Time?

As a parent there is never any time to just sit. Well, maybe after work when in front of the telly, having dinner and trying not to fall asleep, whilst listening to the readings (oops, scrap that).  We have 2 young ones.  When they wanted to get into sports, we decided 2 sports (summer/winter) is more than enough.  To our way of thinking, they are young.  They need time to do homework and time to be just kids and enjoy their toys.
Field hockey they love, so we are now expert hockey parents and have had to learn hockey rules and are still learning as they progress in their game.  We are always on the sideline, motivating (screaming) bag carriers and have met other parents in the same scenario.
Net-ball is the second winter sport.  Net-ball I can grasp the flow much easier than hockey.  Winter we are now in and we have a sport every night of the week.  So, we leave the house in darkness and we get home in darkness.  Now we are in the next phase, playing hockey/ netball is not enough, we have to go for representative teams.  Hence more times on the sports ground and more late nights....hence the calendar is busy and messy.
What about time for us?... Well to be honest, we have our time when we sit on the sideline and watch them.  It is quality time.  We see them look over every-time they get the ball for the thumbs-up.  We watch them with pride as they play their hearts out.  We watch avidly for a feedback.  Also, we get to meet other parents in the same boat (I believe it is an ark by now).  We are socialising!!  We laugh about the kids, we share where the chicken specials are, we discuss dinner menus, we expertly analyse the game and we people watch together.  Yes, with children, time for oneself tends to be non-existence.  But I cannot imagine having all the time in the world, but not blessed with children.
So we plan, and we compromise and we adjust with the "whatevers".   To top it of, yours truly cannot stop volunteering.  When something needs doing, my hand is the first up.  So what am I moaning about?  Nothing really.
It is not the amount time one has that matters, it is how one spends that time. I have made my choices!
Blessings.
xo

St Patrick's day 2012

I am married to a man hailed from the Emerald Isles.  My children therefore are part Samoan and part Irish (besides the Tongan, English and Portugese...from my side alone).  For this year, the sun shone beautifully in Dunedin.  We had a day off together, as a family.  A hearty breakfast of bacon and eggs on toast.  Then a family bike ride along the harbour.  Time to cool with some family household chores and lunch.  Then off we headed to the Octagon with all its patrons in green and loud Irish jigs in the background.  Family dinner, enjoying the view, enjoying the atmosphere, enjoying the company.  A Saint day for family and fun.
Who is St Patrick?  My children are well versed on this, he is the man whom chased the snakes out of Ireland and for this people celebrate.  Green is the colour of the Emerald Isles, hence this is the colour of the Saints day.  Apparently, there is a bit of Irish in all of us.  On this day, people of all denominations, ethnicities and backgrounds were in green and having a great time.  We saw Sr Pauline marching along and chatting with the young party-goers.  Sr Pauline in her fine Irish colours.  A proud and true County Kerry lass.
As the sun sets on another St Patrick celebration, I look at my children and say a prayer of thankfulness for the blessings they are.  Celebration is a gift.  Thanks St Paddy!!!