Thursday, December 20, 2007

B-U-S-Y ! ! ! ! !

Like a lot of folks, I'm very busy at this time of year. We're coming to the end of the first semester and it's time to get grades finalized for all of my students. We're smack-dab in the middle of basketball season and, even though we're not very good and hopes for the future look pretty bleak for this group, we've got to continue to try to get better and work on the mistakes that we're making (which are numerous!). Of course, Christmas is right around the corner and there's always the preparations for that; food, parties, church get-togethers, gifts, etc. On top of everything else, three of my four children were born on the 9th, which means we've got to have a remembrance of that special day AND, my own birthday is on the 24th, which means those who care about me typically feel that they have to do something to remember that day as well. In short, there's a lot of stuff going on and the pressure mounts continually right up through the end of the year!

Basketball report - Uhhh....how can I say this nicely? My team isn't very good! Last night, despite intense practice to correct mistakes made previously, we made all of the same mistakes again and lost ugly! I told them before the game that the team we were facing was going to be very athletic and extremely fast. I told them that, in order to win, we must get back quickly on defense, control our defensive glass, hit our free throws, and execute our half-court offense. Very shortly into the game, with the score 10-2 in their favor, I called time out. I informed them of the fact that, of the 10 points they had, 8 were from stick-backs on offensive rebounds which meant that we were NOT boxing out and controlling our defensive glass; one of the absolutes I gave them before the game ever got underway. I swear, sometimes I think they believe that I tell them things just to hear my voice bounce off the wall! The good news is that we've now faced most of the toughest teams we'll see and, if we actually fix the things that are broken, we may win a couple of games before we're done!

Meanwhile, I remain optimistic. I'm married to the most wonderful woman in the universe and nothing, and I mean NOTHING, can ruin the marvelous mood that she keeps me in! I feel as though I'm without air when we're not together and I feel like a king when we are! She's God's very special blessing to me and I praise Him with everything in me for giving me such a wonderful blessing at this time in my life!

Out! - Dan

No comments: