Life is busy with four children. Busy might be an understatement, but there was never a dull moment. Before we got into Scouts, the boys’ were involved in the Y.M.C.A. Both are –wonderful- family oriented organizations and I’d highly recommend them to everyone. R.Y.S.A. is another good one, if you love futball as I do. All organizations are family oriented, so you don’t have to spend your life ripping from field to field, game to game, or event to event.
Thing 1 and Thing 2 both played Y.M.C.A. soccer.
This was in the old days when the whole family could be transported in one vehicle. It was a station wagon. –All- of us, gear and extra children included in one vehicle! The car wasn’t pretty, but it got the job done. If you think about the old Chevy Chase movies, you’re thinking about the right car. It had fake wood paneling down the sides and all. It also came with 10 seatbelts. Yes – TEN!!!
One Saturday we went to back-to-back soccer games.
The kids were happy. Snacks were packed, kid gear loaded, they had a wonderful, fun filled day. I have to admit watching 4 and 5 year old children playing soccer was hilarious! I never could figure out if they were chasing the ball or the ball was chasing them.
After a long day on the field, it was time to load up and go home. I gathered up gear, baby stuff, kids and loaded the station wagon.
A long time habit, that I haven’t outgrown, is a last head-check count. It worked well with the boys’, grandchildren, and still serves me well.
As we’re pulling out of the soccer field I looked back and realized we were missing something. Soccer balls, cleats, coolers, gear.. all accounted for, but there was an empty hole.
Thing 3 was still on the soccer field, happy as a clam in his stroller, with his Goldfish crackers and sippy cup. Yeah – I lost another one.
- Bess Tuggle
 |
| A jack of all trades, Ms. Tuggle has been a Covington resident since the late 70’s. She's been a K-Mart cashier, cabinet builder, vet tech, office manager for a beef cattle ranch and water well company (where she was able to hold benefits for D.A.R.E. and Scouts), a court reporter, business manager, assistant at a private investigation firm, legal assistant, convenience store clerk, landscaper and elementary school substitute teacher. Her greatest pleasure is being a wife, mother and grandmother. Her stories are all real, and all names will be withheld to protect the innocent, and also maybe the guilty, depending on the crime & the Statute of Limitations. |
