110 on the Field and 5 Days To Go

Leaving to go to football camp for the last time &
yes he is wearing sweats in 95 degree weather.

Today I had to rush home after church to get Hopson to the high school so he could leave to go to his final preseason football camp.  I am very surprised that he allowed Hopson and I to drive him.  Yes, I used the word allowed, he really didn't have a say which may be why he didn't fight the prospect of us going.  Each fall, the coaches take the team to a college campus for 5 days.  They do it to get the guys focused and to build team unity.  The boys hate it.  It is usually about 110 degrees on the field.  The boys have to get weighed twice a day to make sure they aren't losing too much water weight.  Coach gets them up at 5am for meetings, and they run drill after drill after drill, until they get it right. 

You may be wondering how I feel about all this?  I'll be completely truthful, I think it's great!  It's good for young men to work hard and be pushed.  It's good for them to get yelled at and be held accountable for their actions.  This world can be an unkind place.  Do you think a future employer wants a whiner and someone who is incompetent working for them?  No.  They want someone with self-confidence and a good work ethic in their places of business.  And you know what?  My future daughter-in-laws don't need some mamby pamby man for a husband.  They need someone who is Godly and strong and loves his family.  Those coaches are helping us build character in our son.  This goes for anyone who coaches any of my sons.  Now before you get in a huff, the coaches  have never berated my child, and never made him do anything dangerous, but they have made him work hard.  Hard work is good for the soul.  It builds character.

I did have a little giggle before the boys left.  Even though these boys are big, they still need a little help.  Two forgot to bring notebooks, and Hop left his phone charger and 2 pair of socks at home.  Yes, they do still need their mommies.  It's nice to be needed.  :) 

I will text Hop a couple of times a day to make sure he's ok.  I'll get a one word answer one time a day letting me know he's alive and surviving and ready for it to be over.  No one said he had to like it, but he has to do it.  Boys...

This week marks the official start to high school football.  It's exciting and it's going to fly!  Speaking of football, it's time for me to go.  Henry's practice will be over in a bit, so it's away I go.

Celebrating Life!
~ashley