I know this is hard to believe (or maybe just hard to stomach, again:)), but I love football. And it's not just the game and the season and all the hoopla that surrounds a Friday night, but I love the whole lifestyle that comes with being a coaching family. I'm sure I've complained numerous times about how late Billy works at night and the incessant phone calls about lawn mowers, team physicals, and weight room shenanigans, especially when i was a young wife just learning the ropes; but after many years of living this way, I have alot to brag about. And tonight, i think i'd like to share:)

First of all, can we say T-SHIRTS!!!! I am a walking advertisement for everything from orthopaedic foot care to the new Gatorade flavor to the best sporting goods stores around. I am never at a loss for a shirt to run in, do housework in, or parade around Kroger in on a lazy Saturday afternoon.

Next, there are now online sites that allow moms to find babysitters who are qualified, responsible, and available at a moment's notice. I've never needed a site such as that. Let's just say that cheerleaders line up to keep an adorable infant (as do some of my favorite Panther moms) and when the big boys get too big for girl babysitters, the best thing is a babysitter who can throw a spiral in the backyard and come inside and play Madden till it's lights out. And that whole responsible thing? Word travels fast around high school halls, so any undesirable candidate has been eliminated before she even applies. SOmetimes gossip IS okay.

It gets better. During the season, I very often open the fridge on Saturday mornings and find leftovers from Friday's pregame meal. Now, if that isn't a pleasant surprise for a weary mom on a busy weekend, I don't know what is. Tucker and Tanner don't even care what it is, as long as Daddy brought it home and they know that the players ate it, it's a keeper. Which means whether i want to eat it or not, supper is already cooked and i can sit back and watch the Georgia game (somewhat) uninterrupted.

There are plenty more reasons to love this life: tickets to the Georgia games, endless samples of deodorant, prewrap, and shaving cream, and old jerseys that become costumes whenever necessary. An open track to run on with nobody to tell me i can't bring my jogstroller. And then there are those little moments when God reminds us that he's never far from the action. My friend likes to say that when we want something, sometimes we have to just be patient and wait for God to "show out." Well, today, he not only showed out, he did cartwheels and back handsprings.

In just a couple of weeks, Billy will be taking his team to FCA camp at West Georgia College. Though it is a team activity, the players must pay for their own trips. Reality check: the economy stinks and some kids (and families) just don't have the money. So Billy has been stewing over this for weeks. How to get all of his players to a camp that no one should have to miss out on. He prayed, e- mailed, and made numerous phone calls. Little bits came in here and there, but still we had several players who still needed scholarships. As we were heading to Lake Lanier Islands with the boys today, the "showing out" began. Billy got a call from a guy who wanted to help him with the scholarships and miraculously was able to offer the money that Billy would need to insure that EVERY player would attend what has been rumored to be a "life-changing" camp. We couldn't believe it. Billy had called this guy hoping he would be able to help with 2 maybe 3 players and instead will provide for 13!!!!!
All together, Billy has had people step up and offer enough money to allow 27 boys to attend camp, boys who otherwise would be staying home.

We drove in AWE the rest of the way and enjoyed our afternoon in the sun, reminded again that miracles do happen. Just can't wait to see what the next miracle is that God has in store for our PANTHERS!