. Wayne and Bill go way back as friends, and were the best of them for a long time. I'd like to say they didn't get into trouble, but I heard a lot of memories today that would contradict that. :) Wayne was the bestman in Bill's wedding, my first few years in Cresco were spent with Wayne and Bill out on Thursday nights, and as couples, us along with Bill's wife, Barb, and many other couples, have a lot of fun memories together in our early years of marriage.
Bill battled cancer for 3 1/2 years and was a definition of a "fighter". When Barb and I were chatting the other night, amid all our tears, we both smiled because I told her that I know Bill was sitting with my brother having a beer (both loved beer) and chatting about what a sucky year the Vikings had - both Vikings fans! She said she hopes so....and I know in my heart they are!!! Bill has a son that is a year older than Elyse and two stepsons he called his own. His oldest stepson, Brandon, also has 3 little kids who Bill loved very much. (You will see them in the video at the bottom of this post) Everyone loved Bill and no matter what he was going through, when you asked him how it was going, he would always say, "Can't complain."
Words can't express the emotions that came back today....new ones and old ones....sometimes life just really sucks. I read the book titled "One More Day" yesterday morning before Bill's wake. (very good book if you haven't read it) In it it stated that "When someone is in your heart, they're never turly gone. They can come back to you, even at unlikely times." I can only hope that is true. I felt quilty today at times because my mind and my emotions went back to Ken and it was Bill's day. But I know Bill would understand......(and Ken would still be telling me to "quit crying"...as he said I am the "emotional one".)
So, here is a video one of Bill's family members made. The song is "Cryin' For Me" and someone sang it today at Bill's funeral to acoustic guitar. It was BEAUTIFUL! There was not a dry eye in the place. So...here is to our friend Bill....and my brother Ken......sometimes we just cry for ourselves because we miss you.....now both of you!
