A Fun Day

This week has been busy. I took the week off work and have been working around the house. I have taken three heaping truck loads of branches, leaves, and junk to the dump that I cleaned out of the back yard. There were oleander bushes in my back yard that I haven't trimmed in five years and they really needed it.

I have shampooed the carpet in the living room and helped my dear wife rearrange things in the living room in preparation for some new furniture that is arriving tomorrow. I have spent my evenings helping out at the high school varsity volleyball tryouts by keeping score during their workouts. All in all it has been a busy and tiring week. But all that changed this afternoon.

I was over at Saint Ann School where I coach the girls volleyball team. I noticed a few weeks ago that I will be a couple players short of three full teams next year. So I have been bugging the Principal to allow me to invite a couple of next years fifth grade girls to play on my sixth grade team. Today she finally gave me permission to do so.

I already knew which two girls I wanted so I hung around until class got out and asked to speak to the two of them when they came out of class. I told them that I was going to need some help with the volleyball teams next year and wanted the two of them to play with my sixth grade team.

Both their eyes got really big, saucer big, bigger than beach balls big. Suddenly I was bombarded with a rapid fire series of repeat questions. The first girl asked "Really?" The second one asked "Are you kidding?" back and forth several times. When I confirmed that I was not kidding I started to explain that they would need to talk to their parents and get their permission to do this. As I said that these two little girls suddenly sprouted smiles that made their eyes look small.

Seeing the pure joy and excitement on their faces was the funnest thing I have done in weeks. Now I almost feel like I cheated my assistant coaches out of the joy of being there when I asked. But since they both work at the school they get a lot more opportunities to see these kids than I do so I'm not too concerned.

I know that the one little girl already has permission since her mother walked up during our talk and gave her the okay right then and there. I just hope the other little girl's parents don't tell her no. She was so excited it would be a shame to ruin that. Plus, I really do need two more players, and these two are easily the best two volleyball players in this year's fourth grade.

So if you find yourself having a kind of slow dreary day I have a way to spice things up a bit. Find yourself a couple of ten year old fourth grade girls and surprise them by asking them to do you the favor of doing something they love doing, that they didn't think they were going to be able to do until over a year from now.

It will make your day. It certainly made mine.

Except, now I have to be the one to tell my own daughter that two of the girls in her class get to play volleyball a year early, and she is not one of them. But I feel so good today that I am going to wait on that until tomorrow.