Today, the Bean played his first game of soccer. All a bit nervous in his fine new boots and socks and shinguard, and much standing on the field, but he went. I stood on the sidelines with other mums, the Pumpkin talked the ear off one of the other fathers, who ended up walking away to make good his escape.
So this is how it happens: they get taller, you go to the field one day, there are a hoard of other boys, some much bigger, and it's a Saturday soccer match. And I found myself wishing that he'd run more on the field - strange to watch my high-energy boy standing on the field, looking a bit lost.. He had fun. Though later he said he did not want to do things he didn't know how to do - he'd said yes to soccer practice, not a game. " And I want to do gymnastics, because I know a lot more about that." Oh mama. I heard him.
Funny, at my 40th birthday party, I said I did not know what the next decade would bring, but I was fairly sure that Soccer Mum would feature in there somewhere.
And I spoke about wanting some more intrepid life - my 30s were full of safe, small times with babies - short day trips, playground visits, sitting on the beach, digging holes and building mermaids, rather than swimming out to sea. Just one overnight walk in Tasmania, with the medical crowd keeping our boys in Hobart (thank you!) so we could take off to a cabin in the wilderness together. With what turned into a pack of other backpackers and hikers - we laughed a lot, romantic it was not, and very true to us.
Oh and 4 major relocations right across Australia, extreme financial squeeze, houses bought and sold, a husband who then became a medical student in the same year as I became a mother. Different kinds of adventure. No wonder I arrived in Newcastle feeling out of breath. OK, life-adventure, not travel-adventure.
And 2 and half years later, we had the oomphah to embark on this big trip. Ah yes, there's energy there.
No comments:
Post a Comment