Our first year of college basketball is behind us now. What a fun adventure! Keaton enjoyed his season...even with his knee problems. We couldn't have hoped for a better experience! He played almost every minute in the JV games and was in for a few minutes of action with the big guys on varsity a few times. (**Mom's Brag Alert**: Keaton scored 27 points in the game against Hope College. He had five 3-point baskets in a row. It was awesome to watch him play the game he loves...and have fun! Oh, and he only missed one (yep, 1) free-throw all season.) He was welcomed to the team...and entire basketball family...with open arms (of course, after showering). All the families were so nice and friendly. The coaches were all positive and kept a sense of humor throughout the entire season. The guys on the team were awesome!! There was a real sense of camaraderie...it must be all those bonding times eating together and playing video games. It's been such a welcome change from high school ball: no parents yelling at the players, no players criticizing each other and bickering, no coaches belitting a player, and no slumped shoulders and hanging heads coming out of the locker room. It's such a nice change! The best part...I don't HAVE to have a drink before each game. Not only are my nerves calm, but my liver is much happier! Keaton had a nice fan club at his games and we're so grateful for the support from family and friends! College basketball is definitely much different than high school; it's so much faster and more physical. Holy cow, he's playing against HUGE MEN!! But, Keaton's accepted the challenge to be a scorer on varsity next year. He's working hard off-season with lifting and gaining some weight. The trainer has him eating six (yep, 6!) times a day. We're hoping he'll be able to strengthen his knees and won't suffer from patellar tendinitis (or Osgood-Schlatter as Keaton and his beloved Web MD believes he has/had). So, to honor Keaton's basketball season, I made a little highlight slide show. Just click on the triangle start button on the right and turn up your speakers. (For those of you with little ones and/or sensitive ears, there is a little profanity in the song. But, hey, Keaton's in college now...this is one of the tamest songs I could find in his music library.) Oh, one more thing to look for while watching the slide show...Keaton is #44. However, he is wearing #43 in a few pictures...he wore #43 in a JV game and then changed into #44 for the varsity game. (Just a fun fact in case you're ever on Jeopardy and the category is "The Life and Times of Keaton Adams.)
We had the banquet last weekend and it was fabulous! Wow...another nice change from potluck high school banquets in the cafeteria. It was catered and very nice! One dad made a highlight DVD that was incredible! Matt copied the JV games for the JV players and I made 27 photo books for the entire team and coaches/trainer. One last basketball story to share is a quote from Keaton. We took him and his beloved Elizabeth out to dinner after the last K game. He said he's really looking forward to next year and "being socially dominant". He said he won't have to sit in the middle of the seat in the van for away games anymore...he can have a window or aisle seat; he won't have to carry the extra bags around; and he can boss the freshmen around next year. Aim high, Keaton!
We purged our basement and are now officially clutter-free! Matt built shelves in the basement and we have everything all neatly stored and labeled. (Our stuff was neatly stored and labeled before, but we just had way too much of it!) I forgot how much crafting I used to do. Now that I can get to it, I have to start getting crafty again...after I finish my 500 scrapbooks (I'm not kidding...I have about 20,000 pictures to scrapbook) and quilts. We shredded 13 years of tax records and now have what was in three bins all neatly compressed into one portable file box. (Neatly labeled, of course!) We had eight bags of shredded papers to recycle and our Durango was filled to the roof with donations to Goodwill. I'm sure the neighbors thought we're either moving or covering our tracks as insider traders. It feels so great to be purged. Now Matt can get his long-awaited pinball machines for the basement. I can't say no anymore...unless I want him to get the garage finished first. Hmmmmmm....
Matt and I have had some laughs at our mishaps lately. One day, Matt went out to shovel the driveway until I watched him limp up to the garage with his boot in his hand and his sock hanging off his foot. I then watched him crawl into the bathroom and just shook my head because there's no telling what he just did. Well, he left a nice bloody trail from the chunk of glass wedged into his heel. The strange thing was that he wore those same boots days before and walked a few miles snow-shoeing in them...with the glass in them and it never bothered him. Luckily he dug out the glass and didn't pass out while doing it. (I wasn't dressed at the time and really didn't want to take him to the ER in my p.j.s...and Heaven forbid...without my hair and makeup done!) I've had what I call my "Lucy Moments". I relearned the principles of refraction of light when I thought Matt had replaced a white light-switch cover with a pink one. I was all excited and thought he was so sweet to install something pretty for me...until I discovered that the light from my red robe makes the white switch-plate cover look pink. Who knew? I also learned the hard way that my hand does NOT fit in the kleenex box. I was putting on my makeup and needed a kleenex. There was one left...at the bottom of the box, of course. (And by box, I mean in the cardboard box INSIDE the decorative ceramic box.) So, I carefully reached and dug and finally got the kleenex...only to discover that I couldn't get my hand back out of the box...uh, boxes. Unlike Lucy and her crying, I start to laugh when I get stuck. I don't know about Lucy, but when I start to laugh really hard, I have to pee. The harder I laugh, the more I have to pee. Well, my right hand was stuck in the kleenex box...and I'm right-handed. I honestly thought I was going to have to call Matt to help me get my hand out of the box...or help me go to the bathroom. Since that really wasn't a call I wanted to make (and have Matt's cubicle neighbors think I'm even crazier than they think I already am) I oiled up my hand and got it out. My bladder was very happy. I have another story about texting...but it's a little naughty. Let's just say to always double-check...no triple-check...who your message is going to before sending any texts. Seriously. Check. Then check again and again. ;-)
We headed back to good ol' Kearsley to watch the younger generation play some basketball. It was strange to be back at the high school and middle school. I don't remember a lot. (I still believe that all the fumes from the gallons of Aqua Net hairspray I used has marred my memory.) I do remember kissing Matt in the hallway at school, so we HAD to pose for a picture for old time's sake. Keaton was thoroughly disgusted.
We had an ice storm a few weeks ago and it was really pretty. Keaton called to say they lost power at school. He went to his teammates' house and crashed. I was thankful he was warm and he could shower and study. He was thankful he was warm and could plug in his laptop and cell phone. Their team really is like a little family. They all look out for each other and it's such a nice relief to not have to worry. (Well, I still worry, but I don't have to worry every second of every day. My gray hair isn't coming in so fast and furiously now..whew!) Really the only thing I have to worry about now is who I accidentally just sent my last text to...
