MaMaLiRZ

Today I discovered my pool started turning green on Friday, turns out my pool man went MIA (missing in action) at the beginning of the month (conveniently after payment), and I need the pool clear by Friday for an event Saturday morning (good luck). I was frustrated, disappointed and for a split second thought, why is this happening.

After a short pause, I remembered the post from Saturday. Life, that vicious comedian, keeps happening, go figure. Every facet of it, every day, keeps happening but, do you know what it’s doing?

I’ve determined that it’s happening to give me a chance to change my response. React differently. I put in some phone calls and instead of spiraling, I decided…I’m gonna plan our next trip of the quest63in365, not for Christmas, for this weekend. An impromptu trip if you will, because something magical had happened.

Late last week, work cancelled one of the two weeks of European engagements I’ve been scheduled to participate in for over two months. But hey, hey, hey, thanks …life…and Fat Albert, for opening up a weekend on the calendar that clearly needs to be filled. Where do we go in August when we only have another 11 months or so to get to the 61 remaining National Parks, Dry Tortuga (#3), I’m still mad at you!

Realizing we are heading into fall and then winter, I reviewed the excel spreadsheet I created week one and thought, let’s go somewhere it’ll soon be cold, maximize this gift we’ve been given.

South Dakota, here we come! I had the whole trip planned, fly into Rapid City Airport, travel out to Wind Cave, then continue to The Badlands, and time permitting see Mount Rushmore and maybe Devil’s Tower. And then life popped in again. This time it was in the form of Benjamin walking into my office and plopping on my lap, regardless of the desk directly in front of me or the fact that he’s 100 pounds. Turns out, as I was quickly informed, I’m the only comfortable seat in the house. I thought to myself, while I wrapped my arms around him , pushing away from my desk, and taking an eight second embrace, my lap will always be big enough and strong enough to welcome my sons. This is why I am doing what I am doing, now.

But then, in a flash of an eye, the sheer presence of him, my breath escaped in a Humf, as I knew just then I had to reschedule everything adjusting for his life force. In my excitement of a found week and joy of planning our adventure, I totally forgot Benjamin sole being and life force of football has commandeered every Saturday until November, LIFE.

Suddenly and without remorse, I diligently rescheduled the same trip starting on Sunday and returning on Wednesday. Judge me if you will but I find it more important for him to be at his football game on Saturday than school on Monday. Team sports offer physical training, team building and require commitment, a team dependency. This isn’t to say that school isn’t important, but school isn’t a team sport, no one else is counting on you showing up. The education will take, just in the Parks, rather than the schoolhouse.

I’ve already downloaded the Junior Ranger pamphlet. They will need to complete them both in order to earn their next two badges. One for Wind Cave and the other for The Badlands. Both National Parks have educational walks and excursions and we are signed up, locked in.

As a side note, I emailed both their principles asking for their missed days to be excused and now we wait for their responses. Will they realize it is more of a courtesy or will they use this as a power play? Not that it matters really, just trying to ask permission instead of forgiveness. Let’s see if the Army training was right…I’m going against 24 years of Army training and knowledge that its always better to ask forgiveness than permission (especially when you plan to do it anyway)…

After all, Lord knows I’m going to be needing those sixteen unexcused absences later ;)